Renowned comic book artist Charlie Adlard, best known for his work on The Walking Dead, has taken on a new project to support his local arts centre in Shrewsbury. Adlard has created a book of sketches titled Coffee Shop, featuring drawings from three cafes in his hometown.
The initiative aims to raise funds for The Hive, an arts centre that has been facing financial challenges. Adlard expressed the importance of supporting community art centres like The Hive, which provide valuable resources for local residents.
“I thought it’d be a really good thing this year to just get back to drawing and I like coffee as well so I thought I’d combine two of my favourite things,” Adlard said about the project.
The book includes portrait sketches of local people in the cafes, as well as scenery and poetry. Adlard, who worked on The Walking Dead for 16 years, will be donating all proceeds from the book and any subsequent artwork to the Save The Hive Campaign.
Katie Jennings, CEO of The Hive, emphasized the impact of the arts centre on the community, providing a safe and welcoming space for young people to be creative and express themselves.
The Save The Hive Campaign was launched two months ago with a goal of raising £50,000 to keep the arts hub operational. With the campaign already receiving over £40,000 in donations, the support from the local community has been overwhelming.
To further support the cause, Adlard will be hosting a book signing event at the Soden Collection gallery in Shrewsbury on Saturday. All proceeds from the book will go directly to The Hive, ensuring the continuation of its valuable services for the community.
