CCIC, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, has announced their success in obtaining an Arts Council England (ACE) Project Grant of £37,000.
This funding will go towards three main strands of work: The creation of a Fair Pay charter for comics artists, set of roundtables to provide insights into key areas of the comics industry; and Phase One of an ambitious website for the UK comics community.
Fair Pay Charter
A consultation exercise and desk research will inform the making of a fair pay structure for comics creators, similar to those seen in the wider creative industries. With input from practitioners and publishers, the charter will set the standard for economic justice in a discipline that is notoriously poorly rewarded. The aim is that having a well-evidenced framework online will help both creators and publishers to have constructive and informed conversations about pay, ultimately resulting in a healthier environment for all.
CCIC co-Director Myfanwy Tristram said, “We’re increasingly hearing stories of impossible deadlines and poor page rates from artists. [Comic creator and former Comics Laureate] Hannah Berry’s recent survey revealed that even among creators who receive an income from traditional publishing, only 11 per cent earn above the minimum wage.
“The fair pay charter won’t just set out a scale of suggested fees; it will break down every part of the comics creation process so that the hours put into work, and fair recompense for it, are visible to all”.
Consultation Roundtables
Fair pay and economic justice is just one of the topics on which the comics community will be invited to have input in a series of online roundtables, expected to kick off in late summer 2026.
Other key areas, each of which will be summarised in a report after the event, include sustainability and collective advocacy, looking at creating the conditions for better environmental practices in comics publishing; and inclusion and access in comics, encompassing the amplification of marginalised voices, making comics events fully accessible, and best accessibility practices across the industry.
Expanded website
Phase One in an ambitious plan for a website that serves all aspects of the comics community, from creators to booksellers, academics, publishers and more, will see professional development resources, research and sector reports, events, networking and learning content, all freely accessible online.
“We have big plans for our website”, said Myfanwy Tristram. “Many comics creators, especially those who are just starting out, aren’t aware of the rich ecosystem of comics support groups, press, events and opportunities that are out there. The site will act as a guide, pointing at existing resources rather than trying to replicate them.
“We want to make it easy for creators to connect with opportunities and to tap into the many warm and welcoming comics networks we’re lucky enough to have across the UK.
“Importantly, the funding allows for a bit of long-term planning — so many projects start up with good intentions, but fall dormant when enthusiasm and resource start to fade. We’re baking in strategies that we hope will keep the resources up to date for years to come.”
The grant period begins in June 2026.
Since 2023, the Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC) has been working to raise awareness of the cultural impact of comics. Co-Directors are: Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, co-Founder and MD of Comics Youth Rhiannon Griffiths MBE, Wowbagger Productions’ Sara Kenney and graphic novelists Karrie Fransman, Zara Slattery and Myfanwy Tristram.
Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC) are online at: thecomicsculturalimpactcollective.org | Instagram: @comicsculturalimpact | Email: helloccicATgmail.com (replace “AT” with “@“)
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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