2021
- Draw on the Walls!
Our visiting cartoonists Dean Patterson, Tom Mathews, and Jim Cogan at work on our Drawing Wall @ 2 Wild Geese, Kirwan’s Lane just now!
- 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!
- Is mian le Féile Cartún na Gaillimhe cuireadh a thabhairt do chartúnaithe
Is mian le Féile Cartún na Gaillimhe cuireadh a thabhairt do chartúnaithe a bhíonn ag obair trí mheán na Gaeilge a saothar a chur isteach le haghaidh eagrán na bliana seo d’Fhéile Cartún na Gaillimhe. Tá an téama lánoscailte do thaispeántas na Gaeilge agus déanfar cartúin ar bith i nGaeilge a mheas le cur san áireamh ann.Ba cheart iontrálacha a sheoladh trí r-phost chuig info@galwaycartoons.eu i bhfoirm jpeg 300dpi. Bronnfar duais airgid ar shaothar amháin a dhéanfaidh moltóir neamhspleách a roghnú. Déanfar na hiontrálacha a roghnófar a chur i gcló agus a chur ar taispeáint in ionaid timpeall na Gaillimhe, 1-9 Deireadh Fómhair 2021. Is é an dáta deiridh a ghlacfar le hiontrálacha an 28 Lúnasa 2021.
. Tá na téarmaí agus coinníollacha go léir ar fáil ag www.galwaycartoons.eu nó ach iad a iarraidh.
- Public Participation: Augustus John’s Galway Revisited
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@galwaycartoons.eu. 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
- 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@galwaycartoons.eu as 300dpi jpegs. Selected entries will be printed and exhibited in venues around Galway 1-9 October 2021. Closing date for entries is
31/07/2128 AUGUST 2021IRISH 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@galwaycartoons.eu 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
31/07/2128 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.
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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 https://www.gofundme.com/f/fszxdm-galway-cartoon-festival-2021
- Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Osama HajjajThis 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 pro
And 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 ☹
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists? My advice to aspiring cartoonist… to never give up & keep trying… And to take this art a very seriously… And to keep learning I am still learning until now.
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 cartoons
And instagram: osamahajjaj
Twitter: @osamacartoons
Cartoonmovement.com
Cagle.com
Royatv.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.
- We Need You!
Click here to make a small donation to keep the Galway Cartoon Festival going in 2021.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.
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!
Here’s a video of last year’s Festival:
- 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 City Council Virtual St. Patrick’s Day ParadeHere’s the virtual St. Patrick’s Day Parade as drawn by the children of Galway, and animated by Earthbound Films. This event was organished by Ruairí Lehmann, Tourism Officer in Galway City Council, in collaboration with the Galway Cartoon Festival. A great initiative from the Galway City Council in encouraging artistic creativity among the next generation of cartoonists!
- St Patrick’s Day Parade Galway Colouring Page!
Galway Cartoon Festival in association with Galway City Council is delighted to present this colouring-in /activity page for children everywhere. Using your markers, crayons, paints and colouring pencils you can draw your own St. Patrick’s Day Parade winding along the streets of Galway, then colour the crowd and buildings in!
This page is also published in the St Patrick’s Day supplement in this week’s Galway Advertiser. Pick up a copy for information and activities about what Galway festivals are getting up to this March 17th! The Galway Cartoon Festival will run this year from 1-9 October in various venues in Galway. Check local press for details or subscribe to our site!
For a high-resolution version click on the image above, then print it off at home! - DRAW ST. PATRICK’S DAY/ TARRAING LÁ ‘LE PÁDRAIG!
Galway City Council in association with the Galway Cartoon Festival is inviting entries from children of all ages to take part in a virtual St Patrick’s Day parade in 2021!
“Are you looking forward to St. Patrick’s Day? Well we need your help in creating this year’s virtual St. Patrick’s Day parade for Galway! We are inviting you to draw a picture of yourself at the St. Patrick’s Day parade – you can either be there as a spectator or taking part. Our animators will then work behind the scenes to bring your images to life! Your picture may appear in our animated 2021 parade online, in the Galway Advertiser or be displayed in one of our exhibitions across the city.
An bhfuil tú ag tnúth le Lá ‘le Pádraig? Bhuel, an gcabhróidh tú linn chun mórshiúl fíorúil Lá ‘le Pádraig a chruthú i nGaillimh? Iarraimid ort pictiúr a tharraingt díot féin agus tú ag mórshiúl Lá ‘le Pádraig – gléasta suas ar fhlóta nó mar dhuine den lucht féachana. Rachaidh ár mbeochantóirí ag obair sa chúlra chun do phictiúir a bheochan! Is féidir go mbeidh do phictiúr le feiceáil inár mórshiúl beoite 2021 ar líne sa ‘Galway Advertiser’ nó i gceann dár dtaispeántais ar fud na cathrach.”
