CFP: Mix 2013 (June 10; September 27-28)

Mix 2013

Call for Proposals

Keynote Guest: Jeff Smith

Symposium Dates: September 27-28, 2013

Proposal Deadline: June 10, 2013

Columbus College of Art and Design's Mix 2013 includes a comics symposium, an art competition for college students, an onstage conversation with our keynote guest, Jeff Smith, author of Bone and RASL, on Friday, September 27 at 7pm, and a never-before-seen exhibit of Smith's original artwork from RASL. Additionally, concurrent with Mix 2013, CCAD will exhibit the paintings of Gary Panter (Jimbo in Purgatory). Please visit our event page for updates: http://www.ccad.edu/events-2013/mix

This call invites proposals for the comics symposium, a celebration of comic books, graphic novels, comic strips and webcomics. Designed to bring together a variety of perspectives in an open and egalitarian environment, Mix 2013 seeks to create a public forum emphasizing the wide array of highly skilled, ambitious, and thoughtful work being done in the comics medium today. Therefore, CCAD welcomes submissions from artists, scholars, educators, publishers, graduate students, curators and critics alike. Note that proposals which emphasize cross-disciplinary approaches and/or formats will also merit special attention. All presentations at Mix 2013 should utilize significant visual elements.

We encourage proposals regarding the following key themes:

o   Independently-published or creator-owned comics (including small presses) from any time period, and the business of publishing those comics in the past, present, or the future.

o   Race and ethnicity in comics with a special focus on African-American writers and artists, characters, titles, and publishers, ranging from the mainstream to the indie and including historical and international perspectives.

o   The (im)materiality of comics, from mini-comics, the 'floppy,' and intersections between the graphic novel and the artist's book, to changing concepts in regards to digital comics.

o   Women and comics, including artists and writers, characters, titles and publishers; both historical and contemporary perspectives are encouraged.

o   Discussions of the tensions between "high" and "low" art in regards to comics, fine art, and literature, particularly as these tensions have played out in postwar American consumer culture.

These are suggested themes; we will consider all proposals on their merit and compatibility with other submissions.

We welcome proposals for the following presentation formats:

Panels and Presentation-Oriented Roundtables

o   Each format includes presentation and discussion, including time for Q&A;

o   Describe your proposal's ideal format. A traditional panel is composed of presentations/talks of twenty minutes per participant with some Q&A between participants and with the audience; a presentation-oriented roundtable uses shorter presentations and substantial Q&A;

o   Participants' topics must be related to one another;

o   Sessions will include at least three participants (including yourself) and last no less than an hour; additional time may be allotted based on need;

Q&A Roundtables

o   This format consists entirely of roundtable discussion on a central topic;

o   Propose a topic and structure for your roundtable;

o   Sessions must include at least four participants (including yourself) and last no less than forty-five minutes; additional time may be allotted based on need

Workshops

o   Hands-on practical workshops focused on subject matter related to comics;

o   Workshop sessions should be designed to last no more than two hours;

o   Proposals should indicate the ideal skill level of participants: college-student, recently graduated professionals, or more experienced professionals;

o   Special consideration will be given to workshops which connect symposium themes with hands-on practice, but not all workshops need do so

Individual Papers

o   Should be no more than twenty minutes in presentation length;

o   Will be grouped with other papers into panel or roundtables according to content

Pecha Kucha Presentations

o   Presentations will follow Pecha Kucha guidelines: 20 image-based slides, each displayed for exactly 20 seconds, creating a 6 minute-and-40 second presentation;

o   Presentations may be on any comics-related topic and will not be selected on the basis of compatibility with other submissions

Artists please note: if you are accepted to present in one of the above formats, you may sell your work—including comics, graphic novels, prose books, but not original artwork—at our MixStore during the symposium. We provide this service to help offset your travel costs.

Please read these instructions and additional guidelines before submitting:

• Submit one proposal as one electronic document containing the following information:
  • a 200-word maximum abstract or description of the panel, roundtable, workshop, or paper to be presented; please be sure to indicate the intended format of your presentation;
  • a copy of the presenter's CV or resume; if submitting a group proposal, include CVs or resumes from each participant

Important Notes:

Applicants may submit only one (1) proposal

Applicants must not include additional media files

• All sessions will have access to a projection screen and digital projector which can be run from an available desktop computer or a personal laptop. Any other audio-visual needs must be noted in the proposal and are subject to CCAD approval.
• If individual participation in the symposium must be limited to a certain time or day, it should be indicated in the proposal. CCAD cannot guarantee that the symposium schedule will be able to accommodate individual scheduling limitations. 
• Those selected to contribute to a panel or other symposium event will have their registration fees waived; however, no additional funding will be provided. Papers must be presented in person.
• Applicants will be notified of their proposal's status by the end of June.
• The symposium schedule will be finalized in early August 2013.

If you have read the above and agree to these terms, submit your proposal to: MixComicsSymposium@ccad.edu 

Questions should be directed to: Robert Loss, Programming Chair, rloss@ccad.edu

Mission Statement: 

Columbus College of Art & Design prepares tomorrow's creative leaders for professional careers. With a history of commitment to fundamentals and quality, CCAD advances a distinct, challenging, and inclusive learning culture that supports individual development in art, design, and the humanities.

About the College and the City:

Columbus College of Art & Design is located in downtown Columbus, Ohio in a thriving, up-tempo environment. Numerous hotels are within close proximity by cab, rental car or public transportation. Specific parking lots on the CCAD campus will be reserved for symposium participants. Columbus is served by Port Columbus International Airport, roughly 15 minutes from campus and the downtown area. Nearby attractions include the Columbus Museum of Art (across the street from CCAD), the Thurber House, the Ohio Statehouse, the Short North gallery district, and the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at The Ohio State University.