NYC Queer Comic Fair Enters Its 4th Year
The NYC Queer Comic Fair enters its 4th year with a Kickstarter funded in one hour! The event is a no admission showcase of queer-identified artists working in illustration, comics, and visual storytelling. The goal of the fair is to extend the reach and audience of the artists, and to provide a place where queer people can go to find and distribute art that represents them.
The 4th annual NYC Queer Comic Fair (NYCQCF) happens Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, April 12th, from 1-7pm each day. The NYCQCF is hosted by Bureau of General Services Queer Division inside New York City Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Community Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Starting as a single-day fair inspired by the New York Queer Zine Fair, event creators, Bubba of WabiSabiZinez and Pat Reilly of Comics by Patrick, sought to fill a gap in the queer arts community – comic books.
While the first fair focused solely on comics and graphic novels, each year they have expanded the scope of what is included: photo essays, illustration, illustrated poetry, children’s books, and coloring books are among the types of work now included. “We want to showcase the diversity of the medium, that is, of creating a conversation or narrative between words and images,” says Bubba.
The fair has now expanded to a two-day event. “While we have extended the number of days, we have chosen to stay in a small venue,” adds Bubba. He goes on to say that the NYCQCF wants to stay in queer spaces, specifically those dedicated to supporting the arts, adding, “The Center is historic, and the Bureau is a great host! Why leave when they have everything we need: a coffee shop, gender neutral bathrooms, and a fantastic Keith Haring mural for attendants to see!”
The NYCQCF has been covered by Hornet.com and The Comic Book Bears Podcast, with promotional events and signings happening in the Village at Carmine Street Comics inside Unoppressive Non-imperialist Bargain Books, and at the New York City Anarchist Book Fair.
Bubba says, “As a member of the queer community, I think it is important to collaborate and crosspollinate. We need to support each other’s events, meet new people, create a web of connections. That’s what we are doing here; yes, it is one event, but we talk to people at other fairs, other bookstores, anywhere we can.”
Bubba adds that the NYCQCF relies on participants and attendants to bring in the kinds of creators they want to see; he asks that artist suggestions be sent via Instagram, and that if anyone wants to stay current with signup announcements, they follow WabiSabiZinez on Kickstarter.
Follow the NYC Queer Comic Fair on Instagram and Facebook.
