Weekly Roundup: March 9, 2018

Welcome to Paper Cat Press’s Weekly Roundup, and happy March! In the Weekly Roundup, I provide links and summarized information about the crowdfunded projects, creator opportunities, and resources that have caught my eye over the week. I hope you enjoy!

WARNING! Some content below may feature NSFW content. Links will be marked NSFW! when the content identifies itself as adult material.

As a note: I am not sponsored by any company, group, or individual listed below or elsewhere on this site unless otherwise listed.

Want to jump to a specific section? Use the links below:
News || Helping Others || Awards || Recent Webcomic Debuts || Crowdfunded Projects || Animation || Comics, Illustration, and More || Conventions and Events || Designers || Fan Zines || Mentorships & Fellowships || Residencies, Retreats, and Workshops || Scholarships, Sponsorships, and Grants || Teaching || Typesetting || Voice Acting || Writing and Editing || Youth || Resources || Deals || Giveaways


News


Helping Others

Need to contact your government officials? Let Resist Bot and 5calls help you out.

If you are a trans person in need of legal assistance, check translawhelp.org for pro bono services in your state.

Here’s a list of free or low-cost mental health resources. Thank you so much for compiling this list, Tiffany!

If you need to talk to someone or otherwise vent, please utilize this list of help hotlines.

Take care and take your time. Your work is more important than ever. Thank you for sharing your originality and openness with the world. You bring light to the days of others, and it is so, so appreciated.

Awards

Lambda Literary’s Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian Nonfiction is accepting submissions from emerging nonfiction writers who cover the depth and complexity of lesbian life through March 9. The recipient will be awarded $2500.

The Global Gamer Creators 50 Over 50 List is accepting applications through March 10. If you are or know someone who is over 50 years of age and working in the gaming industry, nominate them!

You can submit your work for the 2018 Dinky Awards until March 15. There are a number of categories open, including those for Outstanding Colorado [Resident] Award, Outstanding Mini Comic, and more.

The Second Annual PRISM Awards are accepting submissions of LGBTQIA+ comics published in 2017 through March 15.

The Eisner Awards are accepting votes for the Eisner Hall of Fame as well as nominations for other Eisner Awards through March 16.

The 2018 Toronto Book Awards is open for submissions of books featuring Toronto content published between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018 through April 30. Ebooks and self-published works are not eligible.

The Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award is accepting applications through May 15. Submit mock-ups of picture books featuring a diverse narrative for a chance to receive $1500 in American Express giftcards, a round trip ticket to New York, and a one-day mentorship with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ professional children’s book design and editorial team and distinguished Artist Mentor Grace Lin.


Recent Webcomic Debuts

Check out this list of 2017 Webcomic Debuts and find a new series to read!

Looking for more webcomics? Check out Michael Kinyon’s ongoing and ever-growing list of creators!

Crowdfunded Projects


chirault

Comic creator Ally Rom Colthoff is raising funds on Kickstarter to print and ship their comic Chirault: The Complete Series. Chirault, a comic 11 years in the making, follows a magically-shrunken Teeko and demon-hunting demon Kiran as they quest to find a solution for Teeko’s dilemma, and instead uncover a twenty year old conspiracy. Tier options include digital and physical copies of volumes 1-5, the mini comic “Shenanigans,” sketched and signed bookplates, prints, commissions, and original comic art. The Kickstarter ends on March 14.


almostreal

Fortuna Media is raising funds on Kickstarter to produce Almost Real: A Speculative Biology Zine (Vol 1). Almost Real will feature over 60 pages of art and writing about imagined creatures with anatomical and functional properties akin to “real” biological forms. Tier options include digital and physical copies of the zine, a pull-out poster, and enamel pins. The Kickstarter ends on March 19.


prisonwitch

Prison Witch is running a Kickstarter to raise funds for production and fulfillment of its first volume. Prison Witch is 70-page black and white comic following Cameron Rivers, a woman who is sent to prison and meets a powerful coven of witches once there. Tier options include digital and softcover copies of the book, a signed bookplate, bookmarks, an incense holder, and more. The Kickstarter ends on March 23.


toronto

TO Comic Press is running a Kickstarter to fund its anthology Toronto Comics: Osgoode As Gold celebrating local comic newcomers and veterans. The book will feature over 220 pages of full-color comics from over 50 Toronto creators. Tier options include digital and physicl copies of the book, prints, an enamel pin, copies of every book produced by Toronto Comics, commissions, and more. The Kickstarter ends on March 30.


General

Did you or will you table in an artist alley in the US this year? Take the 2018 Artist Alley Convention Survey here.

