2020 was of course the year when the Cartoon Festival was reduced to a single day! Immediately we’d opened, the word came to shut down again as the world went into isolation.
The show though… Thanks to the resourcefulness of the team, we were soon available to all again via video and web gallery.
[To Do: Display video and web gallery…]
2020 As It Happened
Watch This Space!
May 13, 2020
Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Ciaraíoch
June 12, 2020
Introducing an occasional interview by the Galway Cartoon Festival with cartoonists from around the world. This month is The Kingdom’s own Ciaraíoch.
Name: Ciaraíoch for doodling.
Where are you from? – D’Kingdom of Kerry.
When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? – I’m not sure if it was the start of it, but the biggest thing that drove my initial interest in it was definitely Don Conroy on The Den, so I guess when I was around five or six.
Who are your big influences? – Style-wise, I’ve always loved and tried to learn from the work of Martin Brown and Chris Riddell, and more recently people like Rob Guillory and Sydney Padua. Content-wise, it’s been more influenced by things I’ve learned from activists and various writers, particularly on issues like feminism and social issues in Ireland.
Where were you first published? – The UCC Express, back in 2011 or 2012-ish.
What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? – At the moment, Oglaf has top spot for art and humour.
What materials do you use? – Paper, pencil for the initial sketch, and then ink (black pens and usually Copic markers.)
On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is the thing you hang wet clothes on and 10 is the thing Gandalf rode in on, how are you at drawing horses? – I’m a panto-horse in terms of horse-realism ability.
Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? – Margins and everywhere in between.
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? – Draw whatever you enjoy doing, whether it’s issues you care about personally or things you yourself find funny. Don’t pander and don’t worry too much about “drawing skills” – the idea is the most important thing, anything goes, and any style goes, there are no rules.
Where can we find you online? @Ciaraioch on Twitter and Instagram.
[You can see archived interviews here. We hope to host a monthly interview with cartoonists around the world, both established and up-and-coming. If you’d like to feature please get in touch.]
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The Galway Cartoon Festival is 4 this year. Despite the pandemic we are still planning to host a physical exhibition.
Our ability to fund-raise has been severely curtailed.
If you’ve ever enjoyed an editorial cartoon please bung us a fiver.
https://fundit.ie/project/galway-cartoon-festival-2020More details of our fundraiser can be found at the link above and we have a tiered reward system! PLEASE HELP US MAKE 2020 HAPPEN!
Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Chelsea Saunders
July 3, 2020
This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to the excellent Chelsea Saunders of The Nib.
Name: Chelsea Saunders
Where are you from? Westchester County, New York.
When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? Ever since I was two years old, I loved drawing. Shows like Spongebob Squarepants and the Powerpuff Girls sparked my desire to draw cartoon characters, but it wasn’t until I graduated college that I started making comics. I remember the summer of 2018, there was a lot of news regarding white people calling the cops on Black folks for no reason (i.e. “BBQ Becky” calling the cops because a Black family was grilling in a park). I made my first political cartoon in response to that, and it got picked up by The Nib. I’ve been hooked on making political comics since.
Who are your big influences? I get really inspired by artists like Matt Bors, Ronald Wimberly, Richie Pope, Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher, and Ralph Bakshi.Where were you first published? The Nib published my first piece “Lowlights for Children” on their website. I pretty much owe my illustration career to team Nib; they’re the best.
What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? Ironically, I haven’t read that many comics (as a kid or an adult), so I can’t pick a favorite! I’m trying to read more comics this year!What materials do you use? I use Photoshop and a Wacom tablet almost exclusively. I miss drawing on paper sometimes, but there’s no undo button.
On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is the thing you hang wet clothes on and 10 is the thing Gandalf rode in on, how are you at drawing horses? If I had a reference, it’d be a solid 7. Without reference, probably a 3. Those back-bending legs get me everytime. And wait… didn’t Gandalf ride an eagle to Mordor?Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? Oh yeah, for sure! I often tried to draw presidential portraits that were in my textbook.
