NCS Reuben Weekend Cancelled on account of Coronavirus Pandemic

April 21, 2020

Dear NCS members,

First and foremost, I hope you are safe, healthy and still able to work at your regular capacity. We realize this time has been very difficult for many of our members and their regular clients.

Please forgive the lateness of this note: it could not be helped. Unfortunately, despite all precautions, both Sophie and I contracted COVID-19 and have both been bedridden with the virus over the last month. This thing is no joke. Please take every precaution advised. I would not wish this disease on anyone, especially our dear friends in the NCS. I’ve been so sorry to hear of those who have also been afflicted with the virus. We hope you have recovered and are well again.

It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the official cancellation of this year’s NCS Reuben Awards and conference weekend in Kansas City. Those wanting any additional detail on our difficult and unfortunate decision can email me or Latisha directly. We did not make this decision lightly. The health and safety of our members is paramount and there was no practical way we could hold the event as planned.

To those who are not aware, San Diego Comic-Con in July has also been cancelled, so, unfortunately, we will not have a presence there this year.

On a positive note, the NCS board are in the process of establishing a live streaming option for both the conference and the awards night. We may even be lucky enough to have an in-person event late in the year for some special presentations, but for the moment we are seeing this as an opportunity for the NCS to evolve, using modern technology to the benefit entire membership.

It is important you know we have not abandoned the weekend wholesale. There will be a 2020 Reubens in one form or another.

We wish you and your families the best if health, safety and well-being.
Stay tuned to your inbox for more announcements to come on our plans for this year’s Reuben Awards and conference.

Yours, from a social distance,

Jason Chatfield
President
National Cartoonists Society

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MARCH 20, 2020

Good news!

The nominees for the 74th Annual NCS Reuben Awards are now tallied, and available online.

You can see all the voting results here: https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/2020/03/2019-ncs-divisional-nominees/

Congratulations to all nominees, and thank you to all of the chapters and specialty juries for their hard work in whittling down the final nominees. It isn’t an easy process, and your diligence is not taken for granted. Thank you also to all of you, the members who voted online for the 5 categories.

We are fielding a number of enquiries as to whether the Reuben Awards Weekend scheduled for June in Kansas City will still go ahead as planned.

As of today, the Kansas City authorities have issued an eight-week ban on all gatherings of more than 10 people. We assume, given the news reports we are all seeing, that this ban will probably be extended into the period when our event is scheduled. Airline travel is restricted and maybe even more severely restricted going forward. Parts of the country are already under mandated quarantine.

Under the circumstances, common sense tells us that it is very unlikely that we will be able to stage this year’s Reuben Awards Weekend as planned. 

However, our contracted obligations with the hotel mean that we have to wait for the authorities to confirm that our event cannot be staged, which will then trigger Force Majeure clauses that allow our contract to be cancelled without incurring financial penalties. Given the extent of the crisis, we fear that this probably going to be the case.

As we monitor unfolding events and continue negotiations, we will continue to update you on Reuben plans. Our advice is to please wait before making any travel arrangements.
In this time of an unparalleled public health crisis, our first concern is the health and safety of our members and their loved ones. Please take good care of yourselves and be safe.

Please stay tuned to your inbox and NCS social media and website for more information.

Keep calm, and carry on drawing,

Jason Chatfield
President
National Cartoonists Society

Follow us online for updates:
Website/Blog: https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalcartoonists
Twitter: https://twitter.com/natcartoonsoc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcartoonists/

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MARCH 15, 2020

Dear NCS Members,

We have received a number of enquiries about the feasibility of this year’s Reuben Awards weekend in light of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The NCS and NCSF boards share your obvious concerns and have been closely monitoring the situation as events unfold. Please rest assured that the health and safety of our members will always be our most important priority.

You will be aware that the likes of Wondercon, MoCCaFest and Emerald City Comic Con have been postponed, as have gatherings such as Coachella and SXSW and an increasing number of events where large numbers of people congregate.

At this stage, as the Reubens are almost three months away, we are still cautiously taking our lead from the relevant government, transportation and local authorities and trying to gauge how far in advance events should and must be curtailed.

If the chain of events in other countries is any guide, common sense dictates that the depth of the crisis here in the U.S. will become much clearer in the next few days.

Please bear with us as we consult the relevant authorities, negotiate our contractual obligations and determine the best course of action to safeguard the health and well-being of our members.

Stay tuned to our website and social media channels, and I will, of course, keep you updated as the situation evolves.

Jason Chatfield
President,
National Cartoonists Society

Follow us online for updates:
Website/Blog: https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalcartoonists
Twitter: https://twitter.com/natcartoonsoc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcartoonists/

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