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Lakes international Comic Art Festival supports Cumbria’s “Feed and Read” project with animation workshops and music from Joe and Luke McGarry

By John Freeman on October 18, 2022

Hot on the heels of the hugely successful Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Bowness-on-Windermere this weekend, attracting thousands of comic fans to its new lakeside location, the organisation has announced guests Luke and Joe McGarry are taking part in events for Cumbria County Council’s “Feed and Read” programme this month.

Luke and Joe McGarry - Feed and Read Penrith 2022

Luke will be running guérilla animation workshops in five libraries across Cumbria during the week beginning 24th October and both brothers will lead two Pop Noir gigs in two libraries. This is all part of the County’s “Feed and Read” programme, aimed at disadvantaged families and particularly teenagers.

With a client list that includes Zedd, Billie Eilish, Jack Black, Olivia Rodrigo, Steve Martin, major music festivals and world famous brands, British twins Luke and Joe McGarry have established themselves as one of the hottest art, design and animation outfits in Los Angeles.

Much of their output is centred around Luke’s cartoon work, which regularly adorns the pages of such publications as MAD, Viz, Playboy, Businessweek and The New Yorker, and has won him multiple advertising illustration awards – and attracted a large and fervent social media following. Petabytes, his collection of 2022 unique NFTs, sold out in seconds when it went on open sale to the general public this summer.

Not content with conquering the art world, as musicians, with their band Pop Noir, the brothers have shared the stage with everyone from Doves to The Wombats and regularly graced the US indie pop charts.

The McGarrys have lectured on their unique approach to art everywhere from the USA to France, China and beyond… and this month, it’s the turn of Cumbria to meet the brothers, learn how they broke into the arts world and pick up hints, tips and tricks to help aspiring auteurs do the same!

As part of Cumbria County Council’s Feed and Read initiative, the McGarry brothers are conducting a week-long series of seminars and live concerts:

• Monday 24th October 2022, 2.00 – 4.00pm: Penrith Library
• Tuesday 25th October, 2.00 – 4.00pm: Kendal Library
• Wednesday 26th October, 2.00 – 4.00pm Barrow Library followed by an evening Pop Noir live concert at 7.00pm
• Thursday 27th October, 2.00 – 4.00pm: Workington Library
• Friday 28th October, 2.00 – 4.00pm: Whitehaven Library, followed by an evening Pop Noir live concert at 7.00pm

Feed and Read is a joint initiative from Cumbria County Council and Allerdale Borough Council, launched in 2019 against a background of food poverty in the region. The project combines the county’s well-established summer reading challenge, a healthy packed lunch and physical activities for primary school children.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be part of of the ‘Feed and Read’ project,” commented Festival Director Julie Tait. “Along with other year round projects, as well as our annual Festival, this is very much part of our core message – Comics Can Change the World.”

• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival will return in 2023 – and is online at: www.comicartfestival.com | Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast: www.comicartpodcast.uk | Twitter: @comicartfestpod | Facebook: @ComicArtPodcast | Instagram: @ComicArtPodcast

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More about Joe and Luke McGarry

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.