September 11-14, 2025The AAEC will be joining the line-up at this year’s Small Press Expo as part of our annual convention in September 2025. Registration is now open.
Registration page
From the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Marc Murphy, President There’s a reason free speech and freedom of the press are the first of the essential liberties enshrined as the Bill of Rights in our Constitution. If people aren’t free to speak and assemble and if the press isn’t free to report those protected activities […]
The American Association of Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) expresses its support for political cartoonist Adam Zyglis and condemns unequivocally the threats of violence against him and his family as a result of the publication by the Buffalo News of an editorial cartoon drawn by him. Zyglis is a Pulitzer Prize winning artist and was this year’s recipient of […]
“Every time a newspaper dies, even a bad one, the country moves a little closer to authoritarianism”. Richard Kruger, Winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize Dear readers, I write this in my first days as President of the AAEC. I’m humbled by the honor, and have big shoes to fill. We have, moreover — all of […]
January 8, 2025 Dear Colleagues: As I conclude my second term as AAEC president, I’d like to leave you with a few thoughts as I turn the job over to the very able Marc Murphy. First, the AAEC is in fairly solid financial shape for the next five years or so, depending. I am hopeful […]
With the resignation of editorial cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes from The Washington Post, corporate billionaires once again have brought an editorial cartoon to life with their craven censorship in bowing to a wannabe tyrant. Her principled resignation illustrates that while the pen is mightier than the sword, political cowardice once again eclipses […]
[Editor’s note: The day after he returned home from this year’s joint AAEC/ACC Convention in Quebec, cartoonist Michael de Adder found out he’d been fired from his long-time newspaper after it was recently purchased by hedgefund-owned Postmedia. The Daily Cartoonist has been been covering the news, and the AAEC has now released a statement in […]
Our Confab Host Wes Tyrell has sent along a Cartoonist’s Guide to Montreal, which you can download here: The AAEC-ACC Guide to Montreal —or just keep reading: The AAEC-ACC Guide to Montréal Montréal is often considered half European and half American, a multicultural hub where French mingles with the accents of some 80 other ethnic […]
Earlier this week, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Cartooning for Peace called out the detention and torture of Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Omar after he was arrested over a month ago. 32 other rights and press freedom organizations signed on the letter, condemning the recent arrests and enforced disappearance of four Egyptian journalists — Ashraf Omar, Khaled […]
The AAEC Board of Directors has issued the following statement on the retraction of Michael Ramirez’s cartoon in The Washington Post. “The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) wishes to reiterate its support for cartoonists to express themselves vigorously, without fear of retribution or physical violence. “The AAEC also wishes to note the responsibility of […]
Feb 2, 2023 Dear Colleagues: First, thank you for electing me as AAEC president. I feel a bit like Joe Biden: bring in the old guy! As some of you recall, I was president of the AAEC several years ago, and remain committed to making sure that we have a functioning group for years to come, and that all members feel welcome. […]
Hello everyone! We hope you’re doing well and staying safe in another nutty summer. The AAEC has been working closely with CXC on this fall’s gathering in Ohio, and we now have a preliminary schedule for our convention. As we hinted at earlier, we’re going with a slow rollout this year as we come out […]
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists would like to congratulate illustrator Fahmida Azim and the other contributors to the team that created the illustrated article, “I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp,” which won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in the recently renamed category of Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. We would like to also congratulate the finalists, […]
Dear colleagues, I hope this finds you safe, healthy, and sipping a winter warmer before a crackling fire. There are several AAEC matters to discuss, so I’ll get right down to business. First, I wanted to let you know about a decision I have reached after much consideration: I will be stepping down as President […]
[2020 is almost in the books and the AAEC Notebook is at the printer. You should get your Year-in-Review as we escape into 2021. Here’s the letter from President Kevin Siers that kicks off the next issue.] While the expression “may you live in interesting times” is characterized as a curse, for cartoonists it has always […]
This weekend saw the 2020 CXC Festival move ahead — online and virtual as with everything else this year — and the event acted as sort of a de facto gathering for the AAEC, which had to cancel their own convention back in May. AAEC President Kevin Siers made a pre-recorded appearance on Friday evening during […]
The votes are in — Congratulations to new AAEC Board members Jen Sorensen (President-elect) and Tim Campbell (Director). Tim has been elected for a 2-year term, and Jen will step up to President in January 2021. Elected to another term and returning to the Board are Mike Thompson (Vice President), Monte Wolverton (Treasurer) and Liza […]
by Pat Bagley, Immediate Past President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Bullet, meet metatarsal. The Gannett newspaper chain just shot itself in the foot. Steve Benson, a 37-year veteran of The Arizona Republic and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning, was let go yesterday. He was swept up in a company-wide […]
[AAEC President Pat Bagley will be handing over the mantle to Kevin Siers next week. In the meantime, here is his departing letter] Dear Colleagues, First, the good news. The long-awaited redesign of our new website is nearing launch and should be up sometime in January. (Buy Adam Zyglis a beer next time you […]
