The MoCCA Arts Festival , or MoCCA Fest , is an independent comics showcase that typically includes artist booths, slide shows, and educational panels. It was created by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2002 by bringing together over 2,000 artists, publishers, editors and enthusiasts. It was named "Best Small-Press Comics Nexus Anywhere" by The Village Voice .
27-622: Since 2013, the MoCCA Fest is produced by the Society of Illustrators , following their acquisition of the Museum the previous year. The MoCCA Festival was held at New York 's historic Puck Building from 2002 to 2008. The MoCCA Festival hosted the comics industry's 2004 and 2005 Harvey Awards . From 2009 to 2014, MoCCA Fest took place at the 69th Regiment Armory . The Society of Illustrators took over management of MoCCA Fest beginning with
54-607: A professional body , professional organization , or professional society ) is a group that usually seeks to further a particular profession , the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and the public interest . In the United States, such an association is typically a nonprofit business league for tax purposes. In the UK, they may take a variety of legal forms. The roles of professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in
81-457: A learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;" also a body acting "to safeguard the public interest;" organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners," and so "act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body." Professional associations are ill defined although often have commonality in purpose and activities. In
108-443: A profession or group of professions and protect the use of professional titles" and professional bodies that "are independent membership organisations that oversee the activities of a particular profession and represent the interests of [their] members" and which "may offer registration or certification of unregulated occupations on a voluntary basis." Many professional bodies are involved in accrediting degrees, defining and examining
135-498: A wide range of public media . In 1954, the U.S. Air Force began sending Society of Illustrators members around the world to document the Air Force's activities. This program continues today. Thousands of paintings have been contributed over the years. In 1959, the society hold its first Annual Exhibition, juried by Bob Peak , Bradbury Thompson , Stevan Dohanos , and others. It opened with 350 original works of art and led to
162-646: Is a professional society based in New York City . It was founded in 1901 to promote the art of illustration and, since 1959, has held an annual exhibition. Since absorbing the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in 2012, the Society has also promoted the art of comics . In addition to its holding exhibitions in its own Museum of American Illustration, the Society holds the annual MoCCA Festival , an independent comics showcase. The Society of Illustrators
189-518: The Committee on Public Information 's Division of Pictorial Publicity, creating many original poster designs, including James M. Flagg 's US Army iconic recruiting poster of Uncle Sam , as well as advertising of the massive War Bond effort. Photo journalism was impractical during these years and eight Society members, commissioned Captains in the Engineers, were sent to France to sketch
216-669: The Cotton Club band and Jimmy Durante also performed. Through member and set designer Watson Barrett, the Illustrator's Show of 1925 was held at the Shubert Theatre , and the Shuberts purchased the rights to the skits for their Broadway productions of Artists and Models . In 1939, those funds allowed the Society to acquire its present headquarters, at 128 East 63rd Street. Norman Rockwell 's Dover Coach became
243-521: The UK the Science Council defines a professional body as "an organisation with individual members practicing a profession or occupation in which the organisation maintains an oversight of the knowledge, skills, conduct and practice of that profession or occupation". The Quality Assurance Agency distinguishes between statutory bodies and regulators that "have powers mandated by Parliament to regulate
270-611: The 2013 show. In 2015, the event was split between two locations, with the exhibitors in Center548 , and the programming at the High Line Hotel . Plans to convert Center548 to a residential property forced the Society to find new venues, and beginning in 2016 Metropolitan West hosted the exhibitors, with programming taking place at Ink48 . The 2020 Festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The 2021 Festival
297-553: The 2015 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Charles Burns , Annie Koyama , David Plunkert (2014 recipient), Andrea Tsurumi (2013 recipient) and Alexandra Zsigmond . The winning artists' work was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators May 3-June 4, 2016. Judges for the 2016 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Calista Brill , Cliff Chiang , Charles Kochman , Mark Newgarden , and Lauren Weinstein . Society of Illustrators The Society of Illustrators ( SoI )
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#1732797497639324-718: The Hamilton King Award, which is given annually to one society member. In 1981, The Society established the Student Scholarship Competition, which has continued annually to the present. The Highest Award presented to a student by the society is the Zankel Scholarship Award, established in 2006 in honor of Arthur Zankel, an advocate for higher education whose bequest made the scholarship possible. Professional association A professional association (also called
351-550: The administration of The Society of Illustrators, the Klein Award was replaced in 2013 with the MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence, intended to recognize the most outstanding work on view at the festival. Artists winning this award are acknowledged with an Award of Excellence and have their work exhibited at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art at the Society of Illustrators. All materials chosen in