Click here for details of how to enter! Closing date for entries is the 1 March 2021.
- And The Winner Is…
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!
2020
- UPDATED 04/12/20 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):
Untitled - Galway Cartoon Festival Opening, Áras Éanna Arts Centre, Inis Oírr
Galway Cartoon Festival exhibition in Europe’s most westerly Arts Centre! Galway Cartoon Festival is grateful to Dara McGee for opening this exhibition.
- Ciaraíoch Art Prints Now on Sale!
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. - Video: Welcome to The New Normal!
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!
- Galway Cartoon Festival 2020 Art Trail & Venue Map
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: Galway Cartoon Festival: The New NormalA 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 Interview: Kathryn LambThis 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.
[Galway Cartoon Festival kicks off tomorrow in Galway City, Inis Oírr and online. See full programme of exhibitions and events here!] - Galway Cartoon Festival Programme 2020: THE NEW NORMAL #galwaycartoons
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.
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. - YOU DID IT! GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL FULLY FUNDED!
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!
- Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Martyn TurnerThis 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.
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-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 Interview: Rob StearsThis 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-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.
https://fundit.ie/project/galway-cartoon-festival-2020
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.galwaycartoons.eu), 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.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.
- CALL FOR ENTRIES – GALWAY CARTOON FESTIVAL 2-9 OCTOBER 2020 “THE NEW NORMAL” #GALWAYCARTOONS
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 Interview: Chelsea Saunders
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!
- Galway Cartoon Festival Interview: Ciaraíoch
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!
- Watch This Space!
2019
- It’s Not Over!
A lovely science gag by Jonesy, courtesy of Private Eye We’re extending some of our exhibitions until further notice.
- Science – Arts Millennium Building, NUI Galway (1)
- TwistedDoodles – Arts Millennium Building, NUI Galway (1)
- General Mayhem – Town Hall Theatre (2)
- John Arden – Black Gate Cultural Centre (3)
- Festival Events 2019
Look at all we’ve got for you! Solo shows by Ireland’s best-known cartoonist and by one of our newest talents. A display of the finest cartoons from all around the world, another of cartoons in Irish, and no less then three different shows where cartoons meet science. We also have a panel discussion, a book launch, drawing sessions and more.
- Programme Launch!
Black Gate Cultural Centre
7.00pm on Monday 7th October
- Introduction by James C. Harrold.
- Auction of cartoon originals and prints.
- Spot prizes and raffle!
Auction Catalogue
No. ARTIST TITLE / DESCRIPTION MEDIUM RESERVE PRICE 1 Jim Cogan Populism Original Drawing €200 2 Igor Smirnov Arms Industry Print None 3 Russel Herneman Trigger Warning Original Drawing €150 4 Clyde Delaney Pope / Leo Original Drawing, Hand-made Frame €280 5 Jim Cogan GAA Original Drawing €200 6 Dean Patterson Vet Signed Print €125 7 Eoin Kelleher Data Protection Original Drawing €150 8 Jim Cogan Lions Original Drawing €200 9 Donal Casey 1916 Print None 10 Damir Novak Escalation Print None 11 Liza Donnelly Peace Channel Print None 12 Florian Doru Crihana Spanish Arch 1918 Original Painting €200 13 Nani Tank Print None 14 Crisan and Petry Death Print None 15 Jia RuiJun Bomb Print None 16 Til Mette Magic Bullet Print None 17 Miriam Würster Say Peace Print None 18 The Surreal McCoy Riot Print None 19 Dean Patterson Men At Work Signed Print €125 20 Dean Patterson Hitler in Disguise Signed Print €126 21 Kathryn Lamb Smoking Cats Original Drawing €150 22 Gatis Sluka Vegan Print None 23 Gatis Sluka Christmas Print None 24 Dean Patterson Goldfish Signed Print €125 25 Glenn Marshall Blame Culture Signed Print €125 26 The Surreal McCoy Me Too Signed Print €125 27 Nick Newman Brexit Forecast Original Drawing €150 28 Fadi Abou Hassan Migrants Print None 29 Nick Newman DUP Original Drawing €150 30 The Surreal McCoy Duel Signed Print €125 31 Russel Herneman No WiFi Original Drawing €150 32 Florin Balaban Europa Print None 33 Martin Rowson Novichok Print None 34 Donal Casey Brexannia Print None 35 Virginia Cabras Hope Print None 36 Karol Cizmazia Flick Print None All these works are on exhibition at the Black Gate
- Submissions Are Open!
We are ready to receive cartoons for the 2019 Galway Cartoon Festival. See here for all the details.
- Quiz Night!
A new date for our table quiz – now with many fabulous prizes!
