Overview

Sharjah Art Foundation announces an open call to broaden and diversify the creative remit of Corniche, an annual comic anthology compiling the works of illustrators and comic book artists from the UAE. The publication takes an exploratory and free-flowing approach to its process, allowing for a range of genres to be published together, including biography, science fiction, fantasy, mythology and art history.

Illustrators and comic artists are invited to submit pitches for a six-page comic to be considered for publication in the fourth edition of Corniche. The selected artists will be invited for a three-day creative exchange in Sharjah. The resultant comics will be compiled and published as an anthology at FOCAL POINT 2022, Sharjah Art Foundation’s annual art book fair, scheduled to take place from 25–27 November 2022.
Corniche was born out of a three-day comic-making workshop in 2019. The inaugural workshop was a huge success and the artists decided to compile their final comics into an anthology named after the view overlooking the workshop space, the Sharjah Corniche. A crucial platform for local illustrators to meet, experiment and publish, Corniche is a community-centred project and one of the core initiatives of Sharjah Art Foundation.

How to apply:

• Only applications submitted through this link will be considered.
• Deadline for pitch submission is 11:59 pm, UAE local time (GMT +4), Thursday, 30 June 2022. Submissions after the deadline will not be accepted.
• In case your query is not answered in the FAQs section below, contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and mention Corniche 4 Open Call in the subject line.

About FOCAL POINT

FOCAL POINT is an art book fair supporting the practice of independent bookmaking from the region and around the world. The annual event showcases a compelling selection of printed material by artists’ presses, bookmakers, self-publishers, and other non-commercial cultural producers committed to expanding and experimenting with the medium of publishing. Hosted in the heritage site of Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, the fair includes talks, book launches, artists’ signings, workshops, music and artist-made products. An initiative of the Sharjah Art Foundation, the fair places a special focus on UAE-based publishers and functions as a critical space for knowledge sharing and community building.

To learn about Corniche, click here.

FAQs

Who can apply to this open call?
Applications are open to all UAE-based illustrators and comic artists, aged 18 and older.

What do I need to submit?
Alongside other basic information indicated in the form, applicants need to attach the following:
• Art portfolio
• Story synopsis
• Rough storyboard
• Rough sketch of one page
We do not expect you to have the entire comic and idea finalised at the time of applying, but we will be looking into the general direction you will be taking with the story, and also assess the illustration style. Once selected, you will be given time to finalise the work.

Do I have to stick to a certain theme for my comic pitch?
You may choose the subject, either personal or fictional, but please be mindful of the UAE’s cultural sensitivities regarding religion, politics and explicit content.

What is the minimum/maximum page count allowed per comic?
Artists are required to submit exactly six pages (three spreads). Anything that contains more or fewer pages than six will automatically be rejected. However, the artists may include as many panels on each page as they like.

Are there any size/dimension requirements?
For your initial pitch, make sure the attachments are clear to view and read, whether digital or scanned, keeping in mind that the final format will be a 20 x 20 cm coloured paperback. A resolution of 300 dpi is encouraged.

What medium can I use for my comic?
You can use the medium of your choice to execute the comic (and initial pitch), whether traditional, digital or multimedia.

What language can I submit the story in?
You can submit a story in either English or Arabic, or even a silent comic. Whichever language you choose, make sure it reads well and is checked for grammatical and spelling errors.

Will I retain the copyrights to my comic?
Artists retain full copyrights over their work and will only grant Sharjah Art Foundation the primary publishing rights for Corniche.

When will I be notified if my submission has been accepted or not?
Shortlisted artists will be notified by mid-July 2022 about whether or not their story pitch has been selected for the book.

What is the project timeline for this book?
After receiving the acceptance notification, the artist will have a little more than a month to complete and finalise the submission. The final submissions will be made on Wednesday, 31 August 2022, at 11:59 pm, UAE local time (GMT +4). Any submissions sent after this date will automatically be rejected.