Thank You!
The 2025 Galway Cartoon Festival was an amazing experience… Above all we want to thank the artists who gave us work to show here in Galway. You, and your work, are what we do this for. Chosen Artists Our Sponsors and Partners We also want to thank everyone who got involved. Our wonderful guests especially, who taught us so much. But also the City of Galway, which gave us amazing support, and all our other sponsors both public and commercial. Sponsors Partners And Finally, a Personal Thank You to: Go Raibh Míle Maith Agaibh Go Léir
Cartoon Trail
This year we thought we’d put some of our favourite cartoons from both main exhibitions out on the street where everyone can see them. Follow our Cartoon Trail from Charlie Byrne’s to Portershed A Dó. Title Translation Name Country Location Type Price Out For The Count Caoimhe Lavelle Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Culhwch and Olwen Part 1 Gareth Allen Spain/Wales Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original Enquiries Welcome Zombie Caoimhe Lavelle Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Dan’s Macabre Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Lautrec And Van Goch Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Billy Roll Morton Caoimhe Lavelle Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Egg Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Culhwch and Olwen Part 2 Gareth Allen Spain/Wales Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original Enquiries Welcome Starters Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Red Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Big Ask Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Bread Tom Mathews Ireland Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St Original €225 Potential Martyrs Are Advised That The 72 Virgins Aren’t “Those Charlie guys are hot!” Nicolas Vadot Belgium Cava restaurant, Middle St Print €65 Coalition Jim Cogan Ireland Designs of Ireland, Cross St Original €225 Hot Press Jim Cogan Ireland Designs of Ireland, Cross St Original €225 Dance Macabre Jim Cogan Ireland Designs of Ireland, Cross St Original €225 Mouse Lucie Arnoux France Tigh Neachtain, Cross St Original €225 Danse Macabre 1 Joey Mason USA Tigh Neachtain, Cross St Original €225 Danse Macabre 2 Joey Mason USA Tigh Neachtain, Cross St Original €225 Brick Or Treat Steve Jones UK Nelly’s, Cross St Signed Print €65 Where The Wild Things Are Steve Jones UK Nelly’s, Cross St Signed Print €65 Rocky Horror Dara McGee Ireland Bernie Keogh’s Gallery, Cross St Original €225 Macron’s Terrorism Memorial Museum “I’m preparing an exhibition on my red period” Lasserpe France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Tignous Ten Years On “And my flies, how are they?”“Don’t worry. In a world of shit, they rule” Lasserpe France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Death to all religions! “Have some respect” Lacombe France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 EU 27 Thibaut Soulcié France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Washington Post Nicolas Vadot Belgium Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Debate on Freedom of expression “Ah shit, I’m out of arguments” Lasserpe France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 World Cartoon Appreciation Day “Take a good look, press cartoonists will soon be extinct due to a lack of females” Thibaut Soulcié France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Boss Love Tignous France Portershed A Dó, Market St Print Not For Sale Bloody Pencil Mark Winter New Zealand Portershed A Dó, Market St Print €95 Wrong Place Steven Jones UK Portershed A Dó, Market St Signed Print €95
John McCrea
CHANGE OF PROGRAMME PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 3:00pm, Sunday 5th October. Free Entry Unfortunately, American political cartoonist Jeff Danziger had to cancel at short notice for medical reasons. We wish him a full and speedy recovery. In his place, we are very fortunate to be able to bring you one of the biggest names in comic art today, Belfast’s John McCrea. It’s not easy to name someone who’s drawn for Marvel, DC, Judge Dredd and The Simpsons, but John McCrea is one of that rare breed. Drawing the strip Troubled Souls, set in his home city of Belfast, brought sudden fame back in 1989, and his reputation has only grown since. Recently he has contributed to contemporary icons such as The Boys and Deadpool. John will talk to us about his career at the cutting edge of comic art.
Cartoon Workshops For Schools
Throughout the Festival Not Open To The Public As a way to bring cartoons to the community, the Festival organises cartooning workshops for schools. Many of these are through the medium of Irish. These are led by Caoimhe Lavelle and members of the team, and take place throughout the Festival as well as at other times of the year. Let us know if you’d like us to visit your school.
