Comic creators still have until 15th December 2021 to make their pitches in response to two “Open Calls” from Comic Art Europe, building on the success of the organisation’s activities across the continent.
Both calls – one comics-based, titled “Living Together“, the other a call for the applications to join this summer’s Comics Summer Camp in Brussels, are open to comic creators in the UK and some other countries, as well as all 27 European Union member states.
As we previously reported, this year, Comic Art Europe is asking comics creators to reflect in their own way on “Living Together” in the modern world, through true stories or fictional creations. Comic book artists are invited to present projects that illustrate their interpretation of “living together” today. The only constraint is the use of the comics medium.
“Diversity enhances society,” says CAE, “Learning about other cultures, being exposed to different values and influences is an enriching experience that broadens the mind and promotes tolerance and the appreciation of difference.”
Five projects will be selected by a jury comprising comic strip experts and representatives of each of the five cultural organisations participating in the Comic Art Europe project. Each selected artist will be awarded a 5000 € grant and a two-week residency in one of the four partner cities of the project (Lyon in France, Brussels in Belgium, Barcelona in Spain and Kendal in England). The winning artists will also have the opportunity to present their work at festivals and events proposed by the project partners and in 2023.
The organisation is also seeking applications from young creators for their Comics Summer Camp, which will take place in the heart of Europe, Brussels, at the Belgian Comic Strip Center between the 11th and 15th of July 2022.
Any young artist, between 18 and 27 years old and resident in one of the 27 EU Members States (+ United Kingdom, Albania, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Tunisia, Armenia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Liechtensein) will have the possibility to apply to the Summer Camp 2022 from 15 October until 15 December 2021 by presenting a digital portfolio of between 10 to 20 pages including specific contents as work using analogue techniques (figure study, movement, composition, illumination, lay outs, etc.), work using digital techniques (drawings and colour) and storytelling sequential works (comic pages, story board, etc.).
20 participants will be selected by the jury and full details of how to apply can be found here on the Comic Art Europe web site.
Comic Art Europe is supported by four organisations from across the continent – Lyon BD, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Escola Joso, Centre de Còmic i Arts Visuals and Centre Belge de la Bande-Dessinée (the Belgium Comic Strip Centre) – with the support of the European Union program “Creative Europe”.
• For full details of the Living Together “Open Call”, check out this page on the Comic Art Europe web site
• For more information about the work and plans of Comic Art Europe, visit comicarteurope.eu