Are you a Canadian writer, translator, illustrator, editor, or photographer? Do you have books in public libraries? You may be eligible to receive payment through the Public Lending Right Program! Check to see if you’re eligible and apply by May 1.

The Comic Tea Party is a weekly book club for webcomics. Participate in the Discord chat weekly on Thursdays at 5pm to 7pm PST. Sign your comic up for a chance to have it read and discussed in the group!

Have you ever participated in a fan zine? Fill out this survey so we can learn more about and improve fan zines, their organizers, and their contributors!

The National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize is accepting applications through February 28. If you’re a US-based organization that aims to create and sustain a lifelong love of reading in their community, apply for a chance to receive $10,000.

Are you a comic critic or journalist? Take this survey!

Animation

  • (Greenwich, Connecticut) Blue Sky Studios is hiring animators, technical directors, a storyboard artist, and more.
  • (Kilkenny, Ireland) Cartoon Saloon is looking for animators, character designers, color designers, production managers, and more.
  • (Canada) DHX has job openings in Halifax, Toronto, and Vancouver.
  • (Burbank, California) Disney TV Animation is seeking an art director and a prop designer. Be sure to check their website for both creative and office positions with Disney!
  • (Glendale, California) Dreamworks is hiring a color artist, a character designer, a visual development artist, interns, and much more.
  • Laura Price shared tips for applying to animation studios.
  • (Kilkenny, Ireland) Lighthouse Studios is looking for a Compositing Artist, a Production Assistant, and a Studio Manager.
  • Mirage 3D Studios is looking for a contract VFX artist. Knowledge of Redshift Rendering with Maya experience would be ideal.
  • (Burbank, California) Nickelodeon is hiring an art director and a character designer.
  • (Austin, TX) Powerhouse Animation Studios is seeking animators, background artists, character artists, storyboard artists, and more.
  • Titmouse is looking for background painters, an After Effects animator, a line producer, and interns in Los Angeles, CA. They’re also seeking storyboard artists and revisionists in New York, NY. And in Vancouver, Canada, Titmouse is seeking a 2D animator, background layout artists and designers, storyboard revisionists, and more.
  • (Toronto, Canada) Ubisoft is hiring artists, programmers, office workers, and more.
  • (Burbank, California) Walt Disney Animation Studios is hiring an animator, an effects artist, a lighter, and summer interns specializing in visual development, CG animation, and story art.

You can find a directory of currently open animation jobs at animatedjobs.com and updated listings at The Animation Guild.


Comics, Illustration, and More

  • Fine Wine: An Ossan Zine is accepting submissions from artists through March 15.
  • Tabloid Art Zine is seeking submissions of words and/or images exploring the relationship between contemporary culture and art history until March 25. Contributors will not be paid and the zine will be available online for free.
  • StArt Faire is accepting comics, light novels, articles, tutorials, and ads for their 25th issue through March 29.
  • 24 Panels is accepting submissions of 24 panels or less from comic artists through March 31. They’re also seeking a comics editor! Proceeds will be donated to the mental health care of survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.
  • GJB Publishing is accepting applications from illustrators who live with mental health issues for Colours of the Mind through March 31.
  • Jacques Nyemb is accepting pitches for NOWZine, focusing on contemporary topics and ultimately serving as an illustrated “time capsule” of our times, through March 31.
  • The Silent Manga Audition‘s 9th competition event is accepting submissions through March 31. This SMA has a limit of 16 pages or less and a choice of three themes to select from. Comic submissions should be silent and without dialogue.
  • The Webcomic Almanac is accepting submissions of promotional art from webcomic creators through March 31.
  • Dirty Diamonds is accepting proposals from women and femmes for the 9th issue “Being” through April 6.
  • Cicada is seeking comics, essays, fiction, and poetry on the theme of family. Submit by April 13 for consideration.
  • The Lauren Child Poetry Illustration Prize is accepting submissions from illustrators age 18-25 through May 1. Illustrate a poem by a Betjeman Poetry Prize finalist for a chance to win £1000.
  • The European Comic Schools Contest 2018 is accepting submissions of illustrations and one-shot comics from students of European schools teaching comics, digital art, and/or illustration. Entries are due May 10. Winners may win 200-1000 €, A Wacom Intuos tablet, and copies of Clip Studio Paint.


Check out Arts for LA, College Art Opportunities, or Graphic Competitions for more exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities. See Find Anthologies for a list of anthologies with open submissions and to submit anthologies of your own. Chris Arrant regularly shares location-based jobs in comics (mostly editorial, office, or design work). Check the #ComicJobs hashtag! Check Comic Ops to see opportunities specifically for comic creators. Zine Submissions and Zine Scene have great lists of zines, too!