Comic Signing Session
Meet Some Great Artists Sub-City, Corbett Court 5.00-6.00pm, Sunday 5th October Meet underground comic artists in an underground comic shop. Some of the biggest names in the genre will be available to say hi and sign things at Sub-City, including Gilbert Shelton, Hunt Emerson, Brendan McCarthy, Andy Leuenberger and more. Comics available on the day, or bring your own collection.
Festival Club
Where We Go Afterwards Galway Mechanics Institute, Middle St 7.30pm – Late, 3rd – 5th October Hang out with cartoonists at our official club, which takes place in the Galway Mechanics Institute (next to The Dough Bros), a genuine honest-to-goodness actual club that dates back to 1837. Here we’ll gather in the evening to draw, celebrate and relax after our hard day of drawing, celebrating and relaxing. Open all weekend!
The Drawing Room
Centre of the Festival Universe Tigh Neachtain, 17 Cross Street 7.00-8.30pm, Sunday 5th October 7.30-Late, Wednesday 8th October And other times spontaneously When we wanted to choose a place where cartoonists could just run into each other, have a pint and do a drawing, it had to be Tigh Neachtain. Not only is it very arguably the best pub in the entire country of Ireland, and our own local, it was our very first sponsor back when we started the Festival in 2017. So among the dizzy rush of Festival events, we’ve set aside some time to get back to cartooning roots.
Caricature At The Red
Radisson RED Galway (H91 H5PX) 10.30-11.30am, Sunday 5th October Have your face ridiculed by some of the best in the business! You can join our cartoonist guests for a morning caricature session at Galway’s new Radisson Red hotel. And maybe take a pencil along and join in. Bring your friends. Or better yet, enemies. To book see: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite
Children’s Cartoon Workshop
With Hunt Emerson Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop. Middle Street 12.00-1.00pm, Friday 3rd October We’re doing it for the kids once more, in Charlie Byrne’s bookshop. And this time the Festival team will be aided by the fabulous Hunt Emerson. Hunt is one of Britain’s greatest comic artists, famous for his “underground” work since the 1970s, the strip Phenomenomix, and as a collaborator with people like Alan Moore. But he also draws for the much-loved children’s comic The Beano. The workshop is for younger children accompanied by adults, and all materials will be provided. To book see: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite
Lucie Arnoux Comic Workshop
Comic Workshop Sub-City, Corbett Court 12.30-2.00pm, Friday 3rd October Author of hit graphic novel Je Ne Sais Quoi and contributor to the bestselling Enola Holmes series, Lucie is a highly skilled comic creator. She gave us a couple of very popular comic art workshops last year, and returns now as one of our Artists in Residence on Inis Oírr, where she will draw and exhibit. She will also be visiting the city to give us another workshop. These were oversubscribed last year, so be sure to book in advance. See: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite
The Freedom Wall
Building A Wall To Break Down Barriers It began as the shared dream of some NGOs – Europeans Without Borders, Cartooning for Peace, Reporters Without Borders – but soon found the hearts of young volunteers, many from underprivileged neighbourhoods outside Paris. Following their example, we will cover walls in cartoons to raise awareness of the importance of press freedom. Contributors draw on paper or send us images, we print these and paste them up on two walls – one for professional cartoonists from many countries, the other local and visiting children. This project is undertaken in cooperation with the Architecture At The Edge and Baboró festivals. Beginning on Culture Night with a chidren’s drawing workshop, it will continue through all three of our festivals and reach completion one month later. Freedom Wall Paste-Up Events Cartoonists Freedom Wall, Lower Merchants Road, near Pálás Cinema 1.00pm, Sunday 5th October. Children’s Freedom Wall, Eyre Square Centre, opposite Mediaeval Wall 3.30pm, Wednesday 8th October.
