Review: Quentin Blake and Me at Lowry Theatre, Salford

“…The Lowry were keen to create something special. I really think they have achieved it…”

Quentin Blake and Me, Lowry Theatre, Salford

By Claire Walmsley

‘Quentin Blake and Me’ is the brand-new, family-friendly exhibition at the Lowry in Salford Quays opening on the 19th July.

As a children’s author, a Quentin Blake exhibition is right up my street. He’s one of the most well-known illustrators with a very distinctive style. I had the pleasure of having a sneak peek before it is open to the public—and what a gem it is!

Quentin Blake has been writing and illustrating for over 70 years. Whilst an accomplished author himself, he has illustrated for the likes of Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter and David Walliams to name a few. This free exhibition was created to celebrate his creative talent and love of storytelling.

Michael Simpson, Director of Visual Arts at the Lowry, talked us through the installation and you can see the care and effort that has gone into building a beautiful, inspiring place where children and families can embrace their creativity.

On entry, each child receives a notebook with lined and blank pages to inspire a generation of storytellers. This is a lovely touch that children will really appreciate and allow them to take a piece of the exhibition home with them.

Each area is dedicated to a different Quentin Blake book with original drawings on display. Sometimes these notes and drafts have crossings out. I think it’s important for children to see that even accomplished illustrators/authors have rough drafts and that making mistakes is all part of the process. There’s something wonderfully charming about seeing the original drawings from your favourite books. There are over 20 books celebrated – some appealing to the grandparents, some the youngest visitors and everything in between.

Dotted around the exhibition, there are low-tech interactive displays. Michael Simpson was keen for the interactive elements to be as screenless as possible as he understands the frustration of finding an exhibit ‘Out of Order’. I absolutely loved these immersive elements. There is a giant boat from ‘The Sky Boat’ which dominates one of the spaces. Michael hopes that children and families will use it to read the plethora of books dotted around the exhibition or to create their own stories. This particular area focuses on stories about journeys so there is a writing prompt activity which gently encourages children to use those notebooks.

Another fun section is the replica of Quentin Blake’s workshop. To view it, there are several peepholes (of varying height!) which all add to the excitement and intrigue. I also liked the area dedicated to ‘The Boy in the Dress’ (by David Walliams) where there were beautiful dresses for children to try on. Sadly, my favourite pink twirly one does not come in adult size!

Whilst Quentin Blake has drawn many characters, he usually refrains from drawing real people (unless it’s himself), but he made an exception and drew a beautiful portrait of L.S. Lowry for the event which you can view inside the exhibition. This painting will go on display in the main gallery when the exhibition finishes. You can buy prints and other merchandise at the well-stocked (and reasonably priced) shop which is located in the middle of the exhibition.

The team at the Lowry were keen to create an experience for families. After lockdown, they noticed the biggest audience to rush back were families. In the current economic climate, the Lowry wants to provide free activities that enrich visitors. Not only is there an exhibition, but there is also a range of activities around the Lowry itself—such as storytelling, illustrators and a cockatoo trail. You can find details of these on the Lowry website. Whilst there are certainly things for all ages, the very young may tire quickly of the actual exhibition and not see the significance of the beautiful illustrations. However, it is still very much worth a visit.

This year the Lowry is celebrating 25 years and Michael Simpson explained that they were keen to create something special. I really think they have achieved it. It’s a celebration of stories, illustrations and a lifelong career of an extraordinary person.

After the success of the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler exhibition, this exhibition will be ticketed to ensure all visitors get to explore in a calm and friendly environment, so be sure to book your free ticket in advance.

Quentin Blake and Me plays at Lowry Theatre, Salford until Sunday 04 January 2026. Tickets are available here.

Claire Walmsley is a children’s author who pays the bills by teaching computer science to primary school pupils in Manchester. When she’s not writing, reading or fixing all the broken laptops at work, she likes to run and hike. As a long-term sufferer of Crohn’s Disease, she is always trying to inspire the next generation of chronic illness sufferers. You can find her first picture book here. Or follow Claire Walmsley – Children’s Author on all the socials.