As a longstanding partner of the Angoulême International Comics Festival, Caisse d’Epargne is organizing the largest European school comic competition for the 31st consecutive year.
The school comic competition “At the Comics School” is open to candidates until March 2, 2015. It is available to all students enrolled in a French institution, in France or abroad, from primary school to final year classes. Participants are free to choose the subject they wish to address and the tools to illustrate it.
With a record participation of over 6,500 candidates in 2014, and a total of 300,000 participants since its inception, the school comic competition “At the Comics School” is the most significant school-based operation in Europe. Its mission? To uncover and support new talents.
The Ministry of National Education of Higher Education and Research, an exceptional sponsor of the competition last year, has decided to renew its support for the 2015 edition. This prestigious recognition highlights the educational virtues of comics.
Another strong symbol: Arthur de Pins is this year’s sponsor of the school comic competition “At the Comics School”, and he has designed its tempting culinary-themed poster! Like the excellent Catherine Meurisse in 2014, this talented writer and artist won his first prize by participating in the competition. Since then, he has enjoyed success with series like “Péchés Mignons” and “La Marche du Crabe.” Not to mention the “Zombillénium” series, which has sold over 200,000 copies and will soon be adapted into an animated feature film.
Numerous young authors distinguished
As every year, the school comic competition “At the Comics School” will highlight many young authors. First, by rewarding the best creations in each region, approximately 150 laureates will receive the Silver Squirrels, followed by the 40 best creations at the national level with the Gold Squirrels. As for the shortlisted works not awarded a Gold or Silver Squirrel, they will all be rewarded with a Bronze Squirrel.
The exhibition of laureates: an emblematic event
The exhibition “At the Comics School” will honor the 33 winning works from the 2014 edition, including the Regions Comics Prize awarded last June through public vote. The works will be displayed in the Caisse d’Epargne Space at the heart of the Youth District, and their creators will be invited for their very first exhibition at the Festival on Thursday, January 29. Three of them will be awarded an official prize: the Script Prize, the Graphics Prize, and the Angoulême Prize for School Comics, thus gaining significant media exposure for their future careers.