Tarraing É I nGaeilge
Draw it in Irish Exhibition Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr Eyre Square Center, Galway Free Entry Mar chuid den fhéile, beidh taispeántas de chartúin as Gaeilge ar siúl i gCathair na Gaillimhe agus ar Inis Oírr. Seo é an séú taispeántas bliantúil de Tarraing é i nGaeilge, agus seolfar é in Áras Éanna (Inis Oírr) ar Dé Luain, 6in Deireadh Fómhair. Cuirfidh an taispeántas raon leathan de stíleanna agus éagsúlacht ábhair ó chartúnaithe ar fud na hÉireann agus fiú amháin thar lear os comhair an phobail. Tá súil againn go mbeidh an taispeántas suimiúil agus spreagúil – agus thar aon rud eile, go bhfuil sé greannmhar. As part of the festival, there will be an exhibition of cartoons in Irish in Galway City and on Inis Oírr. This is the sixth annual exhibition of Draw it in Irish, and it will be launched in Áras Éanna (Inis Oírr) on Monday, 6th October. The exhibition will showcase a wide range of styles and a diversity of subject matter from cartoonists all over Ireland and even abroad. We hope the exhibition will be interesting and stimulating – and above all else, funny. Ealaíontóirí Roghnaithe / Chosen Artists Name Type Price Tom Mathews Original €225 Tom Mathews Original €225 Dean Patterson Print €65 Dean Patterson Print €65 Dean Patterson Print €65 Donal Casey Print €65 Donal Casey Print €65 Mick O’Hara Print €65 Caoimhe Lavelle Original €225 Caoimhe Lavelle Original €225 Rose Anne Prevec Print €65 Rose Anne Prevec Print €65 Vlad Zadneprianski Print €65 Vlad Zadneprianski Print €65 Fíona Moore Print €65 Fíona Moore Print €65 Aidan Cooney Print €65 Maarten Wolterink Print €65 Dara McGee Original €225 Is féidir leat an chuid is mó de na saothair seo a fheiceáil mar phriontaí in Ionad Siopadóireachta Chearnóg an Fhaiche. Tá na bunsaothair ar taispeáint go heisiach in ionad ealaíon Áras Éanna ar Inis Oírr. You can see most of these works as prints in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre. The originals are on display exclusively at the Áras Éanna arts centre on Inis Oírr.
Ealaíontóirí Cónaithe
Artists In Residence on Inis Oírr Lucie Arnoux Born in Marseille but moving to London more than a decade ago, Lucie has been published in both countries, and writes, draws and colours for the comics series Enola Holmes – now in 15 languages. The autobiographical Je Ne Sais Quoi (Random House) was awarded graphic novel of the month by The Guardian. Lucie will give another comic art workshop in Galway city, draw with visitors to the island, and display work created on the island at the Áras Éanna art centre. Comic Workshop Sub-City Comics, Corbett Court SC 12.30pm, Friday 3rd October To book see: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite Drawing Session Tigh Ruairí, Inis Oírr 12.30pm, Monday 6th October Exhibition Opening Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr 6.30pm, Monday 6th October Malak Mattar Born in Gaza in 1999, Malak Mattar started painting at 14 and went on to study Fine Art at Central Saint Martin’s London. She is best known for her monumental painting No Words and as the creator of Sitti’s Bird, A Gaza Story, a children’s book based on her own life. Malak was to be our guest last year, but visa issues meant she could only join us by video. Now she takes up an artist residency at Áras Éanna on the island of Inis Oírr.
Inis Oírr Events
The Galway Cartoon Festival has a close relationship with the Aran island of Inis Oírr (Inisheer), in particular its Áras Éanna Arts Centre. Here we show our Irish language cartoon exhibition Tarraing É I nGaeilge, as well as work created by artists who take up our residency there. We also organise cartoon workshops in Irish for the two schools, and some pub drawing sessions. Once the “quiet back room” of our festival, the Aran excursion is now full of fun events. You can get to Inis Oírr with Aran Island Ferries. Buses leave Galway city at 9.30am and 4.45pm. If you’re nearer to Clare, there are also ferries from Doolin.
Je Ne Veux Plus Y Aller Maman
A Film By Someone Who Was There, Almost Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle Street 6:30pm, Saturday 4th October Antonio Fischetti was a journalist at Charlie Hebdo. On January 7th, 2015 he escaped the attack thanks to a series of bizarre circumstances. Once the shock had passed, he was forced to do some soul-searching to give meaning to a life fragmented by tragedy. His film – Je Ne Veux Plus Y Aller Maman (I Don’t Want To Go Anymore, Mom) – is a quest, both sensitive and offbeat, exploring the power of images and the meaning of the word freedom. After the showing the filmmaker will be available to take questions at the Festival Club in the Galway Mechanics Institute, just down the road.