Monday 29 July, Black Gate, 8:00pm
Bring all of your friends, it’s only €40 per table and the prizes will be exceptional. We have so many in fact that we’ll be raffling some as well, so you don’t even have to be clever to walk off with loot. Many thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.
The quiz will be almost entirely on general knowledge, though there will be one cartoon round. So start reading comics if you want that edge…
And of course there’s a bar, many fab wines, lovely food, and that Cartoon Festival atmosphere! - Enjoy The Science!
8th — 18th November 2019
This year we bring you cartoons from around the world on the theme of science!
And also, a lot of other cartoons. - Good Shots
Our entry for the European “Most Cartooning Talent in a Single Photograph” prize: Marilena Nardi, Tom Mathews and Graeme Keyes Our guests of honour, Nol (France) and Marilena Nardi (Italy), have done us the favour of putting up a sweet photo album of their visit to Galway:
Festival Galway – Irlande 2018
Samples:
- Auction Thanks
Huge thanks to everyone who made our first ever cartoon auction a big success last night, especially sponsors the Liquor Lounge (upstairs at the Dáil Bar) and the Latin Quarter, and of course all the cartoonists. In particular we want to thank Tom Mathews and Gerard Crowley who donated original works to the cause.
Special thanks too to Brendan Savage who did a simply brilliant job as MC, and of course to everyone who came – especially those of you who bought cartoons.
If you weren’t there… Well, you should have been. We sold 30 pieces (23 prints and 7 original drawings), mostly at bargain prices.
It was a huge boost for us, raising enough to make some of our ideas feasible, so look out for news about the 2019 festival soon!
- Auction Catalogue
Join us in the Liquor Lounge (upstairs in the Dáíl Bar on Middle Street) at 8:00pm on Tuesday April 9th for a splendid auction of cartoon originals and prints. MC and auctioneer for the evening will be Brendan Savage, there will be a raffle, booze and general fun, and all proceeds go to putting on the next festival!
The Cougar
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
We start with a gag by the inimitable Tom Mathews.
Pail
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
Some call Tom the rock star of Irish cartooning.
Homer
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
Tom also knows a thing or two about art criticism.
Sculpture in the Park
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
And about art critics.
Excalibur
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
Not to mention mythology.
The Untouchables
Tom Mathews
Ireland
Original Drawing
And of course, fine cinema.
Irish Dancing School
Ed McLachlan
UK
Large Print
Ed McLachlan is one of the greats of British cartooning. His work appears in many publications including Private Eye.
Double Original
Gerard Crowley
Ireland
Original Drawing
Two great original drawings from comic strip The Last Resort in the Sunday Business Post.
The Legend of Bishop Moling
Hunt Emerson
UK
High Quality Giclée Print
British underground comix maestro Hunt Emerson retells the Irish legend of Bishop Moling and the fox.
The Backstop’s Here
Ian Knox
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
Northern Ireland’s Ian Knox on Brexit and the backstop.
The 12th
Ciaraíoch
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
And while we’re in the North here’s a take on the 12th, as Gaeilge.
Brexit
Cristina Sampaio
Portugal
High Quality Giclée Print
Internationally famous artist Cristina Sampaio sends this disturbing and powerful take on Brexit from Portugal.
Word War Three
Cristina Sampaio
Portugal
High Quality Giclée Print
Cristina gives us a controversial take on European politics.
Triumphal Arch
Banx
UK
High Quality Giclée Print
Another British cartoon veteran, Jeremy Banx casts a jaundiced eye on victory.
Surfing Girl
Fadi Abou Hassan
Palestine
High Quality Giclée Print
Palestinian refugee artist Fadi Abou Hassan provides this powerful image of freedom.
Avocados
TwistedDoodles
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
One of the funniest cartoonists working in Ireland today, TwistedDoodles tells it like it is about avocados.
Rural Chemist
TwistedDoodles
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
What would the local pharmacist have thought of your smartphone pictures?
Children in Cages
Liza Donnelly
USA
High Quality Giclée Print
Irish-American New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly on the Trump policy of separating migrant children from their parents.
Testimony
Liza Donnelly
USA
High Quality Giclée Print
Inspired by the Kavanaugh hearings, The New Yorker’s Liza Donnelly illustrates a woman’s struggle to be heard.
Fascistbook
Marilena Nardi
Italy
High Quality Giclée Print
Italy’s Marilena Nardi is one of the greatest talents in cartooning today. This is her take on the dangers of social media.
Give Us A Smile
Marilena Nardi
Italy
High Quality Giclée Print
Here Marilena Nardi depicts the burden of other people’s emotional needs.
Models
Marilena Nardi
Italy
High Quality Giclée Print
As well as being a leading cartoonist, Marilena Nardi teaches drawing at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts.
