Our very first ELCAF Zine is here – you can now download ‘A Need for Change’ here

Centered around the subjects of Wellness, Rest & Care, Proactivity & Productivity and Thought & Activism. The artists that would have been exhibitors at our festival this summer have contributed generously to make this piece of work possible – and we’re so excited to make it available to you as we come to the end of our one month free programme for ELCAF 2020!

This work has been made possible with the help of Arts Council funding, and with the contribution of existing works by all of the artists featured.

If you feel able when you download the zine for free please consider making a charitable donation below. All proceeds will go to Black Lives Matter and The Hackney Winter Night Shelter please donate here:

Much love, the ELCAF team!

This week at ELCAF we’re thinking about wellness, rest and care and how we can we look after ourselves and others during these strange times and new normals!…

Monday 27 July 

We’re really excited to release the ‘making of’ video from the ELCAF x WeTransfer 2019 Award with David Biskup! Check out the story of David’s book ‘There’s Only One Place This Road Ever Ends Up’ here or on our Instagram account today!

As part of our weekly playlist series, delve into some laid back vibes curated by Dragos for ELCAF in 2018 here. 

Tuesday 28 July 

David Biskup will also be taking over our Instagram Stories on Tuesday 4 – 6pm BST, so please make sure to head over to our account and DM us with any questions you have for him! 

Thursday 30 July 

On Thursday morning one of our fave illustrators and current House of Illustration artist in resident Peony Gent will be taking over our Instagram Stories from 10-12am BST to discusses her work in lockdown and how she has been working with the House of Illustration over these past few months… Again make sure to DM in any questions you have for Peony!

… and if you haven’t yet, feel free to go back and check the workshops she made for us as the start of the month here!

Friday 31 July 

On Friday our very first ELCAF Zine will be available to Download here!

‘A Need for Change’ is centered around the subjects of Wellness, Rest & Care, Proactivity & Productivity and Thought & Activism and we’re so excited to make it available to you as we come to the end of our one month free programme for ELCAF 2020!

We’d like to thank the Arts Council and all of the artists that have contributed to the Zine for making this possible!

We hope you love it as much as we do!

Also on Friday the ELCAF Team will be available during the day on our Instagram account to answer any questions you have about running a festival, how it’s been working in lockdown, this years changes and the challenges of freelance! Feel free to DM us and we’ll post answers up on our stories!

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Throughout the week

Please remember as we wrap up this season of summer events that our programme, downloadable workshops and digital zine are all available completely free but, if you feel that you can, please don’t forget to donate!

All proceeds will go to BlackLivesMatter and Hackney Winter Night Shelter. 

This week At ELCAF we’re thinking about change – from adapting to new realities, to climate change and rethinking how we work:

Monday 20 July 

Get fired up and inspired with this full tilt playlist delivered by Spaceship (Ben + Owen) for ELCAF from the festival in 2018 here. 

Tuesday 21 July 

From Tuesday you can download a free ‘Recycled River Food Chain’ workshop by Seed Magazine – this one’s especially for kids aged 4-7 (or channel your inner kid and get involved!). SEED is run by Jack Snelling and Lizzie Lomax and is based all around green & environmental ideas learnt through play.

Download all our Summer 2020 workshops here.

Friday 24 July 

On Friday from 2.00pm BST we’ve got our great friend Andy Oliver from Broken Frontier chatting to Charlot Kristensen, Shangomola Edunjobi and Rachael Smith about working on comics and illustration in lockdown! Tune in on Friday from 2.00pm!

• Make sure to tune in from 2.00pm BST on our Instagram account to follow the three in-conversations 
• If you have any questions for Andy, Charlot, Shangomola or Rachael please feel free to DM us your requests ahead of their time online!

Throughout the week

We’re spotlighting some amazing ELCAF exhibitors over the course of the month. Keep a look out on our Instagram this week for work by Eloise Szaruga-Bolt and our 2020 artist in residence, Cristina Daura! 

Our programme is all free but please don’t forget to donate if you can! All proceeds will go to BlackLivesMatter and Hackney Winter Night Shelter. 