Tignous – Art Survives
Exhibition and Talk PorterShed a Dó, Market Street Talk: 5.30pm, Saturday 4th October Tignous (Bernard Verlhac) was a much-loved star of French cartooning, who began to contribute to Charlie Hebdo, Fluide Glaciale, Marianne and other major comic and satirical publications at the age of 23. While his work covered about any social or political issue you could name, he was most associated in the public mind with environmental causes – the plight of the panda particularly. We are grateful to his widow Chloé for allowing us to exhibit his work, and for speaking to us about the artist she knew.
Are We Still Charlie?
ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 4.00pm, Saturday 4th October The heart of our conference will be a round-table discussion, where cartoonists will voice their reflections on the past, their concerns for the present, and their hopes. The Ça Presse team from Lyon will take part, as will several of our guest artists from around the world including festival favourite Cristina Sampaio and leading American press cartoonist Jeff Danziger. This event will be chaired by The Irish Times journalist Frank McNally.
Cartoon Masterclasses
Classes de Maîtres We are fortunate to be joined by two excellent French Press cartoonists who will show us the reality of their artistic process – all the way from coming up with a new idea to delivering a finished drawing by the deadline. Thibaut Soulcié Masterclass PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 2.30-4.00pm, Friday, 3rd October. Thibaut Soulcié was born in Loir-et-Cher in France and now calls Bordeaux home. Perpetually young at heart and in good spirits, he’s known for his wonderfully irreverent take on just about anything. His cartoons appear in L’Équipe, Marianne, Télérama, La Revue Dessinée, Fakir, Arte 28’, Fluide Glacial… and pretty much anywhere else that’s willing to join in the fun. To book see: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite Camille Besse Masterclass PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 1.00-2.00pm, Saturday 4th October. Camille Besse honed her artistic skills at ENSAAMA (Applied Arts), the Gobelins School, and ESAD (Decorative Arts). After collecting yet another diploma, she was welcomed into the newsroom of Charlie Hebdo, where she truly found her calling: editorial cartooning. Her first cartoon appeared in 2018, marking the start of a five-year collaboration with the magazine. Today, Camille’s work can be seen in a wide range of publications, including Marianne, Reporterre, L’Humanité, Le Pèlerin, Phosphore, and Les Cahiers Pédagogiques. Beyond the press, she creates comic books and animated films, and occasionally runs workshops in both schools and prisons—sharing her passion for drawing and storytelling with audiences far and wide. To book see: galwaycartoonfestival.ie/eventbrite
Ça Presse
Our Friends in Lyon Ça Presse is an association dedicated to media education with a particular focus on editorial cartooning, and works with both adult and school audiences to teach media literacy and sharpen critical thinking tools. They organise the Rencontres Internationales du Dessin de Presse in Lyon, and in March this year a special edition marking the tenth anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo attacks attracted more than 16,500 visitors. Ça Presse cartoonists Thibaut Soulcié and Camille Besse will give press cartooning masterclasses, contribute (along with other artists in the group) to our Charlie Hebdo memorial exhibition, and join their founder Coralina Picos for our round table discussion about the state and future of satire as an artform.
Charlie Hebdo – Ten Years On
Exhibition PorterShed a Dó, Market Street Free Entry As a backdrop to our conference, we are holding a special exhibition of work by leading cartoonists from France, Ireland, and many other countries. Some of the works on display were created in immediate response to the tragedy. Others were drawn recently, with the benefit of a decade’s reflection on the issues of freedom, expression and tolerance that were raised. Reflection In January 2025, Charlie Hebdo marked the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attack that claimed twelve lives and profoundly marked French history. On January 7th, 2015, eight members of the editorial team were shot down in the newsroom and included the celebrated cartoonists Cabu, Charb, Honoré, Tignous, and Wolinski. Those tragic days shocked the world and raised urgent questions about freedom of expression, secularism, and the role of satire. A decade later, commemorations across France and abroad paid tribute to the victims and reflected on the legacy of Charlie Hebdo. Exhibitions celebrated the work of the cartoonists who lost their lives, underscoring satire’s unique power to challenge intolerance and authority. International initiatives, from Cartooning for Peace to major newspapers, joined in remembrance, highlighting the attack’s global impact. At the Galway Cartoon Festival, the anniversary will be marked with an exhibition and round table discussion titled Are We Still Charlie? Led by The Irish Times journalist Frank McNally, the talk will include cartoonists, some from Charlie Hebdo, and Chloé the widow of Tignous. The programme also features a screening of the moving film Je Ne Veux Plus Y Aller Maman and the participation of journalist Antonio Fischetti, a longtime contributor to Charlie Hebdo. Ten years on, the newspaper continues to publish every week, defying fanaticism with humor and resilience. The freedom to draw, to think, and to laugh endure – fragile, hard-won, yet unbroken. Catherine Gagneux French Honorary Consul Galway
Are We Still Charlie?
