MoCCA Festival

MoCCA Festival
Status Active
Genre Comics
Venue Puck Building (2002–2008)
69th Regiment Armory (2009–2014)
Center548 (2015)
Location(s) New York City
Country United States
Inaugurated 2002
Organized by Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (2002-2012)
Society of Illustrators (2013-present)
Filing status Not-for-profit
Website
official website

The MoCCA Arts Festival, or MoCCA Fest, is an independent comics showcase that typically includes artist booths, slide shows, and educational panels. It was created by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2002 by bringing together over 2,000 artists, publishers, editors and enthusiasts. It was named "Best Small-Press Comics Nexus Anywhere" by The Village Voice.[1]

Beginning in 2013, the MoCCA Fest is being produced by the Society of Illustrators, following their acquisition of the Museum the previous year.

History

The MoCCA Festival was held at New York’s historic Puck Building from 2002–2008. The MoCCA Festival hosted the comics industry's 2004 and 2005 Harvey Awards.[2][3]

From 2009 to 2014, MoCCA Fest took place at the 69th Regiment Armory. The Society of Illustrators took over management of MoCCA Fest beginning with the 2013 show.

Beginning in 2015, the event will be split between two locations; Center548 will host the exhibitors, and the programming will take place at the High Line Hotel.[4][5]

Dates and locations

Awards

MoCCA Festival Award/Klein Award

Presented to an artist whose outstanding work elevated the comic art form. In 2009, the MoCCA Festival Award was renamed the Klein Award in honor of MoCCA founder Lawrence Klein.

MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence (2013 - present)

Under the administration of The Society of Illustrators, the Klein Award was replaced in 2013 with the MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence, intended to recognize the most outstanding work on view at the festival. Artists winning this award are acknowledged with an Award of Excellence and have their work exhibited at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art at the Society of Illustrators. All materials chosen in the jury's initial survey will be acquired by Columbia University's Rare Book and Manuscript Library for a newly established MoCCA Arts Festival collection, to be expanded annually.

2013 recipients

The winning artists' work was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators May 21-July 6, 2013.

Judges for the 2013 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Karen Berger, Gary Groth, Nora Krug, David Mazzucchelli, and Paul Pope.

2014 recipients

The winning artists' work was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators April 29-May 17, 2014.

Judges for the 2014 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Gregory Benton (2013 recipient), Tracy Hurren, Chip Kidd, Chris Pitzer, and James Sturm.

2015 judges

Judges for the 2015 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence will be Charles Burns, Annie Koyama, David Plunkert (2014 recipient), Andrea Tsurumi (2013 recipient) and Alexandra Zsigmond. Winning artists will be acknowledged with an Award of Excellence and will have their work exhibited at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art at the Society of Illustrators May 12–June 13, 2015.

References

External links