Conventions and Events

Con or Bust has free tickets available for people of color for a number of upcoming conventions, including the SFWA Nebua Conference, the Locus Awards weekend, and WorldCon 76! They’re also offering free digital subscriptions to Locus magazine!

Conosaurus is LIVE! Browse cons by location, date, and other variables! Check it out and support their Patreon! Here’s their Weekly Digest #50! Need convention advice? Join #ConTalkTues every Tuesday at 8PM EST!

  • blerDCon (July 27-29) is accepting applications for vendor and artist tables.
  • Denver Comic Con 2018‘s Artist Valley Lottery Application (for artists who have never sold at Denver Comic Con) is open through March 11.
  • Artist Alley tables are available for HeroesCon 2018.
  • MegaCon Orlando (May 24-27) is accepting applications for artists ad exhibitors.
  • Universal Fan Con is accepting applications for vendors.

Here’s a list of international zine fests brought to you by ZINES!


Designers

(Boston, MA) Beacon Press is seeking a Design Manager/Director.

Geeks of Color is looking for a graphic designer.

Kickstarter is seeking a Visual Design Lead.

I created a document where people who have skills in web design and are willing and able to assist comic creators in creating their own websites can list themselves. Feel free to add your name, examples, and prices!


Fan Zines

  • Applications are now open for You’ll Never Know: The Shape of Water Charity Fanzine. 100% of proceeds from this digital-only zine will be given to Water.org.
  • Spotlight:  Fire Emblem Fanzine is accepting applications from artists. The zine will be for profit with proceeds split evenly between contributors. Contributors will also receive a free copy of the zine.
  • Vibrance: A BNHA Sapphic Fanzine is accepting applications from artists and writers through March 23. Contributors will receive a free digital copy of the zine and a physical copy if the zine breaks even.
  • Wither and Bloom: A Saeran Fanzine is accepting applications from writers and artists through March 25. Proceeds will be donated to #ENDViolence. Contributors will receive a free copy of the zine but may have to pay shipping costs.
  • Girl POP! A K-Pop Girl Group Fanzine is accepting applications through March 31. Plans are not yet finalized on whether this zine will be digital only or where proceeds will go to.
  • A KuroKura zine celebrating the pairing of Kurapika and Kuroro from Hunter x Hunter is accepting submissions from artists and writers through March 31. Proceeds will be donated to charity.
  • A fanzine to celebrate the Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers 30th Anniversary is accepting submissions from artists and writers through April 1. No profit will be generated from this free zine.
  • Dress Up Dolls: An OC Zine is accepting submissions of original characters and dress-up outfits for a book benefiting The Trevor Project through April 7. Participants will receive a free physical copy of the book.

Looking for more fan zines to submit to? Check out Find Anthologies and ZineAppCalls for more! Have a finished zine project you want to advertise? Check out Zine RTer!


Mentorships & Fellowships

Artists of color in Minnesota are encouraged to apply or nominate other artists for the 20/20 Artist Fellowship through March 10. The fellowship provides $20,000 unrestricted cash awards along with $5000 of professional development stipends.

Helioscope’s Mentorship Program is accepting public applications through March 31. The Mentorship Program offers cartoonists early in their career the opportunity to learn from established writers and artists in Portland, Oregon.

Pineapple Street Media is offering their first-ever Pineapple Fellowship for underrepresented voices in podcasting. Fellows receive a stipend of $3000 a month and work as a full-time producer in Brooklyn. Apply by April 15 for consideration.

The Representation Matters Mentorship Program is accepting applications on a rolling basis from self-identified people of color interested in the publishing industry. Mentorships will last 6 months, with a minimum of one session every two months.


Residencies, Retreats, and Workshops

The Comics Residence in Malmo, Sweden is accepting applications from international artists through March 12. This residency includes travel expenses and a project allowance.

The James Jones Fellowship Contest is accepting submissions from authors who have not yet published their first novels through March 15. Submit a 2-page summary of your novel, its first 50 pages, and $30 for consideration. The selected recipient will receive $10,000 and will be published in Provincetown Arts.

TRANSIT and the Chicago Publishers Resource Center (CHIPRC) are accepting applications (with $15 fee) for their two-week residency at CHIPRC for non-Chicago residents who create comics and zines. Applications are accepted through March 16.

Check out the Alliance of Art CommunitiesArts for LA, College Art Opportunities for exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities.


