Kendal, Monday 22nd January 2018: The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is delighted to announce Traces of the Great War, a new and ambitious anthology publication exploring the traces and impact of the First World War on our lives today.
Featuring over 20 internationally acclaimed comic artists and writers, the project has been jointly commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s official arts programme for the First World War centenary, and La Mission du Centenaire.
Traces of the Great War will be published in October 2018 and forms part of the 14-18 Now national programme of over 40 arts and cultural events taking place throughout 2018.
This multi-partnership France/ UK project is led by the directors of On a Marche sur la Bulle and LICAF, Pascal Meriaux and Julie Tait and co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW and the Mission du Centenaire.
Featuring strips from francophone, British and other artists from across the globe, Traces of the Great War will include a dedicated website, education programme and exhibitions.
Comic creators involved include award-winning artist and writer Dave McKean, who also co-created the critically-acclaimed 14-18 NOW comics work Black Dog – The Dreams of Paul Nash in 2016.
Contributors to Traces of the Great War include: Charlie Adlard, Simon Armitage, Edmond Baudoin, Juan Díaz Canales, Régis Hautière, Joe Kelly, Kris, Thomas Von Kummant, Denis Lapière, Victoria Lomasko, Maël, Dave McKean, Mikiko, Ken Niimura, Sean Phillips, Ian Rankin, Riff Reb's, Robbie Morrison, Orijit Sen, Bryan Talbot and Mary Talbot.
Not only is this a global comics project but its has a local connection with Kendal, home to the Festival, too. A key partner, Albert in France (host of the annual Albert book festival), is twinned with Ulverston in South Cumbria and both locations will be involved in the launch of the project.
"Comics, graphic novels, bandes desinees are an incredibly powerful art form, capable of bringing to life fragments of the past and to give form and presence to what cannot easily be said," says LICAF director Julie Tait of the joint project.
"This artform has the power to transmit emotion, to involve our feelings and intellect and to make readers think and reflect on the issues they deal with."
Traces of the Great War is commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, La Mission du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale, On a Marche Sur Le Bulle and Lakes International Comic Arts Festival. It is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and from the Department for Culture Media and Sport.
"Traces of War" - "Sea Sketch" by Simon Armitage & Dave McKean
"Without a Trace" by Robbie Morrison & Charlie Adlard
"Traces of War" - art by Edmond Baudoin
14-18 NOW online
14-18 NOW on the web: www.1418now.org.uk
On social media, follow Hashtag #1418NOW
14-18 NOW Facebook
14-18 NOW Twitter @1418NOW
14-18 NOW Instagram @1418NOW
14-18 NOW Youtube
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival will be back in Kendal from 12 - 14 October 2018
Traces of the Great War - Partners and Commissioners
Traces of the Great War is commissioned by, 14-18 NOW, the UK's arts programme for the First World War centenary, La Mission du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale, On a Marche Sur Le Bulle and Lakes International Comic Arts Festival. It is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and from the Department for Culture Media and Sport.
The Partners
On a Marche sur la Bulle (OMB)
In France, in Amiens, On a Marché sur la Bulle is a unique association and resource centre for bandes dessinées. It works year-round on comics with a nine-person team, developing, among other interventions, a wide variety of projects and resources for mediation and educational purposes. The association organizes the Rendez-Vous de la Bande Dessinée d'Amiens, annually on the first weekend of June. This festival is recognised as one of the four major comic art festivals in France.
For more information visit bd.amiens.com
Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF)
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF) established in 2013 is the only comic art festival in the UK that regularly commissions new work. Our touchstones are artistic quality and supporting artists in raising their ambition and tackling new creative challenges. LICAF ambitions are to build new audiences for comic art by organising a lively, exciting and ambitious annual festival that caters for a wide spectrum of comic fans and welcomes new ones; to further international partnerships and collaborations and to support innovative commissions supported by a strong programme of educational and participatory work.
The Commissioners
Traces of the Great War is a co-commission with 14-18 NOW in the UK and the Mission de Centenaire in France.
14-18 NOW
14-18 NOW is a five-year programme of extraordinary arts experiences connecting people with the First World War. Working with arts and heritage partners all across the UK, we commission new artworks from leading contemporary artists, musicians, designers and performers, inspired by the period 1914-18.
For more information visit www.1418now.org.uk
La Mission du Centenaire
France's First World War Centenary Partnership Program is a public interest group established in 2012 by the French Government for the preparation and implementation of the commemorative program for the First World War centenary.
For more information visit centenaire.org
