Short Run Comix & Arts Festival

Save the date for our 10th anniversary festival on Nov. 7, 2020. Exhibitor registration opens in June. 

“In virtually no time flat, Short Run has gone from ‘let’s put on a show’ to ‘this is the heart and soul of Seattle’s creative community.’ Imagining a Seattle without a Short Run is as unthinkable as a Seattle skyline without a Space Needle.”  – The Seattle Review of Books

Interview: Jasjyot Singh Hans

When we found Jasjyot’s work on Instagram, we were so excited by his bold black lines, these gorgeous big women with intricate braids and stunning fashion. At first glance, we assumed he was an illustrator and lamented, “If only he made books too! He’d be an awesome special guest”. We moved on in our search, but then decided to double back and actually research him more; we screamed a bit when we found out that he made zines and books too. Board Chair Mita Mahato asked Jasjyot a few questions about the poster he designed for us, his love of fashion, and his commitment to promoting body positivity in both women and men. We can’t wait to have him at the festival on Saturday, Nov. 9th! 

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Categories: Interviews

Interview: Marc Bell

Marc Bell, a Canadian cartoonist, has been making comics, art books, zines, collages, mail art, paintings and sculptures since the early 90’s when he went to an art high school and later took fine art in University. In this conversation with his old pal and colleague, Megan Kelso, they discuss his current work, collaboration, inspiration and the travails of being a “mid-career artist.” The conversation took place in a series of email exchanges during August and September 2019. Marc was scheduled to be a special guest but had to unfortunately cancel due to border and immigration fears.  Read more…

Interview: Malaka Gharib

Malaka Gharib’s graphic memoir, I Was Their American Dream, is about growing up Egyptian-Filipino-American. Short Run board member, Otts Bolisay, a Filipino-Bahamian-American, knew of Gharib first as an NPR journalist before realizing she was also a comics artist and zinester. This is their conversation.

Cover for Malaka Gharib's "I Was Their American Dream"
All pages reprinted from I WAS THEIR AMERICAN DREAM Copyright © 2019 by Malaka Gharib. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

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Interview: Glynnis Fawkes

This year we plan to introduce our special guests to our audience via personal interviews with the Short Run Board. We are very excited to welcome them to Seattle, and hope you will take the time to get to know their work prior to their arrival in November!

Cartoonist Glynnis Fawkes and Short Run board member Meredith Li-Vollmer met at the University of Oregon in 1989 when they took a year-long math class together. Thirty years later, Meredith interviewed Glynnis, who will be a visiting artist at the Short Run Comix and Arts Festival this fall. They discussed Glynnis’ unusual pathway to comics—via archaeology—and her two books that will be published this year, Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre and Persephone’s Garden.

Pencil drawing of Meredith and Glynnis in a college classroom

Glynnis Fawkes and Meredith Li-Vollmer in Topics of Modern Math class in college, circa 1989, where Glynnis did some fine comics doodling while Meredith looked over her shoulder. Drawn by Glynnis. Read more…

Katie Kelso Travel Grant

Two $200 grants will be awarded this year to traveling exhibitors who express financial need. Short Run had the honor of knowing Katie Kelso, a true adventurer and lover of books, who passed away in 2017. Her gift helps artists with travel expenses getting to Seattle for Short Run. We will never forget her!

Exhibitors – this is not a separate application, simply mark that you are in need of financial assistance in the exhibitor app. No explanation needed.

Dash Grant winner announced!

We are happy to announce that after much deliberation, we have selected Rumi Hara, a comic artist and illustrator from Brooklyn, NY, as this year’s Dash Grant winner. The grant provides $250, a half table at the festival, mentorship by a special guest, access & instruction to local screen print co-op, and a place in our annual art show at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. Rumi’s book is about the adventures of the scavenging “Peanut Butter Sisters” as they get along in life with the guidance of nature- they travel on the backs of whales and energy of hurricanes. The story evolves as their resources dry up and they have to have more human interactions.

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International Artists at Short Run

Short Run is Seattle’s local comix art festival, with almost 50% of the exhibitors being from the Pacific Northwest. But we also are committed to making it possible for national and international guests to attend to help widen our artistic and cultural perspectives and to work collaboratively across borders. 

Charlene Man (China) 

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Categories: News

“Short Run is Seattle’s best book festival”

So says The Seattle Review of Books (writers Paul Constant and Dawn McCarra Bass)

From a visitor’s perspective, Short Run was as smoothly run and as packed with intriguing new titles as ever. The show has grown nicely into Fisher Pavilion — so much so that it’s hard to remember when it was held at Washington Hall or in the Vera Project. Short Run is home, and the festival reached a point in its development when most people involved know what to expect. “Short Run” has become a shorthand for a very particular aesthetic: supportive, enthusiastic, eager for new work and new talent and new artistic perspectives. It’s becoming an institution of its own. (Click link for full article!)

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Categories: News