Submissions Are Open

For Festival 2024 We have three four! shows that are open to everyone: Beasts! Beasts. Of the air, of the field, of the seas. Beasts of burden and beasts of buoyancy. Beasts in human form. Beasts in human pants. Beasts from beyond, and from whatever the opposite of beyond is. Just… any sort of beast. What does the word mean to you? I’ve written it too many times now, I can’t remember. Just send us some funny animals. Be it cute fluffy puppy or the deadly banana slug, mythological monstrosity or bouncy birdy, we want your beasts! General Mayhem And then there’s the show for everything else – especially topical and satirical cartoons – from any place and on any issue around all the world. Including any great gags that happen not to be about beasts. Tarraing É I nGaeilge Tá Féile cartúin na Gaillimhe ag cuartú Cartúin as Gaeilge! Déanfar taispeantas ar ghach iontrál a ghlacfhainn an Fhéile, i nGaillimh agus ar Inis Oírr. Spriocdáta ná an 30ú Lúnasa. Which is Irish for “Draw It In Irish“, and is our exhibition specifically for cartoons in that language – the only one of its kind in the world today! Works selected for Tarr­aing é i nGaeilge will be shown both in Galway City and on Inis Oírr in the Aran Islands. Women In Techno­logy (NEW!) We’re adding another show. The theme of this one is “Women in Technology”. We invite cartoonists from all around the world to celebrate the achievements of women working in technological fields, and mark the challenges that they have faced and still face today. This show is being produced by the Galway Cartoon Festival in cooperation with the Insight Centre and Galway Science and Technology Festival. The selected entries will be on display as part of the Cartoon Festival (4 – 9 October) in a city centre venue, with entrance free to the public. The Terms and the Condi­tions The Submission Deadline Is: Friday 30 August ’24 But earlier entries stand a better chance of being selected, so please get them to us soon!

Galway Cartoon Festival Call for Entries 2021- “At Large”

GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL 2021: AT LARGE Galway Cartoon Festival would like to invite cartoonists from around the world to enter this year’s group exhibition to take place in October 2021. This year’s theme is AT LARGE. With a growing expectation that we will be able to emerge from our Covid-cocoons over the next year we would like cartoonists to consider what happens to the metaphorical butterfly when it hasn’t had a social life for 18 months. Will the world be scary and incomprehensible? Will we be overwhelmed when we have to talk to people? Or will we be more patient? Friendlier? Will our chins feel cold without the masks? Show us what a post-Covid world of freedom looks like! Entries should be emailed to info@galwaycartoonfestival.ie as 300dpi jpegs. Selected entries will be printed and exhibited in venues around Galway 1-9 October 2021. Closing date for entries is 31/07/21 28 AUGUST 2021 IRISH LANGUAGE Galway Cartoon Festival would like to invite cartoonists working in the medium of Irish to enter their work in this year’s Galway Cartoon Festival. The theme is open-ended for the Irish language exhibition and any cartoons in Irish will be considered for inclusion. There will be a €500 prize for one selected work chosen by an independent judge (sponsored by Blacknight Solutions). Entries should be emailed to info@galwaycartoonfestival.ie as 300dpi jpegs. There will be a cash prize for one selected work chosen by an independent judge. Selected entries will be printed and exhibited in venues around Galway 1-9 October 2021.Closing date for entries is 31/07/21 28 AUGUST 2021 ————————————— TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Selected cartoons will be printed and framed by the Galway Cartoon Festival and offered for sale during the Festival. Galway Cartoon Festival is a voluntary organisation promoting the art of cartoon and any sales will be put into meeting the costs of running this year’s festival or put into the budget for next year’s festival. One cartoon will be selected for our posters, leaflets and other publicity with a credit to the artist. There will be a cash prize for one winning cartoonist in the At Large exhibition and one winning artist in the Irish Language exhibition selected by an independent judge. ————————————– Can you help us raise the funds for this year’s festival? We are seeking donations of €5 or higher to help us meet this year’s funding target. We still have a long way to go so any help is appreciated! You can donate at GoFundMe

Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Osama Hajjaj

This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to cartoonist Osama Hajjaj. Name: Osama Eid Hajjaj Where are you from? From Amman the capital of Jordan. When did you become interested in drawing cartoons? Since I was 20 years old. My father was the one who encouraged me to enter this field because of the nature of his work at this time as a news translator. I was unemployed at this time but I was full of talent for drawing. The drawing was just as a hobby for me in this time. Then I got into the newspaper where my father works, not as a cartoonist, but as an expressive graphic artist, especially for newspaper topics with very low salary, so From here I started my way to be a cartoonist. Who are your big influences? There’s many… not just one… Since I was young I loved comic books & tv cartoons program my big influences in this time like Stan Lee & Frank Miller, and in cartoon art like… Hajo de Reijger & Angel Boligan. Where were you first published? My first published cartoon was in the same newspaper that my father works for, and the first newspaper I worked for as a cartoonist. It was an indescribable feeling I remember having when I saw my first cartoon published on paper. I bought 5 newspapers at that time in 1993 ☺ What’s your favourite cartoon (single panel or strip)? Mmmm .. I love them both, But most likely single cartoon What materials do you use? In the past I was using paper and ink colors, pencil, free hand drawing. More fun, but more difficult and needs time… but now with technology I use ipad proAnd drawing programs so I am now digital artist. 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? Hahahah… nice question… 7/10 Did you scribble in the margins of your books in school? Oooh this is a big story on my life ، I’ve always scribble on my school books. It made me a lot of trouble and rebukes with my teacher, but that period or habit for me was like learning to draw and this is one of the sacrifices that affected my studies in this time. My friends liked my drawings and called me an artist. I miss those books that have so many sketches ☹ And keep updated: every time the cartoon artist needs to read and follow news and events and be educated. This time is easier on their way than in the past because you don’t need a newspaper or magazine to be a cartoonist. The future is now the social media, make your page and go. Where can we find you online? Online you can find my work by google search or my page on facebook: osamahajjaj cartoonsAnd instagram: osamahajjajTwitter: @osamacartoonsCartoonmovement.comCagle.comRoyatv.com It’s 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. 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.

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.

Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Martyn Turner

This month Galway Cartoon Festival talks to cartoonist Martyn Turner Name: Martyn Turner Where 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. 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… 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-2020 More 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 2020: Help Us Happen! 💰

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: Ciaraíoch

Ciaraíoch portrait

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.

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Festival visitors can get a 20% discount from Kinlay Hostel using the promo code “Cartoon20”!