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? In general, it’s important to have a body of work to show. Work begets work, and freelance offers will come in after you land your first gig. When it comes to political art specifically, don’t be afraid to speak your mind. People appreciate when you reveal societal hypocrisy, even if you’re harsh about it. It’s important —now more than ever— to call out the people in power who are failing us. Make your voice heard, and your message clear!Where can we find you online? My Instagram handle is chelsea_saunders. And my Twitter handle is che_saund. I really wished they matched, but alas, poor foresight.
[You can see archived interviews here. We hope to host a monthly interview with cartoonists around the world, both established and up-and-coming. If you’d like to feature please get in touch.]
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The Galway Cartoon Festival is 4 this year. Despite the pandemic we are still planning to host a physical exhibition.
Our ability to fund-raise has been severely curtailed.If you’ve ever enjoyed an editorial cartoon please bung us a fiver.
https://fundit.ie/project/galway-cartoon-festival-2020More details of our fundraiser can be found at the link above and we have a tiered reward system! PLEASE HELP US MAKE 2020 HAPPEN!
CALL FOR ENTRIES – GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL 2-9 OCTOBER 2020 “THE NEW NORMAL”
July 15, 2020
Galway Cartoon Festival invites cartoonists from all over the world to submit entries for this year’s festival exhibition:
THE NEW NORMAL
The last 3 months have witnessed an enormous change in the world with enormous ramifications to every walk of life. Inevitably cartoonists around the world have been responding hilariously to the Covid-19 crisis with tongues planted firmly in masked cheeks. Galway Cartoon Festival would like to mark this cartoon catharsis under this year’s theme of The New Normal. We invite cartoonists everywhere to submit relevant cartoons for a socially-distanced exhibition online and in real life.
The exhibition will take place in venue TBC and online from 2-9 October 2020. Submissions should be sent as 300 dpi jpegs by email to info@allancavanagh.com. The submission deadline is midnight on 31 August 2020.
Galway Cartoon Festival 2020: Help Us Happen! 💰
July 21, 2020
UPDATE: OUR FUNDIT CAMPAIGN WAS SUCCESSFUL!
The Galway Cartoon Festival is 4 this year. Despite the pandemic we are still planning to host a physical exhibition.
Our ability to fund-raise has been severely curtailed.
If you’ve ever enjoyed an editorial cartoon please bung us a fiver.
Your Funding Benefits:
Fund €20+
Contributors will receive a copy of the festival programme, a copy of the 2020 Festival poster and will be added to our invitation list for all live and on-line events
Fund €50+
Contributors of €50 or more will receive a festival t-shirt, a cartoon print, a copy of the festival programme, a copy of the 2020 festival poster and invitations to all openings, live events and online events
Fund €100+
Premium contributors will receive a signed print by a top cartoonist, the much-sought-after festival pencil and sketch pad, a festival catalogue and poster, a festival t-shirt as well as invitations to all events.
WHAT IS THE GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL?
This will be the fourth year of the festival and this year we will run from Friday October 2nd to 9th October 2020 with a major exhibition in Galway City centre and a series of events and workshops. We are also planning to hold an exhibition of cartoons in Irish on the Aran Islands. All of the exhibitions will be available to view online and we will be holding a series of online interviews, talks and workshops.
WHAT WILL BE IN THE EXHIBITIONS?
We will be showcasing some of the work produced by top Irish and international cartoonists in reaction to the pandemic and how it has effected our lives and an exhibition of work in the Irish language. The exhibitions will also be available to view on our website (www.galwaycartoonfestival.ie), where we are currently running a series of interviews with top Irish and international cartoonists.
WHAT ELSE WILL BE HAPPENING?
As well as the series of interviews and the on-line exhibition, our website will also be hosting a series of workshops, talks and live drawing events. If possible, we will also host a number of live events and workshops in the exhibition venue. We will be setting up “draw on a phone box” official graffiti spaces where anybody who feels like giving it a go can become an opportunistic artist! And there will be an Art Trail, showcasing top cartoon art, in various locations throughout the streets of Galway.
Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Rob Stears
July 31, 2020
This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to Irish cartoonist Rob Stears.
Name: I’m Rob Stears.
Where are you from? I’m from Dublin.
When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? I’ve always drawn and wanted to draw cartoons. As a kid I was always drawing cartoon characters and cartoon versions of animals. Looking back it’s probably because drawing animals realistically was harder. Later on I do remember pausing a vhs tape of the Simpsons to draw the characters.
