Irina Richards

Irina Richards is a freelance comics artist and educator affiliated with the University of the Arts London (UAL), where she teaches 'Comics, Graphic Novels and Beyond' as part of the Future Creatives Short Courses programme. Her academic background includes pursuing an MA in Education (Artist Teacher Practice) at Oxford Brookes University, focusing on the application of comics in educational settings.

Her research interests span comics in education, arts-based methodologies, and the intersection of comics with history, heritage, poetry, and visual literacy. Current projects include exploring comics as data (rather than merely communication tools) and collaborating with Newcastle University researchers on applied comics initiatives.

Irina co-founded Sweatdrop Studios, the UK's first original comics collective, and has authored small-press comic titles. She actively collaborates with museums, galleries, and schools to expand comics' creative boundaries. Notably, her work was shortlisted for the 2019 Laydeez Do Comics Prize.