Dear Colleagues, You’ll soon be receiving your ballot for the upcoming slate of officers and directors for the AAEC, with a recommended change of tenure for the AAEC President to two years (this will not apply to my current term which ends December 1). This change to two years will bring the term of the […]
Join us this weekend at CXC — Cartoon Crossroads Columbus — the cartoon festival in Columbus, Ohio. The AAEC plans to have an exhibitors table at their Marketplace Expo Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30, to increase awareness of our organization among the many other kinds of cartoonists who will be there. We welcome […]
We are 10 days out from our gathering in California, but it isn't the only AAEC event happening this month. Immediately following the Sacramento convention (the very next week) is CXC — Cartoon Crossroads Columbus — the cartoon festival in Columbus, Ohio. The AAEC plans to have an exhibitors table at their Marketplace Expo Saturday […]
The 2018 Sacramento AAEC Convention is less than a month away and this is your last chance to reserve rooms at The Citizen Hotel at our convention rate. The good news is that the rate is exceptionally good ($159/night) but the bad news is that they'll only give us that rate for Sept. 20-22. That's […]
In my nearly forty years at The Salt Lake Tribune I've known hundreds of journalists. They are the kind of people who place a found dollar bill on the edge of a cubicle and it will still there three days later. My colleagues are universally honest and conscientious about getting the facts straight. Likewise, […]
This year's gathering of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists will take place Sept. 20-23 in Sacramento, CA. Hosts Jack Ohman and Pat Bagley released the convention's schedule today. Highlights include an reception at the California Museum to celebrate the life and work of the late cartoonist Rex Babin, and the return of cartoon deathmatch, […]
The 2018 AAEC Convention is Fast Approaching! This year’s gathering of the nation’s editorial cartoonists and political junkies in Sacramento — Thursday, September 20th to Saturday 22nd — promises to be a blockbuster. Our featured guest is Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins, who extensively covered the Trump campaign and was called “a dishonest slob” via Twitter by […]
"We stand with our brothers & sisters at the Capital Gazette. Journalism is the only profession specifically protected in the Constitution, yet our lives are under daily threat these days from those who would silence inconvenient facts & informed opinions." — Pat Bagley, President AAEC
I want to let you know where we are with the 2018 convention. The AAEC is currently in the midst of planning our 2018 convention, which is scheduled for September 20–23 in Sacramento. We have contracted with The Citizen Hotel, famous for having prints of political cartoons decorating every room, for a block of rooms […]
The oft-repeated statement “an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us” applies to political cartoonists worldwide after Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart was sentenced to prison. Why should Americans care about the fate of a satirist who mocked his president in a country half way around the world? Because it can […]
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists launches a new icon, updating its venerable ink bottle for the digital age DURHAM, NC — The AAEC has a new look. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, a professional organization that promotes the interests of political cartoonists and comics journalists in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has […]
We need to change. For several years now we have complained, bemoaned, and raged over the disappearance of our traditional home, the print newspaper. And the loss of newspapers is not just affecting our profession but is having an impact as well on how we’ve traditionally funded our annual conventions. Fewer and fewer of […]
The AAEC has joined with 18 other organizations in calling for the immediate release of cartoonist Ramón Esono Ebalé, currently held against his will by the government of Equatorial Guinea. November 15, 2017 An Open Letter to the President of Equatorial Guinea: Release Artist and Writer Ramón Esono Ebalé Mr. Teodoro Obiang Nguema MbasogoPresident of […]
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.
The AAEC’s Satire Fest is coming to San Francisco on October 9, 10, 11.
Rex Babin on the Portland convention, surviving another year, and r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists calls on Apple to change its policy regarding its apps, and stop rejecting them because they “ridicule public figures” and are deemed objectionable: “A vigorous public discourse, opinion, satire and, yes, ridiculing public figures, are essential to journalism and our Democracy.”
And now — Rex Babin
“Ask not what your AAEC can do for you, ask what you can do for your AAEC.” Some of you may remember the days when AAEC conventions were the place where major daily newspaper editors came to find talent. It seemed at every year’s convention, there was a buzz about at least one big job […]
Thank you for making me president during the worst year for American editorial cartooning in history. That was awesome. You’re the best. I love you.
You all owe me drinks.
Working as an editorial cartoonist this year—working, that is, if anyone is interested in employing you—is like living inside Casey Kasem’s brain: The hits keep on coming. Whether it’s Robert Ariail or Jim Borgman or John Branch or Gary Brookins or Stuart Carlson or Richard Crowson or Bill Day or Eric Devericks or Brian Duffy […]
Colorado cartoonist Matt Scharf has passed away. Matthew J. (Matt) Scharf August 21, 1961 – March 30, 2026From the obituary: Matt J Scharf died suddenly...
The AAEC John Locher Memorial Fellowship is awarded each year to one early-career cartoonist whose work demonstrates clear opinions and strong artistry on political and social topics. Deadline to be considered is the end of March.
The Locher Fellow will receive a one-year Regular membership in the AAEC, be a guest of the CXC Festival — held every fall in Columbus, Ohio — and have the opportunity to meet with editorial cartoonists during the year of the Fellowship for portfolio reviews and career advice.
Every two weeks throughout the year, The Learning Forum and the AAEC offers CARTOONS FOR THE CLASSROOM, a free lesson resource for teachers discussing current events. Visit NIEonline.com for more lesson plans.