A Conference Among the factors that brought the Galway Cartoon Festival into being, perhaps most catalytic was the murder of twelve people – five of them cartoonists – at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper in Paris. A thing like that can change a when to a now. Ten years on we look back in sadness, but also celebration. We embrace the artists lost that day and the spirit of satire that inspired them with a conference for cartoonists and set of related events. We wish to thank Lyon-based media education group Ça Presse for joining us in this project, the Embassy of France in Ireland and the Galway French Consular Agency, and the city of Galway for substantial support via the CAIRDE fund.
Andy Leuenberger
Exhibition Mediaeval Wall, Eyre Square Shopping Centre Created During the Festival. Free Entry Andy Leuenberger is a Berlin comic artist, producing and self-publishing the retro-SciFi comic Dead Time Data since 2021. He also regularly self-publishes satirical cartoon/comic/art/zine/whatever books. His drawings, screen-prints and books have been presented in exhibitions and festivals for micropublishing, screen printing and comic art around Europe and beyond. Self-publishing Comics Workshop Galway Mechanics Institute, Middle Street 7.30pm, Tuesday 7th October. Free Entry As well as an exhibition, Andy will give us a workshop on creating and publishing your own comics. Work created in the workshop will become another exhibition! This is an evening event for adults, including young adults. Materials will be provided but you can bring your own.
Brendan McCarthy
AND IT IS A TRIP! PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 4.00pm, Sunday 5th October. Free Entry Brendan McCarthy is an artist/writer who has been published widely, with over 10 graphic novels to his credit such as Dream Gang, Rogan Gosh and Strange Days. He has designed or written for Hollywood movies, including the Oscar-winning Mad Max Fury Road. He has also worked as a production designer in animation and on lots of pop videos – though comic books still remain his favourite medium. He will take us on a vivid journey through highlights of his career.
Ian Knox
Featured Irish Cartoonist Exhibition: Town Hall Theatre, Courthouse Square Opening 11.30am, Saturday 4th October Talk: Portershed a Dó 2.00-3.00pm, Sunday 5th October. Free Entry This year we point the spotlight at Ian Knox, who has had – and indeed is still having – one of the most extraordinary careers in Irish cartooning. Born in Belfast, by the early ‘70s he was working in animation in London and then Canada. From there he went on to cartoon politically for left-wing periodicals Red Weekly and Socialist Challenge, while simultaneously drawing for various UK children’s comics. He signed much of his political work Blotski, and he and Republican News cartoonist Cormac worked together as Kormski on the anti-clerical strip “Dog Collars” for Fortnight Magazine. Beginning in 1996 he contributed the “As I See It” feature to Hearts and Minds on BBC2 Northern Ireland, and from 1997-98 he was political cartoonist for Ireland on Sunday. He is now the editorial cartoonist for Northern daily The Irish News.