Mata Hari
Marilena Nardi
Italy
High Quality Giclée Print
Nardi’s portrait of Mata Hari, exotic dancer and alleged double agent during World War 1.
From Here You Can See The Future
Nicolas Vadot
Belgium
High Quality Giclée Print
From his vantage point at the end of the Great War, a soldier foresees a century of tragedy and failure.
The Battle of Bash ‘n’ Fail
Martin Rowson
UK
High Quality Giclée Print
Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson sees similarities between the muddy trenches of WW1 and the morass that is Brexit.
Social Media
Virginia Cabras
Italy
High Quality Giclée Print
An Italian cartoonist in Ireland, Virginia Cabras sees a new kind of trench warfare.
Just Be Yourself
Teja Fischer
Germany
High Quality Giclée Print
A fresh take on soldiering from German eccentric Teja Fischer.
Referendum
Jessica Lawrence
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
Galway comic artist Tigerjess recalls campaigning in the last referendum.
Kiss
Igor Pashchenko
Russia
High Quality Giclée Print
Russian veteran cartoonist Igor Pashchenko depicts a kiss.
Trade War Trump Style
Martyn Turner
Ireland
High Quality Giclée Print
Irish Times Cartoonist Martyn Turner gives his take on Trump’s protectionism.
- Cartoon Auction!
Some fabulous news. We’re going to auction off cartoons that weren’t sold at exhibition last year. The proceeds will go towards this year’s festival.
The event takes place at 8:00 pm on Tuesday the 9th of April in the Liquor Lounge, upstairs in the Dáil Bar – the venue where we held our hugely enjoyable brochure launch last year. You’ll be able to bid on a range of framed prints by some of the greatest cartoonists, in Ireland and from around the world.
MC and auctioneer will be Brendan Savage. Prices starts as low as €20, and there will be a raffle.
2018
- We Have A Shop Now
The Festival Cartoon Shop is Here!
And to get things going, we have an exclusive: Work we had to omit because we were simply out of space. So even if you were at the shows you won’t have seen these.
We were in a mad rush, so some really good stuff got left out.
If you’re looking for a work you don’t see here, please contact us. It may still be available.
- Last Chance To See Exhibition
Sadly our exhibition for the centenary of 1918 must close in a few days. Featuring work by some of the best cartoonists from around the world and beautifully hung by Margaret Nolan, A Peace To End All Peace is an unusual and thought-provoking display of art.
The show is open in the Black Gate Cultural Centre on Frances St from 6 pm to midnight, and is best appreciated with a nice glass of wine.
I’ll be there on Wednesday evening, if anyone would like to be told some of the stories behind various works.
Guest of Honour Marilena Nardi with curator Margaret Nolan Here’s a complete catalogue of the works, many of which are still available to buy.
ARTIST COUNTRY MEDIUM PRICE 1 Nocolas Vadot Belgium Print €75 2 Martin Rowson UK Print €75 3 Hunt Emerson UK Print €75 4 Allan Cavanagh Ireland Original €150 5 Fadi Abou Hassan Palestine Print €50 6 Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Print €50 7 Jean-Claude Servais Belgium Print NFS 8 Jean-Claude Servais Belgium Print NFS 9 Jean-Claude Servais Belgium Print NFS 10 Huseyin Cakmak Cyprus Print €50 11 Vladislav Shirokov Russia Print €50 12 Dean Patterson Ireland Signed Print €125 13 Jonesy UK Signed Print €125 14 Russel Herneman UK Original €50 15 Teja Fischer Germany Print €50 16 Nick Newman UK Original €50 17 Gatis Sluka Latvia Print €50 18 Jeremy Banx UK Original €100 19 Florian Doru Crihana Romania Original Painting €200 20 Marilena Nardi Italy Print €50 21 The Surreal McCoy UK Print €50 22 Crișan and Petry Romania Print €50 23 Jean-Claude Servais Belgium Print €50 24 Cristina Sampaio Portugal Print €50 25 Vasiliy Alexandrov Russia Print €50 26 Crișan and Petry Romania Print €50 27 Damir Novak Croatia Print €50 28 Alexey Kivokurtseva Russia Print €50 29 The Surreal McCoy UK Signed Print €125 30 Sergei Belozerov Russia Print €50 31 Gatis Sluka Latvia Print €50 32 Nani Columbia / Spain Print €50 33 Jia Ruijun China Print €50 34 Marilena Nardi Italy Print €50 35 Miriam Wurster Germany Print €50 36 Scratch Ireland Print €50 37 Fadi Abou Hassan Palestine Print €50 38 Florin Balaban Luxembourg Print €50 39 Virginia Cabras Italy Print €50 40 Miriam Wurster Germany Print €50 41 Martyn Turner UK / Ireland / France Print €50 42 Til Mette Germany Print €50 43 Liza Donnelly USA Print €50 44 Marilena