The Lakes International Comic Art Festival continues to ramp up its programme for an exciting weekend of comics fun in October in Kendal, with an announcement for the Little LICAF sessions, all taking place at the The Shakespeare Centre.
Little LICAF organises activities both physical and online for younger comic fans and aspiring creators, and Sayra Begum, Neill Cameron, Hannah Eaton and Marc Jackson already have pencils primed for six, free bookable workshop sessions on both Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th October.
Several 90-minute sessions, running morning, midday and afternoon are in the creative works, offering free comic activities, a reading corner, Marc Jackson’s artist stand, a library selection and more. During each session, there will be a designated 45-minute, artist-led workshop, which everyone will take part in, then return to reading, drawing, and other comics cartoonery!
There’s a maximum of 15 places for youngsters (aged 5-12) for each session, who must be accompanied, at all times, by one responsible adult for full session time.
But the fun doesn’t stop there, because outside the Centre, open to anyone, there will be a badge making activity set up, details of the all-new Lake District LDNPA Felt Mistress walks - and Joey’s Cafe will be on hand, offering outdoor seating for refreshments.
“We’re really excited to be hosting a new offering for the festival for families and children since our switch from the ‘Family Zone’ to ‘Little LICAF’, as a result of the digital festival last year,” say co-ordinators Hester Harrington and Sim Leech. “We know that our artists are really looking forward to being back in front of a real-life audience.
“These new workshops are going to be a fantastic experience for anyone who is booked on - reinforcing how marvellous comics are to encourage reading, cultivate creativity and inspire imagination.”
• LICAF is also running workshops for older comic creators - find out more on the Festival web site
• Tickets are on sale now for this physical event from the Festival web site
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival – back 15th to 17th October 2021 – is online at: www.comicartfestival.com | Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast: www.comicartpodcast.uk | Twitter: @comicartfestpod | Facebook: @ComicArtPodcast | Instagram: @ComicArtPodcast | Virtual Comics Clock Tower: licafclocktower.com
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• Check out their LITTLE LICAF Facebook Page here and the dedicated LITTLE LICAF Instagram here
THE LITTLE LICAF WORKSHOP PROGRAMME
Book a FREE session for your child, aimed at five to twelve year-olds. Each session includes the opportunity to explore comic activities, read comics, take part in a creative workshop led by a professional comic artist, with a chance to meet and chat to the artist afterwards.
Each session is limited to 15 child places and each child must be accompanied by one responsible adult for the whole session.
90-minute sessions are available for booking during which the workshop will last approximately 45 minutes and in the remaining time there is a wide range of activities for your child to investigate and engage with.
Please arrive at your designated start time. Sorry, no late admissions. Book sales by some of the artists may be available, and cash may be preferred.
Saturday
10.00 - 11.30: Sayra Begum - Exquisite Characters
Exquisite Characters is a collaborative, Surrealist drawing game which will be used to create unique and fun characters. The workshop will focus on the drawing game. If you would like to continue with the activity to develop a comic based on your characters, resources will be provided.
12.00 - 13.30: Marc Jackson – Ten Funny Things!
Suitable for ages 5+
Join cartoonist Marc Jackson as you draw ‘TEN FUNNY THINGS!’ You’ll select numbers from Marc’s ‘list of lunacy’ at random and draw them all together to create an amazing picture before your very eyes! All skill levels are welcome... let’s draw something crazy!
14.00 - 15.30: Neill Cameron – Awesome Comic Adventures
Join Neill Cameron - artist for The Phoenix, creator of Mega Robo Bros and author of the Freddy VS School novels - as he shows you how to come up with your own awesome ideas for stories, and then how to turn those stories into AWESOME ADVENTURES through the magic of COMICS!
Sunday
10.00 - 11.30: Hannah Eaton – Draw Your Own Monster
Learn how to draw your own monsters and create their worlds – this workshop focusses on drawing and paper-crafting with graphic novelist Hannah Eaton – let your imagination run wild to create your monsters and make 3D collages of their homes – maybe they inhabit a deep, dark cave, a wild jungle, a faraway planet? Drawing materials will be provided. This workshop is recommended for those who are 12 years old and under.
12.00 - 13.30: Neill Cameron – Awesome Comic Adventures
14.00-15.30: Marc Jackson – Ten Funny Things!
Suitable for ages 5+
MEET OUR LITTLE LICAF CREATORS
Sayra Begum is a Nottinghamshire-based artist, the creator of the graphic novel, Mongrel, released last year by Knockabout Comics, whose work focuses on female and marginalised voices, her style inspired by Islamic miniatures and Surrealism. She’s recently been part of an international comic creator exchange program in Czechoslovakia, organised by LICAF.
Neill Cameron is a cartoonist and writer, best known for his work on The Phoenix comic, the creator of the comics “Mega Robo Bros”, “Mo-Bot High”, “The Pirates of Pangaea” (with Daniel Hartwell), “Tamsin and the Deep” (with Kate Brown), and the instructional How To Make Awesome Comics.
Neill also works as an artist-in-residence at The Story Museum in Oxford, where he contributed several large-scale comic strip installations and continues to be involved in comics-based education and activities, including running a monthly Comics Club group for young cartoonists.
Neill frequently travels the country giving workshops in schools, libraries and at festivals, and is a passionate advocate for the role comics can play in developing literacy skills and encouraging children’s creativity.
Hannah Eaton is an artist and writer. She is the author of Naming Monsters, a graphic novel published by Myriad Editions and shortlisted for the First Graphic Novel Competition and the Ninth Art Prize. She has been a barmaid, a teacher, a support worker, one half of a comedy duo, a learning mentor, a carer for young people and a graphic novelist.
Marc Jackson is a cartoonist from Macclesfield in Cheshire. He’s created comics and characters for the BEANO, Aces Weekly, Comic Scene, The SPARK, The Brooklyn Red Hook star-revue, and more.
Marc also created a comic in partnership with Able Child Africa, seeking to help disadvantaged children in Rwanda navigate basic hygiene issues and COVID-19. Last year, he started working with New York-based writer and teacher Roni Sarig on Rocky Princess Astronaut, a full-length comic about a princess that goes to the moon, released earlier this year.
In less crazy times, Marc runs cartoon art workshops in schools, libraries and at festivals - and also organises MACC-POW! a day of comic art in his hometown.