Gilbert Shelton
FREAK OUT! PorterShed a Dó, Market Street 2.00pm, Saturday 4th October. Free Entry We are honoured to introduce you to one of the true masters of the Underground Comix movement, Gilbert Shelton. Breaking onto the scene in the early ’60s with superhero parody Wonder Wart-Hog, Gilbert really made it big with characters that fondly but honestly lampooned the archetypes of the very hippie counterculture he was part of: The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and its equally famous spin-off, Fat Freddy’s Cat. Their social satire and druggie humour left little doubt that these were a new kind of comic, definitely intended for an adult readership. Gilbert will regale us with memories of wild times in conversation with another great of the under-ground comic scene, Hunt Emerson
General Mayhem
Freestyle Exhibition Town Hall Theatre, Courthouse Square Free Entry The “Show Me What You Got” of Galway Cartoon Festival events. The rules go out the window on this one. We just want artists around the world to send us their own favourite work. We don’t care if it’s only really topical in Venezuela, or if it’s weirder than that time Gary Larson allegedly took acid. If we think it’s funny then it’s in. And Our Chosen Artists Are… Albert Ohams Nigeria Boris Erenburg Israel Caoimhe Lavelle Ireland Cristina Sampaio Portugal Dave Coverly USA Dean Patterson Ireland Florian Scheurerer Germany Graeme Keyes Ireland Greg Smith Australia Grigori Katz Israel Haidari Natalija Belgium Harry Burton Ireland Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Jess Judge UK Jim Cogan Ireland Kak France Kipper Wiliams UK Liviu Stanila Romania Mahshid Hashemi Iran Mark Winter New Zealand Mick O'Hara Ireland Muzaffar Yulchiboev Uzbekistan Nancy Ohanian USA Pete Songi UK Phil Witte USA Ron McGeary UK Stellina Chen Taiwan Steve Jones UK Teja Fisher Germany Tjeerd Royaards Netherlands Tom Fiedler Germany Vlad Zadneprianski Ukraine/USA A big thank you to each of these cartoonists, and to all who went to the trouble of sending us their work. You make the Festival possible.
Danse Macabre
Our Theme Exhibition Mediaeval Wall, Eyre Square Shopping Centre Exhibiton – Free Entry It’s that time of year again. Shadows grow so long they can reach behind you and tap your shoulder. Yes, Samhain is coming. When trees get naked, winds skitter and skirl, and the dead take their holidays in the land of the living. It is time to embrace the otherworld. We bring, from all corners of this benighted planet, a gathering of the most horrific humour. Artists Selected Ben Jennings UK Christian Arnaud Bassole Burkina Faso Brandon Hicks Canada Jean-Michel Renault France Dave Coverly USA Dean Patterson Northern Ireland Maarten Wolterink Netherlands Vladimir Kazanevsky Ukraine Glenn Marshall UK Marco De Angelis Italy Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Clemens Moses Germany Anatoliy Lerner Ukraine Cristina Sampaio Portugal Erdogan Başol Turkey Graeme Keyes Ireland Salar Eshratkhah Iran Camille Besse France Kak France Ali Miraee USA Phil Witte USA Ron McGeary UK Valery Momot Ukraine Igor Smirnov Russia Kipper Williams UK Thibault Soulcié France Milko Dalla Battista Italy Marilena Nardi Italy Michel Cambon France Ciara Boland Ireland Daniel Hentschel Netherlands Countless thanks to all who sent us their work. The Whole Exhibition
Dean Patterson
Solo Exhibition, Town Hall Theatre Opens Friday October 4,12:30pm Dean Patterson has been a great friend of the Galway Cartoon Festival from the beginning, being there on our first opening night. In the years since he grown in stature to become one of the most respected, and funniest, cartoonists in all of Ireland. His work appears in publications here and abroad, including Private Eye, the Spectator, The Critic, The Phoenix, The Idler and more. We would like to claim credit for this somehow. Every year we like to feature a cartoonist who has made a notable contribution to the art in Ireland. We’ve been keeping Dean in reserve for long enough, now is his time to shine.