This week At ELCAF We’re celebrating women of colour in comics and illustration:

Monday 13 July 

First off, join ELCAF on a global musical inspiration tour with Simon Wild’s awesome mix for ELCAF from the festival in 2017 – check out his Sonic Doodles soundtrack for an excellent start to another great week!

Tuesday 14 July 

From Tuesday you’ll be able to take part in the quick quiz Who is My Zine Femme-Cestor? by New York based Spicy Mango Comics and learn more about underrepresented Black and Brown women artists in publishing and comics. Once you’ve done the quiz the workshop includes instructions on creating your own illustrated zine from your research!

Download all our Summer 2020 workshops here.

Friday 17 July 

On Friday from 10am-12pm BST we’ve got the wonderful illustrator and producer Leyla Reynolds taking over our ELCAF Instagram account to answer your questions and discuss the industry with a focus on black women in comics and illustration.

• A founding member of gal-dem magazine, she was Art Director there until April 2019. She now works as a freelance illustrator and curator as well as a producer at Create London, producing and project managing a portfolio of art projects, art commissions and live events.
• If you have any questions for Leyla please feel free to DM us your requests ahead of her time online!

Throughout the week

We’re spotlighting some amazing ELCAF exhibitors over the course of the month. Keep a look out on our Instagram this week for work by Clio Isadora, Hannah Buckman, and Olivia Sualdea! 

Our programme is all free but please don’t forget to donate if you can! All proceeds will go to BlackLivesMatter and Hackney Winter Night Shelter. 

This week we’re thinking about protest in comics and narrative illustration – at a time when speaking out feels so important:

Monday 6 July 

For the first of our weekly playlists we’re looking back to ELCAF 2018 where we were joined by Chris Airplay! Get together, get inspired and tune in to his Sonic Doodles soundtrack with us – the perfect start to the week!

Tuesday 7 July 

From Tuesday you’ll be able to download a free zine making workshop made by long time ELCAF friend and Hong Kong based artist Charlene Man – with exercises that explore belief, emotion, and what you truly care about.

Download all our Summer 2020 workshops here.

Friday 10 July 

The incredible artist and activist Amyra Leon will be joined by brilliant illustrator Molly Mendoza for a takeover over on our ELCAF Instagram account, including an in-conversation to discuss their work together from 6-7pm UK time.

• Amyra and Molly have worked together on the stunning Freedom, We Sing published by Flying  Eye books – a deeply evocative picture book for our time; designed to inspire and give hope to readers around the world with Molly’s lush illustrations and Amyra’s lyrical texts inviting kids to ask themselves what it means to be free.
• If you have any questions for Amyra and Molly please feel free to DM us your requests ahead of their time online!

Throughout the week

We’re spotlighting some amazing ELCAF exhibitors over the course of the month. Keep a look out on our Instagram this week for the brilliant Stella Murphy and our fave print maestros PageMasters.

Our programme is all free but please don’t forget to donate if you can! All proceeds will go to BlackLivesMatter and Hackney Winter Night Shelter. 

This week we’re thinking about careers and education in comics and narrative illustration:

Tuesday 30 June 

We’ve partnered with House of Illustration and commissioned illustrator Peony Gent to create two secondary school packs – an ‘Introduction to Comics’ and ‘Comics in the Curriculum’. These free and incredibly designed resources are free to share far and wide! 

Designed especially for 11-14 year olds, they are a brilliant introduction into comics, and perfect for anyone currently homeschooling or even just looking for some fun drawing prompts. 

Download the workshops here.

Friday 3 July 

The brilliant Lou Bones will be taking over our Instagram Stories this Friday from 2 – 4 pm.

• Lou is currently an Illustration and Animation Agent for Jelly London
• Want to know about kick-starting your career? The industry? Being a freelancer? Fair pay? Contracts? She’ll answer your questions on our stories so please DM us anything you’d like to ask beforehand! 

Throughout the week

We’re spotlighting some amazing ELCAF exhibitors over the course of the month. Keep a look out on our Instagram this week for Aleesha Nandhra, Bebel Books and Olivia Sullivan. 

Our programme is all free but please don’t forget to donate if you can! All proceeds will go to BlackLivesMatter and Hackney Winter Night Shelter.