Cartoon Capers a-plenty at the Waterside Arts Festival in July

By John Freeman on June 28, 2023

The Waterside Arts Festival is back in Hythe, Hampshire, next month – and a number of cartoonists are taking part.

The Festival began back in 1994, inspired by the annual village festival in Mauves Sur Loire, the twin town of Hythe, and holds a special place in the hearts of local people. Now, a new generation of Waterside residents is bringing the festival back to life, with the support of Culture in Common, a New Forest-centred arts organisation, part of Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme.

The enthusiastic team have planned a week-long programme of events encompassing art, music and more, including comic events, taking place from the 8th to the 15th of July, which is also the day of the Hythe Pier Heritage Association annual ‘Rock the Pier’ event.

This exciting revival promises to capture the spirit and creativity of the original Waterside Arts Festival and provide a much-needed boost to the cultural life of Hythe.

Co-ordinated by the Cartoonists’ Club of Great Britain, cartoonistas Sue Burleigh, Achaz von Hardenberg, Tim Harries, Rich Skipworth and Chris Williams have painted big boards with holes in for punters to stick their heads in for cartoon-based photo opportunities; and there will be cartooning workshops by Simon Chadwick and Ian Ellery, and caricatures will be provided by Rich Nairn.

The Arts Council’s Creative People and Places, made possible by National Lottery funding, is about more people taking the lead in choosing, creating and taking part in arts and culture experiences in the places where they live. There are over 30 projects at present, each located in a place where people previously had less opportunity to take part in arts and culture.

• For full details of the Waterside Arts Festival head to watersidearts.org.uk

WATERSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL CARTOON EVENTS

Waterside Arts Festival 2023 - Cartoon Capers

Cartoon Capers
10.00am – 4.00pm Saturday 8th July, 2023
Hythe Village Centre, Hythe, Kent

Professional cartoonists take over Hythe! Watch as five cartoonists create giant cartoons before your very eyes on the promenade! Wander the High Street and take in the cartoon gallery in the shop windows! Get a caricature or cartoon drawn to take away!

Cartooning Workshops for Children and Adults
Saturday 8th July, 2023 – details here
St John’s Church Hall, New Road, Hythe

Are you interested in learning how to draw cartoons with a real cartoonist?

You don’t need to have any previous skills or drawing ability, and all materials are supplied. All you need to do bring is your enthusiasm.

Cartooning is a great skill for building drawing confidence and for making others smile. Book now to find out what it’s all about!

Simon Chadwick’s Create a Creature in Plasticine Workshop
4.00 – 5.00pm, Monday 10th July 2023
Marchwood Village Hall – Details Here

4.00 – 5.00pm, Wednesday 12th July 2023
Council Chamber, Jubilee Hall, Fawley – Details Here

As part of the Waterside Arts Festival, children are invited to join local author Simon Chadwick for a hands-on creature feature in plasticine!

Sculpt, shape and build your plasticine monster in a step-by-step process, with opportunities to personalise it along the way. Then take what you’ve learned to do your own thing – let your imagination run free. It’s like cartooning in 3D!

All materials supplied, and you can take away your creations at the end of the session

• For full details of the Waterside Arts Festival head to watersidearts.org.uk

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.