Who are your big influences? Growing up I was influenced by tv animation. I had been watching things like Spider-man and Xmen long before I ever picked up a comic. Now I love the work of comic book artists, though that probably doesn’t reflect in most of what I do 🙂
Webcomics artist I like right now are @Twisteddoodles and @MrLovenstein and @nellucnhoj are very funny.
I usually try to go for a joke first and work images around it.
Where were you first published? My work has appeared in some online and print publications and I’ve illustrated books for other authors but my first book Which I wrote and illustrated was published In 2017 with Hachette Ireland.
What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? My favourite cartoon? That’s so hard. I’m following a bunch of artists online and I’m constantly seeing new stuff. Some that genuinely make me laugh out loud. I think my wife is getting tired of me saying “look at this” while holding my phone in front of her face while we’re watching tv.
What materials do you use? I used to use pencil and markers but I’m mainly using an iPad Pro with the Clip Studio app.
On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is the thing you hang wet clothes on and 10 is the thing Gandalf rode in on, how are you at drawing horses? Can I draw a horse on a scale of 1-10? Ummm maybe a 6?
Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? I always drew in my schoolbooks which meant my younger sister was handed down some very messy books.
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? My advice for aspiring cartoonists? Using reference photos isn’t cheating, it’s observing. Start early, I treated it as a hobby for far too long. Never undervalue you’re work or work for free. If they want to have your work it’s worth something
(with the exception of charities because it’s nice to be nice)Where can we find you online? You can find me at www.robstears.ie, Instagram and Twitter @RobStears
[You can see archived interviews here. We hope to host a monthly interview with cartoonists around the world, both established and up-and-coming. If you’d like to feature please get in touch.]
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The Galway Cartoon Festival is 4 this year. Despite the pandemic we are still planning to host a physical exhibition.
Our ability to fund-raise has been severely curtailed.If you’ve ever enjoyed an editorial cartoon please bung us a fiver.
https://fundit.ie/project/galway-cartoon-festival-2020More details of our fundraiser can be found at the link above and we have a tiered reward system! PLEASE HELP US MAKE 2020 HAPPEN!
Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Martyn Turner
August 31, 2020
This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to cartoonist Martyn Turner
Name: Martyn TurnerWhere are you from? Born in Essex. Family cockney for generations except an outlier great grandfather who was an Irish traveller called Johnny Cash (I’m not making it up).
When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? when i was knee high to a grasshopper.
Who are your big influences? Trog, Emmwood, Ronald Searle.
Click image for source Where were you first published? Primary school I wrote edited and illustrated a magazine. Ditto secondary school. Ditto university. Ditto post graduation.
What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? Aongus Collins’ cartoon of Dick Spring at the “Lost’ desk: ”Excuse me, have you seen the run of myself?” I think it should be permanently stuck on every wall in the Dáil.
What materials do you use? Pentel fude brush pens, Bristol board, carpenters pencils and Clip Studio Paint on the computer for colouring.
On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is the thing you hang wet clothes on and 10 is the thing Gandalf rode in on, how are you at drawing horses? 2 and a half.
Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? Yes and on everyone else’s too…
Click image for source Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? Don’t let the buggers wear you down.
Where can we find you online? Irish times opinion pages and twitter @turnercartoons
[You can see archived interviews here. We hope to host a monthly interview with cartoonists around the world, both established and up-and-coming. If you’d like to feature please get in touch.]
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The Galway Cartoon Festival is 4 this year. Despite the pandemic we are still planning to host a physical exhibition.
Our ability to fund-raise has been severely curtailed.If you’ve ever enjoyed an editorial cartoon please bung us a fiver.
https://fundit.ie/project/galway-cartoon-festival-2020More details of our fundraiser can be found at the link above and we have a tiered reward system! PLEASE HELP US MAKE 2020 HAPPEN!
YOU DID IT! GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL FULLY FUNDED!
September 14, 2020
We put out the call and you responded! Galway Cartoon Festival’s Fundit campaign is now fully funded! With this we’ll be able to print and frame cartoons and run ads for the festival. Thank you so much!
GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2020 COMING SOON!
