Timed with the 2026 National Year of Reading, the Comic Book Town initiative is especially focused on inspiring children and young people, including those with special educational needs (SEND).

To celebrate, Barrow will be ‘flooded’ with comics distributed across the town in public spaces.As part of the project, LICAF is also launching a competition for two Children’s Comics Laureates, promoting the value of comics in building a love of reading.

Supported by the National Literacy Trust, local MP Michelle Scrogham and Westmorland & Furness Council among others, the Comic Book Town project highlights the growing significance of the comic book sector in the UK and its potential to inspire, educate, and open new opportunities for all.