Scholarships, Sponsorships, and Grants

  • The 2018 Twining Humber Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement is accepting submissions from women visual artists over 60 who have dedicated 25 years or more to art through March 12. The recipient will receive $10,000. Here are the guidelines for applying.
  • The 2018 Writing Excuses Retreat is accepting applications for their scholarships through March 12. Two Out of Excuses scholarships will be awarded to those in financial need and two Carl Brandon Society scholarships will be awarded to writers of color.
  • The Creators for Creators Grant for $30,000 is accepting applications from single artists or writer/artist duos to support the creation of original comics work. Applications will be accepted through March 31.
  • The Older Writers Grant is accepting submissions from writers of speculative fiction over 50 through March 31.
  • The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing is accepting submissions of completed fiction manuscripts from first-generation residents of their country through March 31. Recipients will receive a $10,000 advance and publication by Restless Books.
  • The Still I Rise Grant for Black American women writers is accepting applications through April 30. Recipients will receive $100 and publication opportunities from Alternating Current Press.
  • The John Locher Memorial Award is accepting applications from political cartoonists aged 18-25 through June 15. The recipient will receive $1000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to the annual Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
  • Western Washington primary and secondary school educators and librarians are invited to apply for the C4C3 Grant to bring more graphic novels and comics into the educational process.

Check out Arts for LA, College Art Opportunities, this list by Donathin Frye, or this list by ProFellow for grant opportunities.


 Teaching

Sign up to teach at Skillshare to earn royalties based on the premium member students in your class. See here for additional information.


 Voice Acting

Check the Casting Call Club and Voice Acting Space for more voice acting and audio opportunities.


Writing and Editing

  • Tabloid Art Zine is seeking submissions of words and/or images exploring the relationship between contemporary culture and art history until March 25. Contributors will not be paid and the zine will be available online for free.
  • StArt Faire is accepting comics, light novels, articles, tutorials, and ads for their 25th issue through March 29.
  • Little Tiger is accepting short stories of 2000-5000 words based on the theme of “pride” from unpublished, unagented LGBTQ+ writers through March 30. Selected contributors will be published in the PROUD anthology and will receive £150.
  • GJB Publishing is accepting applications from writers who live with mental health issues for Headspace: Mental Health and the Creative Mind through March 31.
  • Literary Magazine Tin House has open submissions for their Spring 2019 issue through March 31.
  • Cicada is seeking comics, essays, fiction, and poetry on the theme of family. Submit by April 13 for consideration.
  • NineStar Press is accepting submissions of romantic fiction with the theme “LOST.” Submissions are due April 30.
  • Parvus Press is seeking submissions of science fiction and fantasy from writers of color through April 30.
  • Lethe Press is seeking submissions of short stories featuring gay men in the 18th and 19th centuries for The Decadents until May.
  • Black from the Future: A Black Speculative Fiction Anthology is accepting submissions through June 30.

Check out writingcareer.com for a list of calls for submission!


Youth

The Walrus is accepting submissions of short stories of less than 3000 words from Canadian writers age 13-17 for their Youth Author Award through March 30. The winner will receive $5000 and a mentorship lunch with The Walrus editors.

Tor Teen’s Anger Is A Gift essay contest is accepting written submissions from people aged 13 and older through April 30. Winners will receive $5000, have their essay published in Teen Ink, and receive a signed copy of Anger Is A Gift.

Miss Anthology is accepting submissions of up to 10 pages from female and/or LGBTQIA+ comic creators age 9-18 living in the Pacific Northwest through May 1.

Comics Club highlights and connects comic clubs and shares advice and resources to help youth comic creators.

Natalie “Tally” Nourigat offers advice & resources for young cartoonists ages 14-18 (although this is good advice for creators at any age)!

The NewPages Young Writers Guide for artists and writers shares publications seeking applications from youth contributors.


Resources


Deals

Remember to check ComiXologyDick Blick, Jerry’s Art-A-Rama, JoannMichael’s, and RightStuf for their weekly ads, coupons, and specials on comics and art supplies.


 Giveaways



That’s it for this week! Look out for another post next week with these categories and possibly more. Is there something you’d like to see more of? Something you know about but don’t see here? Let me know!

If you enjoy the Weekly Roundup, please consider supporting me through my Paypal or Ko-Fi. Thank you to Bere for your tip! And thank you to Patrons A.D. Birch, Abdiwak, Alakotila, Amber, Ash, Becca, Candace, Elaine, Emm, Heidi, J. Flores, Jasmine, KaiJu, Kiwi, Nika, Sam, and the.evergreen.burrow for your support on Patreon!

Link to the previous Roundup: Weekly Roundup – March 2, 2018

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