378-506: The backdrop for the bar on the fourth floor, donated by Rockwell in honor of the Society's new building. This painting currently hangs in the Members Dining Room. During World War II , the society again contributed to the war effort with a massive campaign of posters. Society members visited veterans’ hospitals to sketch the wounded, and these art works were sent to the families to boost morale. The Illustrator's Jazz Band
405-620: The field of illustration. The society has had outreach programs with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation since 2001, and with the New York City Board of Education since 1999. As of 2023, the president of the Society of Illustrators is Leslie Cober. Notable past presidents of the Society: The Museum of American Illustration was established at the society in 1981, under
432-491: The jury's initial survey will be acquired by Columbia University's Rare Book and Manuscript Library for a newly established MoCCA Arts Festival collection, to be expanded annually. The winning artists' work was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators May 21-July 6, 2013. Judges for the 2013 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Karen Berger , Gary Groth , Nora Krug , David Mazzucchelli , and Paul Pope . The winning artists' work
459-454: The main galleries have played host to numerous acclaimed, contemporary, and popular exhibitions including: The Society also has a gallery on the second floor dedicated to MoCCA that frequently hosts smaller exhibits of comic book art. The Society of Illustrators inaugurated the Hall of Fame program in 1958, to recognize "distinguished achievement in the art of illustration". The first recipient
486-660: The publication of the first Illustrators Annual . The Society opened its doors to the public in 1981, establishing the Museum of American Illustration, with regular public exhibitions. In 2001, the 100th anniversary of the society's founding, a 12-month celebration began with the U.S. Postal Service issuing the Great American Illustrators. That year was punctuated with the 9/11 Memorial Exhibition, Prevailing Human Spirit . The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) endowed its assets in August 2012 to
513-594: The society, which has since subsidized the MoCCA Festival . Anelle Miller was appointed executive director of the society in 2007 and served in that capacity until 2023. She updated the exhibition space, hired new staff, and instituted a slew of programs open to the general public. Arabelle Liepold took the position in June 2023. The Society of Illustrators maintains an annual of illustration, student scholarship competitions and various awards honoring excellence in
540-510: The stewardship of John Witt, the society's president. The Society's permanent collection, featuring pieces on rotational display throughout the building, includes nearly 2500 works by such artists as Norman Rockwell , Howard Pyle , N.C. Wyeth , James Montgomery Flagg , Bob Peak , and Bernie Fuchs . The Museum hosts the Annual Illustration show and smaller topical exhibits related to illustration and comics. In recent years,
567-588: The war. After the war, the Society operated the School for Disabled Soldiers. In 1920, the society was incorporated, and in 1922 women were allowed to become full members. The early history of the society was documented in 1927 and 1939 by Norman Mills Price . His handwritten notes are held in the Society of Illustrators archives. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Society presented the Illustrator's Shows, featuring artists and their models as actors, songwriters, set designers and painters. Professional talent such as
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#1732797497639594-535: Was Norman Rockwell . Like other recognized artists, he was elected by former Society presidents for his contributions to the field of illustration. Every year since 1958, one or more illustrators have been added to the Hall of Fame. In 2001, two additional forms of recognition were added: Dean Cornwell Recognition Award and the Arthur William Brown Achievement Award, which may be awarded annually. In 1965, The Society established
621-470: Was "to promote generally the art of illustration and to hold exhibitions from time to time". Women first became part of the organization in 1903, when Elizabeth Shippen Green and Florence Scovel Shinn were named Associate Members; but women were prohibited from full membership until 1922. During the World War I years, with Charles Dana Gibson as the acting president, Society members worked through
648-417: Was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators April 29-May 17, 2014. Judges for the 2014 MoCCA Arts Festival Awards of Excellence included Gregory Benton (2013 recipient), Tracy Hurren , Chip Kidd , Chris Pitzer , and James Sturm . The winning artists' work was exhibited in the second floor MoCCA gallery at the Society of Illustrators July 27-August 15, 2015. Judges for
675-629: Was formed to entertain the wounded, and an ensemble by the same name plays at Society events up until the present. In 1946, a Welfare Fund for indigent artists was established. In 1948, the Joint Ethics Committee, of which The Society is a member developed the first Code of Fair Practice, which still serves today in addressing concerns of artists and art directors working in the graphic communications field where abuses and misunderstandings regarding usage rights and ownership of works of illustration and other works of art created for
702-624: Was founded on February 1, 1901, by a group of nine artists and one advising businessman. The advising businessman was Henry S. Fleming, a coal dealer who offered his legal staff to the Society in an advisory role and also served as the Society of Illustrators Secretary and Treasurer for many years. The nine artists who, with Fleming, founded the Society were Otto Henry Bacher , Frank Vincent DuMond , Henry Hutt, Albert Wenzell, Albert Sterner , Benjamin West Clinedinst , F. C. Yohn , Louis Loeb , and Reginald Birch . The mission statement
729-614: Was held as an online only event with six days of virtual events. In 2022, the Society of Illustrators announced plans to hold the event in-person at a new venue, Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. Presented to an artist whose outstanding work elevated the comic art form. In 2009, the MoCCA Festival Award was renamed the Klein Award in honor of MoCCA founder Lawrence Klein. Under
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