Here’s a new comics event with a snappy logline: The Symposium in Comic Arts, a sort of “Ted Talks” for comics. Assembled by educator/artist Ramon Gil, its a one day online event featuring short talks by thought leaders in comics. Although it’s not affiliated with the actual Ted Talks, the idea is one that has been percolating for a while – and it’s about time someone actually put it into motion.
The event will be held February 25, 2022, and includes speakers like Oriana Leckert, Gina Gagliano and Regine Sawyer. A Kickstarter is currently underway to help fund it.
Gil is also the driving force behind Diversity Con, the annual event held in conjunction with FIT.
Details via the PR:
In an effort to help creators navigate the rapidly changing industry of comics and graphic novels, New York City educator, Ramon Gil, is putting on a day-long symposium for the comics industry and the issues it’s facing. On Saturday, February 26, the Symposium in Comic Arts will be held online for all to attend.
Gil is a comic book creator and educator. He teaches art at the Fashion Institute of technology and SUNY Old Westbury. “The last couple of years have been a forlorn time for me and many other comic book writers and artists as mainstream comics seemed to be on the decline while graphic novels are on the rise and diversity has become a divisive issue within the community” shares Gil. “Having started some related conversations regarding ‘what’s next?’ in panels at Diversity Comic Con (also organized by Gil), I wanted to take it even further.”
The symposium will try to address many of these topics and will feature some distinguished industry leaders:
- Tom Hart from the Sequential Arts Workshop will be talking about “Comics” Products vs Practice”
- Oriana Leckert from Kickstarter will be talking about “The current state (and future) of Comics Crowdfunding”
- Regine Sawyer, founder of Women in Comics Collective International, will talk about “The Question of Unionization.”
- Nick Sousanis will explore “The Role of Comics in Education”
- Gina Gagliano, Publishing Director of Random House Graphic, will be exploring issues facing the graphic novel publishing industry.
“There now seems to be two different industries and communities within comics that would do well to work together. My goal is to help bring these storytellers together and help them deal with these upheavals in our medium in a way that benefits everyone involved.” says Gil.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently underway to help raise funds for the speaker honorariums. The event will be held virtually instead of in-person to allow access to creators from anywhere in the world. Details can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/
projects/ramongil/the- symposium-on-comic-arts
