NCS 80th Anniversary Celebrations Continue at the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival

As part of our 80th Anniversary celebrations, and with support of the NCS Foundation, the NCS will be showcased at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF) in Kendal, England, October 1–4 — celebrating eight decades of the Society while joining one of the world’s great international comics communities. LICAF offers a year-round program celebrating the power of comic art, culminating in its annual festival each October.

Festival highlights include the 9th Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art, presented on the Festival’s opening night. Past recipients include UK comics icons Posy Simmonds and Dave McKean, and international greats such as Lorenzo Mattotti (Italy).

Also on opening night: comic powerhouses Asterix and Tintin face off in “Clash of the Toon Titans.” NCS is proud to co-sponsor this event alongside Wallonie-Bruxelles International, a major Festival partner this year as part of “Belgian Comics Now,” a celebration of contemporary Belgian comics.

NCS Members on Display: The Windows Trail and Guest Artists

LICAF’s Windows Trail takes festival-goers to forty shops, cafes, and other businesses throughout Kendal town centre. About thirty of those windows will feature artwork from NCS members and Reuben Award winners, alongside work from other artists, festival-associated exhibitions, Kendal College students, and community groups.

Festival-goers can follow the trail using the PlayTours app, which maps the route and records completed stops. Anyone who finishes the trail can pick up a limited-edition NCS 80th Anniversary enamel pin badge at the Festival’s Information Desk in the Brewery Arts Centre Foyer.

Special guest artists Gemma Correll and Colleen Doran, in addition to representatives from the NCS and Foundation Boards, will represent the NCS throughout the festival, including an 80th Anniversary Bash and a session highlighting the organization’s history and bright future.

Karen Evans, President of the National Cartoonists Society, said: “I’ve heard the BEST things about LICAF’s festival spirit and can’t wait to be fully immersed in an incredible international comics community! As the President of the National Cartoonists Society, I’m excited for the opportunity to share the history, the future, and the fun of the NCS in our 80th anniversary year.”

The full LICAF program can be found at https://licaf.co.uk/festival