Programme 2020: THE NEW NORMAL
September 18, 2020
UPDATE 07/10/20: ALL VENUES ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO LEVEL 3 COVID RESTRICTIONS
PLEASE VIEW OUR MAIN EXHIBITION ONLINE HERE
WE WILL UPDATE AS THE SITUATION ALLOWS.
Our 2020 poster. Image: Sergei Belozerov (Russia) EXHIBITIONS:
THE NEW NORMAL (Galway 2020 Hub, The Cornstore)
2020 has witnessed an enormous change in the world with ramifications to every walk of life. Inevitably cartoonists around the world have been responding with great humour to the Covid-19 crisis, tongues planted firmly in masked cheeks. Galway Cartoon Festival would like to mark this cartoon catharsis under this year’s theme of The New Normal. Featuring over 40 cartoonists from all over the world, you’ll get to see how much we all have in common, especially now.
TARRAING É I NGAEILGE (Galway 2020 Hub, The Cornstore)
Most cartoons in this country have words, but more often than not these are in English. Yet we have a healthy culture of Irish-language work being produced here, particularly in comic strips and illustration. To celebrate this, we are presenting our second annual exhibition to represent that scene.
GRACE GIFFORD (Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, The Cornstore)
Most people would be familiar with the song “Grace”, but not many know that she was actually a cartoonist and illustrator. We present a tale of romance, death, patriotism, history and cartoons in tribute to this remarkable woman.
ART TRAIL (Streets of Galway, map coming soon)
Featuring works from THE NEW NORMAL and TARRAING É I NGAEILGE. Have a walk around and see what you can spot!
TARRAING É I NGAEILGE, GRACE GIFFORD (Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr)
This year, we are branching out from the city and crossing the water to bring our Irish-language exhibition and our Grace Gifford Plunkett tribute to Áras Éanna Arts Centre on Inis Oírr.
EVENTS
MINI MOMA
FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER, 7PM, KINLAY HOUSE, EYRE SQUARE:
Artists Caoimhe Lavelle and Kristina Collender will be bringing their Mini Moma exhibition to Galway for this year’s Festival. Reproducing famous paintings in miniature, the artists will be painting these tiny canvases live for a limited audience!
LIVE CARICATURES
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER, 1.30-3.30PM, HARBOUR HOTEL, GALWAY DOCKS:
One of Ireland’s top caricature artists and co-founder of the Festival, Allan Cavanagh, will be drawing live caricatures in the Harbour Hotel! Pop in for a sitting and take home a commemorative Galway Cartoon Festival caricature!
EXHIBITION LAUNCH: THE NEW NORMAL, TARRAING É I NGAEILGE, GRACE GIFFORD
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER, 4PM 2020 HUB, GALWAY CORNSTORE:
We launch our main exhibitions in the Galway 2020 Hub with guest speaker Ted Turton. Come in for a socially distanced gander at the cartoons we have collected from artists all over the world dealing with life in the pandemic!
READING: GERRY HANBERRY READS FROM ‘ON RAGLAN ROAD’
SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER, 5PM 2020 HUB, GALWAY CORNSTORE:
Galway author, musician and historian Gerry Hanberry will read from his book “On Raglan Road” about the women who have inspired some well known songs, including featured artist Grace Gifford.
EXHIBITION LAUNCH: TARRAING É I NGAEILGE, GRACE GIFFORD
SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER, 5PM ÁRAS ÉANNA, INIS OÍRR
Two strands of the Galway Cartoon Festival’s 2020 exhibition will run concurrently in Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr. This exhibition will be launched by artist and Áras Éanna Director, Dara McGee.
Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Kathryn Lamb
October 1, 2020
This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to cartoonist Kathryn Lamb
Name: Kathryn Lamb
Where are you from? I was born in Bahrain (my father was a Middle East expert in the Foreign Office), and I grew up in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. My father is Welsh, from Swansea.
When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? I remember drawing in chalk on the pavement (back in home leave in England) when I was about six, getting in trouble, and having to wash it off.
Who are your big influences? I copied characters from the Peanuts strip by Charles Schultz. I adored Ronald Searle’s drawings. Also Arthur Rackham’s illustrations and those by Tove Jansson in the Moomintroll books.
