Drawing the line

Political cartooning in an inoffensive age: Should political cartoonists pull no punches, whatever offence they cause? Does crude, physical caricaturing come with the territory when you are a public figure? Or is it too easy to lampoon politicians rather than their politics? Do we want cartoonists who are prepared to take risks and push at the boundaries of taste in order to make clearer the world we live in? If we curtail political cartooning in any way, are we effectively censoring the press or simply ensuring good taste? Where should we draw the line with political cartoons and offence?

Join us for this lively and informative debate on Thursday 22 October, 7pm-9pm at the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), 33 Great Sutton Street, London, EC1V 0DX. £7.50 (£5 concessions) per person.

Chaired by Dr Shirley Dent of the Institute of Ideas. Part of the Battle of Ideas festival.

The Panel

  • Sarnath Banerjee – artist, film-maker; graphic novelist
  • Dave Brown – political cartoonist
  • John Kampfner – chief executive, Index on Censorship
  • Brendan O’Neill – editor, spiked; blogger, Guardian Comment is Free
  • Martin Rowson – political cartoonist; illustrator and writer