PCAF 2022 Talks and Panels
Introduction
It’s been a big year of comics and the Perth Comic Arts Festival is here to share in the joy. Join the Festival’s Creative Director, Elizabeth Marruffo as she opens the weekend and introduces this year’s theme ‘The Island Kingdom”.
Featuring: Elizabeth Marruffo
Indigenous Comics Boom!
Western Australia has seen an incredible wealth of Aboriginal-lead comics be released in the past 10 years ranging from vast, community projects, epic science fiction adventures, historical reimaginings, superheroes and everything in between. Diverse projects all united in their bold reimaginings of Country into the comics medium.
Join Scott Wilson, the creator of the latest entry into this literary canon, “The Indigiverse” as he chats with Wolfgang Bylsma, the Editor in Chief of Gestalt Comics about the transformative power of comics across this land.
Featuring: Scott Wilson, Wolfgang Bylsma
The Body in Comics
Comics are an artform that is built on drawings of the body. From sensitive autobiographical depictions to the bulging biceps of superheroes, how we draw bodies says a lot about how we understand the world.
In this conversation we’ll be exploring the challenges, joys and complexities of bringing people to life on the page as well as the importance of caring for ourselves while doing it.
Featuring: Dr Elizabth MacFarlane, Sarah Winifred Searle, Aśka, Reimena Yee
An Anthology of Anthologies
Comics are best when enjoyed together and in this spirit we’re going to be celebrating six brand new Perth anthologies that are debuting at PCAF. From the hills to the port and the city to the suburbs, these anthologies come from a wide range of makers who have banded together to create something wonderful.
Join us as we discuss what makes anthologies so special, what makes them work, how they get funded and what happens when they’re out in the wide world.
Featuring projects from: PCAF, Milktooth School of Art and Stories, Kalamunda Senior High School, Neighbourhood Press, Curtin Illustration Club, The Illo Club
Drawn to the Truth
What happens when we try to tell the news as a comic? While it might seem like ‘Comics Journalism’ is a new thing, it’s been around since the 1800’s and for a long time was how newspapers provided readers with visual reporting before cameras were widespread.
With the rise of citizen journalism, limitless digital distribution at everyone’s fingertips and an increasingly scattered media landscape, can Comics Journalism help us reach a unique type of ‘truth’?
Read To Me
Read To Me takes the art form of comics and puts it in front of a live audience; the workshop bit is where you make some comics in response to the live readings.
It’s one part live graphic storytelling event and another part comics-making event.
Fionn McCabe and Gabriel Clark, both real live comics teachers from the University of Technology Sydney, will guide you through this process along with some very special guests.
The Comic Arts Awards of Australia
The Comic Art Awards of Australia (ex Ledger Awards) have been running for the past 18 years and are Australia’s only award dedicated exclusively to the medium. Come and celebrate the incredible year in comics that has been 2021, where awards will be given out for gold, silver and bronze trophies. In addition, the platinum award will be given to a person or organisation that has shown dedication and given assistance to Australian comics in some way.
Lastly, two platinum CAAA of Honour awards will be given to legends in Australian comics from the past 90 years and entry to the Australian Comics Hall of Fame.
As a bonus, all attendees will be able to pick up a free copy of the Comic Arts Awards of Australia Annual, a full colour, 96 page book celebrating all the winners in detail.
Entroduction
Join our Festival Chairperson, Stuart Medley as he wraps up the day’s events and sets our sights on day two of the Perth Comic Arts Festival.