National Cartoonists Society membership is open to professional cartoonists and tradespeople working in the fields of cartooning, illustration, animation, graphic storytelling and more.
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, as reviewed by the Membership Committee.
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.
| 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 Apply Now |
| Active non-professional 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 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. Semi-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. | Honorary Membership is bestowed upon individuals for whom the Society desires to express its esteem and appreciation such as those over 80 years of age, 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 award juries. | ||||
| 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 (except Membership Committee) in a non-voting, advisory capacity. | ||||
| May be appointed to any committee | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Hold office as an NCS Board member. | ✗ However, the Board of Directors may appoint an Associate Member to serve as a voting member of the Board. | ✗ However, the Board of Directors may appoint a Trade Member to serve as a voting member of the Board. | ✗ |
| Rights | Associate Membership | Trade Membership | Regular Membership | Honorary Membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter affiliation | ||||
| Members-only virtual meetups | ||||
| Open House virtual meetups | ||||
| Professional networking / education | ||||
| Discounts on Wacom and other products | ||||
| Jurying Rights on NCS Divisional Awards | ||||
| Partner organization memberships | ||||
| Annual conference & Reuben awards discounted rates | ||||
| Access to news updates via direct email | ||||
| Custom, editable Public Portfolio on Members Section of website | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Access to entire Membership Directory contact details (through Memberclicks login) | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Free tabling at Conventions (New York Comic Con, San Diego Comic Con, Wondercon, MoCCAFest and more) | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Finalist Voting Rights on the Reuben Award & Divisional Awards | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Event Replay Library | ✗ | ✗ |
Applicants are eligible for membership when accepted by a unanimous vote of the Membership Committee. Once membership is approved, you’ll be provided with links to finish the application process and be a Member of the National Cartoonists Society!
And, as always, the NCS encourages cartoonists and up-and-coming cartoonists with an interest in joining us to find your local NCS chapter ( nationalcartoonists.com/chapters/ ) and be their guest at a meeting or two.
If you prefer to apply via mail, the address is:
Membership Chair, NCS
312 N. McLean blvd
Memphis, TN 38112
Apply Online Print PDF Application
Artwork by Luke McGarry
The National Cartoonists Society, the world’s largest and most prestigious organization of professional cartoonists, is delighted to announce a new program 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 hallowed ranks of the NCS 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! For the annual price of seven Grande Lattes at Starbucks you will receive:
• Associate membership in the NCS with all privileges and benefits listed above!
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, e-mail the National Cartoonists Society today at membership@nationalcartoonists.com to receive a special membership application!
NCS membership is open to all creative professionals who earn a substantial part of their income working in the fields of cartooning, illustration, animation and graphic storytelling. 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!
