Gone are the days when you needed to land a big newspaper syndication deal to validate your standing as a professional artist. New media and modern creative industries expand the opportunities and outlets for today’s cartoonists and reimagine what it looks like to work professionally.
As the premier organization of professional cartoonists, [The National Cartoonists Society is] compelled to evolve too. To encourage exciting young artists, to celebrate new voices and styles, and to continue to support our talented members working throughout this diverse industry.
Ongoing changes in the cartooning profession has prompted the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) to adopt some procedural modifications, or a complete revision in some cases, regarding its Rules of Order and membership eligibility requirements for practicing and prospective cartoonists.
To that end, the board of directors of the National Cartoonists Society has spent the past two years meticulously re-writing our outdated by-laws, line-by-line, to bring them in line with the shape of our industry in 2022 and beyond.
This updated ethos does not diminish the prestige of being part of the world’s premier cartooning organization. We believe it ensures that our distinguished legacy extends well beyond the bounds of our traditional 20th Century beginnings.
Read the full NCS statement here.
A link to their membership page shows dues, rights, benefits, and how to join.
For those of you not quickly nearing the century mark the NCS has a special offer:
The National Cartoonists Society is the world’s largest and most prestigious organization of professional cartoonists. It was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops. They found that they enjoyed each other’s company and decided to get together on a regular basis.
Today, the NCS membership roster includes over 500 of the world’s major cartoonists, working in many branches of the profession, including comic books, editorial cartoons, animation, webcomics and other online platforms, newspaper comic strips and panels, gag cartoons, greeting cards, advertising, magazine and book illustration and more.
The NCS is not a guild or union, although we have joined forces from time to time to fight for member’s rights, and we regularly use our talents to help worthwhile causes.