Where were you first published? I I drew cartoons for the Cherwell newspaper while reading English at Oxford, and had my first cartoon published in Private Eye in May 1979.
What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? I love Ronald Searle’s series of ‘Revolting Cats’ drawings – the one that stood out for me was captioned ‘Particularly Revolting Cat Startled by a Gesture of Affection’.
What materials do you use? I use Staedtler fine liners, an A5 pad (although currently using the lovely book of paper from the Galway Cartoon Festival!), and occasionally a set of unremarkable colouring pencils. I work on my lap, which is not recommended for posture, but fitted in well with family life (single parent of six children – now grown up).
On a scale from 1-10, where 1 is the thing you hang wet clothes on and 10 is the thing Gandalf rode in on, how are you at drawing horses? I’d give myself a strong 4 (one point for each leg).
Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? Not just in the margins but all over the books. And on one unforgettable occasion, all over the walls of the male teachers’ cloakroom. I left the school shortly after this.
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? Don’t give up!
Where can we find you online? My work can be viewed online at the Chris Beetles Gallery.
Video: Galway Cartoon Festival: The New Normal
October 3, 2020
A quick video of some of our 2020 exhibition, The New Normal, in the 2020 Hub, Cornstore Galway, and the streets of Galway!
Full exhibition can be viewed online here.Galway Cartoon Festival 2020 Art Trail & Venue Map
October 3, 2020
UPDATE 07/10/20: EXCEPT FOR BUSINESSES ON OUR ART TRAIL ALL VENUES ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO LEVEL 3 COVID RESTRICTIONS. PLEASE VIEW OUR MAIN EXHIBITION ONLINE HERE! WE WILL UPDATE AS THE SITUATION ALLOWS.
Here is the map for the Art Trail and Venues involved in the Galway Cartoon Festival 2020! Click to embiggen!Video: Welcome to The New Normal!
October 4, 2020
Here’s a video roundup of the launch of the 2020 Galway Cartoon Festival exhibition: The New Normal. Thanks to everyone who helped make this year such a success, we really felt the City getting behind us and we’re already planning next year!
Here’s a video roundup of the launch of the 2020 Galway Cartoon Festival exhibition: The New Normal. Thanks to everyone who helped make this year such a success, we really felt the City getting behind us and we’re already planning next year!
Ciaraíoch Art Prints Now on Sale!
October 5, 2020
Friend of the Festival and cartoonist extraordinaire Ciaraíoch is now selling prints of her work through her brand spanking new site. These art prints make great gifts. Check it out and support an artist!
We interviewed Ciaraíoch a few months ago and you can read that interview here.Galway Cartoon Festival Opening, Áras Éanna Arts Centre, Inis Oírr
October 6, 2020
Galway Cartoon Festival exhibition in Europe’s most westerly Arts Centre! Galway Cartoon Festival is grateful to Dara McGee for opening this exhibition.
UPDATED 04/12/20
October 7, 2020
Covid Level 3 Restriction Updates
UPDATE 04/12/20: Good news! With the easing of restrictions we are having an extended Festival! The exhibition in the Galway 2020 Cornstore Galway Hub will continue from Tuesday 8th December for ONE WEEK and the exhibition in Áras Éanna Arts Centre is open NOW UNTIL CHRISTMAS! PLEASE VIEW OUR MAIN EXHIBITION ONLINE HERE! WE WILL UPDATE AS THE SITUATION ALLOWS.
Ian Baker (UK) And The Winner Is…
October 12, 2020
We were able to put together a small pot this year to recognise one cartoon that was judged to best capture the theme of the Galway Cartoon Festival’s main 2020 exhibition, The New Normal. We asked artist Ted Turton to judge this for us (Ted also launched the exhibition).
The winner is Brandon Hicks for his entry, Together. Congratulations Brandon and we’ll be in touch.
Many thanks to every single artist who submitted this year. Many thanks also are due to our sponsors below. Thanks to everyone who attended one of our events and came along to the exhibitions, we hope you had your spirits lifted!
The exhibitions are currently closed and while the Festival officially finished on Friday we hope to run for another week or so when Level 3 restrictions each.
And don’t forget the whole of The New Normal exhibition is online!
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