The Museum of the City of New York is currently hosting a cartoon exhibition: Roz Chast: Cartoon Memoirs,
a retrospective of the celebrated *New Yorker* artist and cartoonist’s work since 1978. The Association of
American Editorial Cartoonists is an official co-sponsor of the series of events below accompanying the
exhibit (beginning next week, which features AAEC member Liza Donnelly). As a co-sponsor, our membership is
offered a 25% off discount on tickets. Click for event information.
The Locher Award Committee is pleased to announce the winner of the 2016 Locher Award, Devon Manney. The runner-up is Vanessa Barajas. For more information and to see the winning cartoons, please visit Locheraward.org. We received a tremendous response to the award this year, and the Locher Award Committee would like to thank everyone who applied.
To AAEC Members:
Our website redesign and rebuild is currently underway. Now is the time to consider updating our logo to reflect our times and our mission. In order to have our logo truly reflect our membership, we are encouraging interested cartoonists to submit rough concepts for our new logo. We want to be clear this is not a contest for solicited finished work. This is more of a collective brainstorm from our diverse group of creative thinkers.
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists condemns the decision of Iowa’s Farm News publication to part ways with long-time cartoonist and contributor Rick Friday on the grounds of an unhappy advertiser. This decision is a disservice to journalism and to the people of Fort Dodge, Iowa. This represents a dangerous trend among newspapers where the vitally important wall separating editorial content from advertising is beginning to erode.
The cartoon in question was truthful. Friday displayed courage in speaking out for the less fortunate in the farming industry. The cartoon was a factual statement on the increasing economic disparity of Big Agribusiness and the small farmers of Iowa. He should be thanked for his work, not disgracefully shown the door. For us to maintain a strong freedom of the press, editors and journalists around the country should be beholden to truth and the public good, not the corporate interests of their advertisers. The readers of Farm News deserve far better.
DURHAM, NC — Amid the wave of job losses and high-profile concert cancellations in North Carolina, there is finally some good news for its beleaguered governor and state legislature. One group has decided not to pull its upcoming convention in the wake of the controversial law HB2: Political Cartoonists.
Calling all cartoonists! Come lend your talents to the cause of open government.
Sunshine Week is rapidly approaching. It’s that time of year again when we are asked to submit ‘freedom of information’ cartoons for the greater good. Here is more info from the organizers:
Sunshine Week is mid-March every year. It’s coordinated by the American Society of News Editors and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, but participants come from all media, government, schools, civic and nonprofit groups and other related areas. The idea is to get as many people as possible talking about, writing about, doing stuff about — and drawing about — the importance of open government and freedom of information.
Dear AAEC members:
We’ve all been invited to participate in Cartoon the Vote, a new website designed to engage the electorate. Here is some info on how to get involved in this great cause:
What is Cartoon the Vote?
As explained here, the site aims to “draw” visitors into the election by pairing election-related cartoons with links to sites for voter registration, state and local ballots and with information about candidates and key issues.
To AAEC members:
Our Canadian comrades in ink have graciously invited us to attend their convention this year in Toronto. Here is the info from their president Wes Tyrell:
“To our good friends from America and around the globe,
We are finally very happy to report that booking has begun for our national convention in Toronto this May 5-8.
Joe Szabo, the founder of “WittyWorld” and friend of cartoonists across the globe, died suddenly while working at his desk at home in North Wales, PA, on February 2, two days shy of his 66th birthday.
The AAEC Board wishes to extend our deepest condolences to our longtime friend and colleague Jeff Danziger upon the loss of his beloved wife Kim Gale on January 26. Kim was a lovely, vivacious, and brilliant companion and we offer our love to Jeff and his and Kim’s families.
Dear fellow American cartoonists, satirists, animators and graphic journalists: I’m Bullish on 2016, and you should be too.
Yes, the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo has in some ways altered the lens in which we view our craft. But in response to this and other assaults on the rights of cartoonists around the globe, we have strengthened our resolve as protectors of free speech. We have and must continue to remind the public of our vital importance to democracy and journalism, especially in light of such atrocities. That’s imperative to our mission and to the future survival of our great profession.
