National Cartoonists Society membership is open to professional cartoonists and tradespeople working in the fields of cartooning, illustration, animation, graphic storytelling and more.
Join the NCS mailing list for the latest news, event announcements, and much more!
We are an organization of esteemed peers and we welcome new members. If you are unsure whether you may qualify for NCS membership, or whether the NCS is the organization for you, feel free to contact one of the regional chapters or join one of our virtual Open Houses (check our events page). Please note that our events are intended for professional adults in the field of cartooning.
Membership is not restricted to North American cartoonists – NCS ranks include members from as far afield as the U.K., Australia, Chile, Korea, Spain and Japan.
Potential members must be of good reputation and their work should be of professional quality, consistency, and availability as reviewed by the Membership Committee.
Eligibility for Membership
Please review the membership types in the chart below before completing an application. The application asks for contact information and examples of your work demonstrating professional quality, consistency, and availability. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the Membership Committee.
Applicants are eligible for membership when accepted by a unanimous vote of the Membership Committee. Once membership is approved, you’ll be provided with information to finish membership onboarding and be welcomed as a Member of the National Cartoonists Society!
As always, the NCS encourages cartoonists and up-and-coming cartoonists with an interest in joining us to learn more about the NCS by joining one of our virtual Open Houses (check our events page) or by connecting with a regional NCS chapter to be a guest at a meeting or two.
| Associate Membership | Trade Membership | Regular Membership | Honorary Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| $17/month ($204) or $195 if paid annually Apply | $17/month ($204) or $195 if paid annually Apply | $16/month ($192) or $185 if paid annually Apply | NO FEE |
| Active cartoonists who demonstrate a substantial body of work readily available to the public who do not yet meet the requirements for regular membership. 27 Club Applicants: offers a discounted membership fee of $27 for active cartoonists 27 years of age or under who have shown a degree of public success in cartooning but do not yet meet the criteria for regular membership. | Non-cartoonists who have a professional interest in the field of cartooning and/or work in related industries such as publishing, entertainment. or journalism: are part of educational or artistic institutions such as museums, libraries, or non-profits: or offer relevant in-person or online products/services such as software, art tools, or conventions. | Professional career cartoonists who demonstrate a substantial body of work readily available to the public. Professional cartoonists who demonstrate a substantial body of work readily available to the public but whose primary career may not be cartooning. Retired Membership offers a discounted membership fee of $75 for members 65 years of age or over who were Regular Members at the time of their retirement. Retired members retain all the privileges and benefits of active membership provided they remain in good standing. Over 80: existing Regular Members who are at least 80 years old may request to have their annual membership dues waived, retaining all the privileges and benefits of active membership provided they remain in good standing. | Honorary Membership is bestowed upon individuals for whom the Society desires to express its esteem and appreciation such as surviving spouses, or patrons of the art. Honorary Membership is only granted by unanimous vote at a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors (which must be attended by the President). |
| Renews: 12 months | Renews: 12 months | Renews: 12 months |
| Rights | Associate Membership | Trade Membership | Regular Membership | Honorary Membership* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can participate in Reuben Divisional award juries and finalist voting. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| May serve as a Chapter Chair. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * |
| May serve in Chapter Roles. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Has the right to vote on issues of governance. | ✓ | |||
| May be appointed to any committee | ✓ | * | ||
| May be appointed to any committee* in a non-voting, advisory capacity.(*except Membership and Nomination Committees) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * |
| Hold office as an NCS Board member. | No, however, the Board of Directors may appoint an Associate Member to serve as a voting member of the Board. | No, however, the Board of Directors may appoint a Trade Member to serve as a voting member of the Board. | ✓ | * |
*Honorary members who were Regular or Retired Members maintain all rights of regular membership.
| Rights | Associate Membership | Trade Membership | Regular Membership | Honorary Membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter affiliation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Members-only virtual meetups | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open House virtual meetups | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Professional networking / education | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Members-only forum | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jurying Rights on NCS Divisional Awards | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Finalist Voting Rights on the Reuben Award | ✓ | * | ||
| Annual conference & Reuben awards discounted rates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access to news updates via direct email | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom, editable Public Portfolio on Members Section of website | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * |
| Access to Membership Directory contact details (through Member portal login) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * |
| Access to participating at the NCS booth at Conventions (New York Comic Con, San Diego Comic Con, Wondercon, MoCCAFest and more) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * |
*Honorary members who were Regular or Retired Members maintain all rights of regular membership.
Artwork by Luke McGarry
The National Cartoonists Society, the world’s largest and most prestigious organization of professional cartoonists, has special membership type designed to help and encourage young cartoonists who are at the outset of their careers.
Nicknamed “The 27 Club,” the Young Professional Program offers cartoonists and creators under the age of 28 the chance to join the NCS and enjoy all the benefits as an Associate Member at a massively discounted membership rate of only $27 per year!
This initiative gives young cartoonists the opportunity to mingle and network with many of the most accomplished creators in cartooning today, pick their brains, benefit from their wisdom, learn from their successes and mistakes … and then elbow all the old fogeys out of the way!
If you are a professional cartoonist under the age of 28 having some degree of commercial success, and are on your way toward becoming an established pro, please join us by applying today!
NCS membership is open to professional cartoonists and tradespeople working in the fields of cartooning, illustration, animation, graphic storytelling and more. We are an organization of esteemed peers and we welcome new members!
Join the NCS mailing list for the latest news, events and much more!
