Annual Convention

Annual Convention September 11-14, 2025

The AAEC will be joining the line-up at this year’s Small Press Expo as part of our annual convention in September 2025. Check back here later this year for registration and hotel information!

SPX website



 

Major cartooning award news!

There are two big AAEC announcements to make today. First up, congratulations to Charis Jackson Barrios, the winner of this year's John Locher Memorial Award. 

Barrios recently received a BFA on a full scholarship from The Cooper Union in NYC. While a student, the cartoonist did design and illustration projects with places like Frederator Studios and BuzzFeed. She has made comics for The Nib and Splinter News, and more of her work can found at her website https://www.charisjb.com.

The judges noted: "Charis is producing well-crafted, smart, affecting comics that are equally adept in dishing out facts and relating personal anecdotes, especially with regard to race. Her comics are thoughtful and substantive, executed in a bold, readable style, and address a range of timely, relevant topics from a unique perspective underrepresented in political cartooning." 

You can read the winning comics here:
Why Don’t You Just Pick One? My Life With a Biracial Identity
2017: The Year Black Women Slayed (Again)
Know Your Hate Groups

The judges also wanted to recognize the following cartoonists for their outstanding submissions to the 2018 Locher Award: 
1. Leila Abdelrazaq
2. Sage Coffey
3. Madeleine Witt
4. Caroline Cook
5. Jake Thrasher

More details on the John Locher Memorial Award and this year's panel of judges can be found here: https://locheraward.org/news/2018/7/15/2018-locher-award-winner

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Next, a big congrats to cartoonist and comics historian R.C. Harvey, who was bestowed with the Inkpot Award during last week's San Diego ComicCon. The Inkpot is given annually to "individuals for their contributions to the worlds of comics, science fiction/fantasy, film, television, animation, and fandom services." Bob Harvey has been an integral member of the AAEC for decades — most recently serving on the board as Secretary/Treasurer — and a constant, wry presence at its annual confabs.

This year's Inkpot recipients included, among others, cartoonists Shannon Wheeler and Brian Fies, as well as actors Kevin Smith and Nichelle Nichols. Good company indeed! Here's a photo of Bob excitedly waving his award about in San Diego.

Bob Harvey Inkpot

 

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OUR MISSION

The mission of the AAEC is to champion and defend editorial cartooning and free speech as essential to liberty in the United States and throughout the world.

The AAEC aims to be an international leader in support of the human, civil, and artistic rights of editorial cartoonists around the world, and to stand with other international groups in support of the profession.


The Daily Cartoonist

Cartoon News Updates
Cartoon News Updates

The return of Edith Pritchett to The WaPo; Phoebe and Her Unicorn daily replacements; the Barry Blitt CBC interview; Mr. Fish and UPenn; and Topps...


LOCHER FELLOWSHIP

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.


CARTOONS FOR THE CLASSROOM

Cartoons in Education

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.