Nardi Italy Print €50 45 Jeremy Banx UK Original €100 46 Cristina Sampaio Portugal Print €50 47 Fadi Abou Hassan Palestine Print €50 48 The Surreal McCoy UK Print €50 49 The Surreal McCoy UK Signed Print €125 50 Karol Čizmazia Cyprus Print €50 51 Igor Smirnov Russia Print €50 52 Nani Columbia / Spain Print €50 53 Igor Pashchenko Russia Print €50 54 Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Print €50 55 Florin Balaban Luxembourg Print €50 56 Martin Rowson UK Print €50 57 Donal Casey Ireland Print €50 58 Igor Smirnov Russia Print €50 59 Teja Fischer Germany Print €50 60 Liza Donnelly USA Print €50 61 Steve Bonello Malta Print €50 62 Jeremy Banx UK Print €50 63 Jeremy Banx UK Print €50 64 Jia Ruijun China Print €50 65 Santiago Cornejo Argentina Print €50 66 Mustafa Tozaki Cyprus Print €50 67 Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Print €50 68 Grigori and Ilya Katz Kirgyzstan / Israel Print €50 69 Donal Casey Ireland Print €50 70 Glenn Marshall UK Signed Print €125 - Follow the Cartoon Trail
The Latin Quarter
Quay St – Cross St – Middle St
We have so much art, it’s spilled out onto the streets! The windows of establishments along the streets of Galway’s Latin Quarter are festooned – yes, festooned – with cartoon works.
See Stephen Dee’s fabulous 3D miniatures in the windows of Neachtain’s and Charlie Byrne’s.
“Do Not Trust These Men” by Stephen Dee See Clyde Delaney’s enormous caricature of Irish literary greats on Cross St.
Visit the Cornstore to see not only the fantastic three-sided hand-drawn comic work of Maria Apoleika, but six gigantic posters featuring nearly fifty great cartoons that we couldn’t find room for anywhere else.
As with our other exhibitions, most works are for sale. Call Margaret at 086 875 8341 if you see anything you’d like.
- Cartoons of The World
Town Hall Theatre
Mon-Sat, 10am – 7.30pm
Colombia and Croatia, Kenya and Kyrgyzstan, and many countries that don’t start with a ‘kuh’. We’ve received entries to the cartoon festival from all around the planet, and we have put as many of them as we could fit into the Town Hall Theatre gallery.
Glenn Marshall Unlike our Armistice Exhibition in the Black Gate Cultural Centre, this exhibition has no theme – it’s just whatever we thought was funny or pointed and relevant. So there are more gag cartoons in this one, from the likes of – of course – Tom Mathews, as well as some of the most famous UK cartoonists like Ed McLachlan, Nick Newman, Jonesy, Banx and Martin Rowson, whom you will have seen in UK newspapers or magazines like Private Eye.
There are also many, many lovely works by international stars of cartooning like our special guest Marilena Nardi, Liza Donnelly of the New Yorker, Cristina Sampaio of Portugal and Gatis Sluka of Latvia, as well as serious talents who probably won’t have been seen in Ireland before such as Victor Ndula and Til Mette.
Then there are just about all the famous Irish political cartoonists including Jim Cogan, Martyn Turner, Tom Halliday, Aongus “Scratch” Collins and Gerard Crowley (not to mention the solo show by Graeme Keyes which takes place in the same venue), some fantastic newer Irish talents like TwistedDoodles and Ciaraíoch, and a fine showing by local artists including Annie West, Jessica Lawrence, Jim Ward and of course Allan Cavanagh.
As with our other exhibitions, there are many prints, signed prints and even originals on sale. Call Margaret at 086 875 8341 if you see anything you’d like.
Open every day except Sunday, (and even Sundays when there’s a show on in the theatre). We recommend going along at about ten past seven in the evening, as that’s when the bar opens…
- Graeme Keyes! Solo Show
Town Hall Theatre
Mon-Sat, 10am – 7.30pm
Now it can be revealed!
(Mainly, because it’s already been revealed all over the place.)
The Galway Cartoon Festival’s featured artist for 2018 is the inimitable Graeme Keyes.
Graeme first became part of the Irish public conscience as a contributor to The Phoenix magazine way back in the late ’80s. Since then he’s risen to be probably the most prolific cartoon artist in the country, not just as the Phoenix’s most recognised gag-meister or as the editorial cartoonist for the Irish Daily Mail, but also as a frequent contributor to the UK’s Private Eye.
Graeme will be showing 25 pieces that capture highlights of his career in the lobby of Galway’s Town Hall Theatre. All works are originals, and all are on sale; call Margaret at 086 875 8341 if you see anything you’d like.
