Athenaeum Comic Art latest round of “Athenaeum Gives” offer for budding cartoonists closes soon

By John Freeman on April 6, 2023

US-based Athenaeum Comic Art is currently running the latest round of Athenaeum Gives, a project, open internationally, giving microgrants to cartoonists that are early in their careers. Applications must be made by 17th April 2023.

Athenaeum Comic Art was started in 2021 by Sean Watkins, a lifetime comic book lover and original art collector. In his years of collecting, he noticed many independent artists weren’t getting the attention that they deserved by the mainstream original art collecting world. It seemed that there was a need to help very busy artists sell their work to supplement their income and to help them better connect with their fans.

Sean first connected with one of his longtime favourite artists, Casey Nowak, and started to sell their art. Other artists soon joined the team and Athenaeum Comic Art was born. Currently on their books are creators such as Jon Allen, Remy Boydell, Caroline Cash, Shawn Daley, A.C. Esguerra, Maria Capelle Frantz, Nate Garcia, Nicole Goux, Alex Graham, M.S. Harkness, Jonathan Hill, Emma Hunsinger Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, Josh Pettinger, Nate Powell, Mika Song, Noah Van Sciver, Tillie Walden and Sophie Yanow.

Dedicated to diversity, inclusion, equity, antiracism, and LGBTQ right, Athenaeum Comic Art are particularly interested in creators who are creating boundary challenging and socially conscious work.

In addition to growing the market for original art by bringing new fans into the hobby, they’ve launched Athenaeum Gives, which has already supported the work of Daisy Ruiz and Leo Fox – and applications are being invited for their latest $1500 grant from across the globe, this round closing 17th April, providing you can receive monies by Paypal or Venmo.

The funds can be used however the artists chooses – paying for art supplies, printing costs, part of their rent, etc. It is completely up to them! We hope that we can, at least a little, ease the economic burden for someone so that they can focus on their art.

They hope that we are able to give out additional grants in the future.

• Full details of the scheme are here on the Athenaeum Comic Art web site and you can download the application form here

If you have any questions, e-mail them at athenaeumcomicart@gmail.com | Web: athenaeumcomicart.com

• Check out independent creators work for sale from Athenaeum Comic Art here

• Join the Athenaeum Comic Art original art community Discord – all are welcome

• Watch a 2022 interview with the Athenaeum Comic Art team with Jonathan Hill on the project’s Youtube channel

Athenaeum Comic Art, c/o Sean Watkins, PO Box 4251 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 United States | Web: athenaeumcomicart.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “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.