The Illustrators Association announces the Mocca Arts Festival program for the 2025 Mocca Arts Festival. Between March 15 and 16, the event will be held at SVA Flatiron Gallery (21st Street 133 West), just a few steps from the exhibition hall. Admission fees for Mocca Arts Festival include participation in programming activities.
Organized by Mocca Programming Director Bill Cartalopoulosthis year’s show focuses on artists and big ideas and discusses the current comic status of industry experts around the world. Some big dialogue panels form the core of this year’s schedule: Mocca Poster Artist Blood tail and Aidan Koch Comics and ecology will be discussed; Michael DeForge and Anders Nelson View fictional world construction as a lens for contemporary life; Brian Blomerth and María Medem Will discuss how colors and ingredients cause real human emotions; Chinese artists Badiucao and Cuban-American artists Rodriguez Edel Comics, protests and exiles will be discussed; French Canadian artist Boum and contemporary horror cartoonists Julia Gfrörs They will dig deep into their invisible drawings.
Also impressive are the featured hosts of this year, including British comic scholars Paul GravettColumbia University Comics and Comics Curator Karen Greenenvironmental artist Matthew López-Jensonthe comic defeated the editor-in-chief Heidi McDonaldNew York Times comic critic Sam ThielmanArt Director Alexandra Sigismundand others.
This year’s show also includes thoughtful panel discussions on a variety of topics. “Comics and Art” will see Executive Director of Drawing Center Laura Hoptman and the New York Times art critic Jillian Steinhauer Talk to artists working between comic pages and gallery walls. Other groups will look at contemporary comics and New York City as themes. In a very special group, called “The River of Ink”, the artist Charles Burns, Jaime Hernandez, and Adrian Tomine Their lifelong relationship with painting will be discussed. Hernandez Mark Sobel. Cartoonist/Impresario R. Sikoryak Another version of his “carousel” comic book series is returned by Caroline CashMocca Badge Artist Olivia Fields, Katie Skellyand more.
Additionally, Mocca has once again worked with our programming sponsor SVA to continue education to provide two professional development groups to support aspiring and emerging artists. SVA Comics and Illustrations BFA Chair Viktor Koen The first step after graduation will be discussed by leaders. The second group will address specific mental health challenges faced by artists, including inconsistent employment, rejection, and the need to maintain a healthy relationship with the art.
Each programming activity will last for an hour, with half an hour of rest between programming activities. Admission fees for Mocca Arts Festival include programming admission. All seats are available on the first delivery Base. Tickets are available for purchase online as well as tickets.