Open every day except Sunday, (and even Sundays when there’s a show on in the theatre) from 10:30, though we can recommend going along at about ten past seven in the evening as that’s when the theatre bar opens.
- Polish Country Dances
…is a series of drawings by cartoon artist Maria Apoleika. She will create the latest one live in the Cornstore on a large board, so you can come and watch her in action.
No actual dancing is involved – though I suppose you could if the mood takes you.
The Cornstore, Nov 11th, 12-5pm
As well as drawing live, Maria will also discuss her work with the audience afterwards – though note that this will take place mainly in Polish.
We will also be exhibiting the rest of Maria’s “Polish Country Dances” as part of our Cartoon Trail, a series of window-display exhibitions that runs between High St, Cross St and Middle St.
Maria Apoleika’s appearance in Galway has been generously sponsored by the Latin Quarter.
Biography
Maria Apoleika, graduate of National Film School in Łódź, runs the most popular cartoon and comic fanpage in Poland – Psie Sucharki (Dog Biscuits). She illustrates books, paints and draws, and so far has several dozen group and individual exhibitions under her belt.
She is interested in spaces beyond official supervision – in recent years she created two series of paintings on deurbanising spaces, and one of drawings about invisible love. Now she will present a series of graphics on Polish Contemporary Folk Dances inspired by illegal techno parties, the Slavic approach to having fun, and how the ludic mixes with modernity.
In addition, she loves plants and animals. Where she lives there is an urban garden and she looks after an adopted royal poodle.
___________________________________________________MariaApoleika, absolwentka Szkoły Filmowej w Łodzi. Prowadzi najpopularniejszy w Polscefanpage rysunkowo-komiksowy – Psie Sucharki. Ilustruje książki, maluje irysuje.
Ma na swoim koncie kilkadziesiąt wystaw, grupowych i indywidualnych. Interesują ją przestrzenie poza oficjalnym nadzorem –
w ostatnmich latach stworzyła dwa cykle obrazów o przestrzeniach deurbanizujących się, serię rysunków o nieewidentnej miłości, a teraz zaprezentuje serię grafik Polskie Współczesne Tańce Ludowe inspirowanych nielegalnymi imprezami techno, słowiańskim podejściu do zabawy i tym, jak to, co ludyczne miesza się ze wspołczesnością.
Oprócz tego uwielbia rośliny i zwierzęta – gdzie mieszka, tam zakłada miejski ogród, opiekuje się adoptowanym psem – pudlem królewskim.
- Programme Launch!
At 7:00pm tonight, Thursday October 25th, upstairs in the Dáil Bar on Middle Street, we’ll be launching the 2nd Galway Cartoon Festival’s Programme of Events!
As well as announcing all that will be happening, we’ll be making available our rather fetching brochure. Both your guide to and souvenir of the festival, it contains over 70 cartoons by our exhibitors, as well as their biographical information, a run-down of all the activities, and a map of the venues.
Big thanks here to our print designer Sarah Bruzzi for a fantastic job, and to artist Marilena Nardi for allowing us to use this wonderful image.
Come along!
- Our Conference Speakers
The rather handsome Hardiman Research Building The Cartoons in WW1 conference takes place in Room G011 of the Hardiman Research Building (near the college library) on Saturday 10th of November at 4 p.m.
Speakers
Grace Neville
Grace Neville is a graduate of University College Cork, l’Université de Caen and l’Université de Lille. She is Emeritus Professor of French at UCC where she was Vice-President for Teaching and Learning, Head of the Dept of French and elected member of the Governing Body.
She is a member of several boards including the Irish Board of the Legion of Honour, AMOPA (Association des Membres de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques en Irlande), the Alliance Française de Cork and the Cork-Rennes Twinning Committee. She now spends much of her time in Paris where she is member/chair of numerous boards in the Sorbonne (where she is Chair of the Strategic Orientation Committee), the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) and the CRI (Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire).
Her recent publications include Erin and Iran: Cultural Encounters between the Irish and the Iranians (co-edited with Houchang Chehabi, Ilex Foundation / Harvard University Press, 2015) and studies on Franco-Irish relations especially from the time of the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s onwards. She has been awarded the Légion d’Honneur and the Palmes Académiques.
She will give a presentation on the influence of cartoons in the Irish press after 1916.
Philip Dine
Philip Dine is Head of French at the National University of Ireland Galway. He has published widely on representations of the former French empire, particularly decolonization, in fields ranging from children’s literature to professional sport. Further projects have targeted popular culture and identity-construction in France and the contemporary Francophone world.