Monday’s Events
Cristina Sampaio, literally one of the best cartoonists in the world, will talk about how she turns an idea into one of her unforgettable images. Anyone working in art or the media can learn something from her methods. Cava Bodega, Middle Street, 4:00 Arrive early. If it’s not unnecessary to say, the show will be magnificently illustrated. This will be followed by a spontaneous drawing outbreak, and we also hope to give a guided tour of the exhibition of AI cartoons in the City Museum. Check our social media or call our number for details. Then we go to Charlie Byrne’s at 6.00 for a performance of cartoon-related poetry. Tom Mathews, Caoimhe Lavelle and Gerry Hanberry will talk to us using words. And don’t forget that all our exhibitions are now open: General Mayhem – PorterShed 2 Artificial Idiocy – City Museum Tarraing É I nGaeilge – City Library Harry Burton – Town Hall Theatre Vladimir Kazanevsky and Martin Rowson – The Pálás Cinema bar Terry Willers’ Water Safety – An Taibhdhearc Joey Mason – All around the Latin Quarter
SELECTED ARTISTS 2022
“Drawing The Line” It is with huge thanks to everyone who sent work for consideration that we announce the artists who were chosen for our 2022 open international exhibition, “Drawing The Line”. Alagon Italy Andrey Selivanov Russia Aongus Collins Ireland Bahman Jalali Nokandeh Iran Brandon Hicks Canada Brady Izquierdo Rodríguez Cuba Ciaraíoch Ireland Cristina Sampaio Portugal Dara McGee Ireland David Carmody Ireland David Hafez USA Dean Patterson Northern Ireland Dokhshid Ghodratipour Iran Doru Axinte Romania Evžen David Czechia Fabrice Matray France Fadi Toon Norway Glenn Marshall UK Graeme Keyes Ireland Harry Burton Ireland Hunt Emerson UK Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Jabar Saber Iraq Joe Boske Ireland Joey Mason USA Jon Berkeley Ireland Jonathon Bomser USA Liza Donnelly USA Mahboob Pakdel Iran Mark Winter New Zealand Martyn Turner Ireland Milko Dalla Battista Italy Nol France Philip Witte USA Raed Khalil Syria Richard Chapman Ireland Richie Brennan Ireland Salar Eshratkhah Iran Shen Hong Li China Steve Bell UK Teja Fischer Germany Til Mette Germany Tjeerd Royaards Netherlands Tom Mathews Ireland Viacheslav Kapreliants Ukraine Having received something approaching 2,000 entries this year, our chief regret is that we only had space to hang 90 pieces. We have been able to display nothing more than a brief sample of the cartooning talent that exists in Ireland and around the world. All the chosen works remain on exhibition at the PorterShed Galway until Sunday October 9th (and will be available as an online gallery after the festival). Please come and enjoy them.
Galway Cartoon Festival Launch 1 Oct 2021 – At Large in the 2020 Hub Galway
Massive thanks to Mayor of Galway Cllr Colette Connolly for attending and speaking, to Gerry Hanberry for the music, to Vinny Brown for officially launching us and judging, and to everyone who attended!
Augustus John’s Galway Revisited
Public Participation In 1915 Welsh artist Augustus John visited Galway. He began work on a large mural based on the inhabitants of Galway City. He hoped to make ‘a vast picture synthesizing all that’s fine and characteristic in Galway City – a grand marshalling of the elements’. In 2021 Galway Cartoon Festival is going to update Augustus John’s vision for synthesizing all that’s fine in Galway, and we need your help! We are looking for the iconic images of Galway as they exist in the modern imagination of Galway’s people. We want to create a bank of the magic moments of Galway’s recent past that our cartoonists can respond to creatively and exhibit the results. It can be anything from a Macnas Parade to a hurling final So if there’s a photo you feel epitomises the best of Galway we’re looking for you to nominate it! If you don’t have the image send us a description and we’ll do some sleuthing! Send your nominations to info@galwaycartoonfestival.ie. Closing date 31/07/21 Please note: we are looking for nominations of well-known existing photos only. Please do not send your own snaps! WAIT THERE’S MORE! We need your help in raising funds for this year’s festival. Can you pledge a fiver? Everyone who donates will enter a draw to win a caricature by Allan Cavanagh. CLICK HERE TO HELP THE FESTIVAL HAPPEN IN 2021
Cartoonists Respond to Cúirt Festival Events 2021
As part of Cúirt 2021, Galway Cartoon Festival will be responding to the Ashford Castle events and you’ll be able to see the resulting cartoons online! Renowned editorial cartoonist Graeme Keyes and queen of quirky line Caoimhe Lavelle will be responding to the themes discussed and the authors discussing them during this series of events that sees Cúirt’s second year as a mainly online event. The cartoons will be appearing on Cúirt’s social media channels so don’t forget to subscribe. It’s also that time of year again where the Galway Cartoon Festival must rattle our fundraising can to ensure this year’s Cartoon Festival happens! We are a completely voluntary organisation that seeks to promote the art of the cartoon each year through exhibitions, talks and workshops. We gratefully receive funding from Galway City Council’s Arts Office and sponsorship from local businesses. However it is the public that gets us over the line each year and this year is no different! So if you’ve ever laughed at a Larson or cracked up at a Keyes please consider getting the card out! Click here to make a small donation to keep the Galway Cartoon Festival going in 2021.