His presentation will focus on arguably the best-known figure to emerge from the rich Franco-Belgian tradition of cartoons and comic books, namely Hergé’s roving young reporter Tintin. This cherished character’s first three adventures – in the Soviet Union, the Congo and the United States – will be explored as representations of the new world order that emerged in the wake of the Armistice of 11th November 1918.
Coralline Dupuy
Coralline Dupuy studied French and English literature in Brest before moving to Galway for her postgraduate studies. After obtaining her PhD, she now works in French in NUI Galway and teaches in the areas of young adult literature, fairy tales, and the French language.
Her paper will focus on the politics of representation of gender in the French-language cartoons published during the First World War.
Catherine Gagneux
Catherine Gagneux is the French Honorary Consul in Galway Connacht and has been living and working in Ireland for over 20 years as a Senior ERP Business Analyst.
She has been working with the NUI Galway French Department and the organisers of the Galway Cartoon Festival to commemorate the WW1 centenary, by examining how cartoons portrayed events and influenced the ways information was relayed and interpreted.
She will give a presentation on the rise, use and influence of cartoons since WW1, making use of original drawings that will also be part of the exhibition.
Jean-Claude Servais
Jean-Claude Servais studied graphic art at the École Supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc in Liège (Belgium) from 1974 until 1976. He began his career in 1975, becoming part of the generation that modernized Belgian comics from the 1970s.
He brings to the reader emotional, and sometimes magical, character-driven stories, set against the wooded landscapes of the Belgian Ardennes and Gaume regions.
Mr Servais will explain the creative process behind his comics, with an emphasis on stories set during WW1. This presentation is sponsored by the Belgian Embassy and Wallonie Bruxelles International.
- So Why ‘A Peace to End all Peace’?
The great Hector Breeze had a cartoon in Private Eye back in 1981, set in a World War One trench. A German general in his spiky helmet is surveying no-man’s-land when an excited junior office salutes and says “The corporal here’s got this great idea for a sequel!”
The corporal of course has a side parting in his straight back hair, and a little toothbrush moustache.
Like so many unwanted sequels, WWII was even worse than the original. Which is one reason we don’t remember November 11 1918 with any sense of celebration. (The other being that, slice it as you like, the best you can say is that it’s the day all the murder stopped.) For while never inevitable, the Second was in many ways a direct consequence of the First – and specifically, a consequence of its ending. The Treaty of Versailles, the settlement forced on a defeated Germany, was disastrous.
Let’s See You Collect (New York World) The victors expected the people of Germany to somehow pay for all the damage done – a huge burden to place on a devastated nation. This alone may not explain the rise of Nazism; if it had not been for a crash on Wall Street – that ever-reliable harbinger of global tragedy – Germany might have met the onerous conditions and still remained a democracy. But that does not make the ‘punishment’ any less unjust. While certainly the Kaiser must bear some blame for going to war, the populace had bugger all part in the decision. They didn’t elect the guy. In fact resistance by ordinary Germans who had begun to see the senselessness of it all brought the war to an earlier end.
Had the pre-war mood in Germany been warlike? Yes – but so had it in Britain and France. All three were imperial powers trying to grab as much of the world as they could. Germany was the relative newcomer but coming up fast; once the slow lane of Europe, it had industrialised and armed itself at an incredible pace. It’s hard now to believe that the other powers weren’t itching for a pretext to knock it back.
The slogan “A War To End All Wars” was never anything but propaganda of course, cynically designed to motivate the young to kill. As David Lloyd George is said to have said, “This war, like the next war, is a war to end war.” But the tag-line stuck, along with its poisonous logic: If we are killing Germans to punish them for war then it must be their fault. By requiring them to pay for it, the Treaty of Versailles turned wartime propaganda into peacetime reality. Maybe it’s simplistic to see that as leading directly to the rise of Hitler, but you can understand how people who’ve been beaten, humiliated and unjustly shamed might be interested to hear the guy who’s saying no, in fact the secret truth is that you’re actually better than everyone else.
Serious errors were made one hundred years ago, which led to a far greater global conflict, which led in turn to a ‘Cold War’ which actually comprised a series of very hot wars fought between global powers in other people’s countries, which in turn gave rise pretty much directly to a ‘War on Terror’ which, when soberly assessed, would seem to mean declaring war on anything that scares you. In short, a solid century of slaughter. And us today, obviously without any idea of what the fuck we are doing. One hundred years in which the human race has got much, much better at making war but still doesn’t seem to have the first clue about making peace.
Oh, and there is one specific detail about this day that has always struck me as unbearably tragic. The Armistice (i.e., ceasefire) was called on the 11th day of the 11th month. To be precise, for the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Why? For dramatic effect. For a sense of importance. Maybe because it struck someone as cool, I don’t know.
In those last eleven hours, 2,738 soldiers were killed.
Richard Chapman
- The Armistice Exhibition
Black Gate Cultural Centre
6pm – Midnight, except Mondays
In 2017 we held our first international open exhibition of cartoons, under the title “Alternative Facts”. The response was amazing; we needed two venues to display over a hundred works from more than a dozen countries. We could have shown as much again if we’d had the room.
This year we’re organising the festival around November 11th 2018, one hundred years precisely since the end of the “Great War”, and have arranged a number of festival events to reflect on this historic moment. A day of joy for many, but one also of grim resolution, as the world vowed never again to unleash the horrors of industrialised war.
I think we all know how well that worked.
A century of violence and upheaval – much, arguably, as direct consequence of this very peace settlement. From WWII through the Cold War to the War on Terror, the planet has hardly had a quiet moment since.
Which is why we’re calling this year’s open show:
“A Peace To End All Peace”
We’re not looking for submissions about these events exclusively. As always, we’re open to everything – especially everything funny. But we expect that many cartoonists will have things to say about them.
Have a look at our guidelines if you’d like to take part, or contact us with any question. The exhibition is open to submissions from all cartoonists everywhere.
Exhibitors this year include:
Steven Bonello Malta Harry Burton Ireland Virginia Cabras Italy Donal Casey Ireland Allan Cavanagh Ireland Richard Chapman Ireland Ciaraíoch Ireland Gerard Crowley Ireland Florian Doru Crihana Romania Hunt Emerson UK FadiToOn Norway Jonesy UK Eoin Kelleher Ireland Graeme Keyes Ireland Caoimhe Lavelle Ireland Tom Mathews Ireland The Surreal McCoy UK Ed McLachlan UK Marilena Nardi Italy Nick Newman UK Nol France Damir Novak Croatia Martin Rowson UK Cristina Sampaio Portugal Jean-Claude Servais Belgium Gatis Šļūka Latvia Mustafa Tozaki Cyprus Ivailo Tsvetkov Bulgaria Martyn Turner Ireland/UK TwistedDoodles Ireland Nicolas Vadot Belgium - What Is A Galway Cartoon Festival?
What is the Galway Cartoon Festival? Why are we? Who do we? How do you? Very well thank you.
Go Here to read the reasons behind the festival, what we plan to do, and what we hope it will achieve.
(I mean, it’s for fun mainly. But you have to have other reasons to make it sound adult.)
Where and when are we? That’s easier to answer. At several major venues around Galway city, November 10th – 17th, 2018.
We hope to meet you there. Until then, here’s another cartoon:
- Cartoons in WW1 – A Conference
NUI Galway
Hardiman Research Building, 4pm – 6pm
[Image by Nicolas Vadot] For the centenary of the Armistice, the Galway Cartoon Festival presents a conference and exhibition exploring the impact of cartoons during WW1 in Europe, to be hosted in NUI Galway in collaboration with the French Department and the Embassy of Belgium.
Guests
The conference takes place on Saturday 10th of November in Room G011 of the Hardiman Research Building (near the college library).
Prof. Grace Neville of UCC, recipient of the Légion d’Honneur, will discuss the influence of press cartoons in Ireland after 1916.
Philip Dine of NUI Galway will explore the post-Armistice world order as portrayed in Hergé’s famous Tintin adventures, while colleague Coralline Dupuy will focus on the politics of gender representation in French-speaking cartoons published during the First World War.
French Honorary Consul Catherine Gagneux will give a presentation on the rise, use and influence of cartoons since WW1, using original drawings that will be part of the exhibition.
Renowned Belgian comic author Jean Claude Servais will also speak at the launch. Mr Servais will explain the creative process behind his comics, with an emphasis on the stories set during WW1. This presentation is sponsored by the Belgian Embassy and Wallonie-Bruxelles International.
Click For More Information About The Speakers
Exhibition
The associated exhibition will explore such issues as:
- The evolution of cartoons and comics during WW1.
- The use of cartoon as propaganda.
- Political cartooning in Ireland from 1916 to 1918.
- The reactions of cartoonists to the 1918 Armistice and subsequent peace initiatives in Europe.
As a link and follow up, there will also be a small exhibition on ERASMUS.
Comic Art Workshop
On Thursday 15th of November, NUIG will also invite students from secondary schools in Galway to explore issues through drawing, in an art workshop led by professional cartoon and comic artists.
- A New Festival Website
It’s up at last, the all-singing all-dancing website of the all-drawing festival!
Welcome. This is the place for news and information on the shows and events we’ll be bringing you this November. Drop by regularly (or subscribe, using the form to the left) for updates, cartoonist-related talk, and of course the cartoons themselves, which we’ll be uploading frequently.
Here’s one right now from the redoubtable Mr Tom Mathews, a member of our very committee:
Tom Mathews
