Universal Press Gives #50,000 to Cartoon Festival

UNIVERSAL PRESS TO SPONSOR FESTIVAL OF CARTOON ART

     COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Universal Press Syndicate and Companies
through its Andrews and McMeel Foundation has contributed $50,000
to sponsor the 1995 Festival of Cartoon Art at The Ohio State
University.

     This gift was made by Kathleen W. Andrews and John P. McMeel
in honor of the 25th anniversary of their company, Universal
Press Syndicate, and the centennial of the newspaper comic strip,
both of which will occur in 1995.  The Festival is scheduled for
August 25-26 on the Ohio State campus.

     First begun in 1983, the triennial Festival provides a
unique opportunity for professional cartoonists, scholars,
students, newspaper editors, syndicate officials, and fans to
explore various aspects of cartoon art.  The theme of the
upcoming festival is the American newspaper comic strip, in honor
of the centennial of the first publication of the Yellow Kid in
1895.

     Universal Press has had a remarkable impact on the history
of the newspaper comic strip during its first 25 years, if the
number of awards garnered by its cartoonists is any indication.
More Universal cartoonists have won the National Cartoonists
Society's Reuben Award as outstanding cartoonist of the year than
those from any other syndicate, and Garry Trudeau won the first
Pulitzer Prize awarded to a comic strip cartoonist.

     "Universal Press Syndicate and Companies is proud to work
with cartoonists of such exceptional talent," said company
president John P. McMeel, "and we are pleased to support this
program which has such a strong history of saluting the art form.
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary year, it is with respect and
nostalgia that we greet the 100th anniversary of the newspaper
comic strip."

     The 1995 Festival of Cartoon Art is hosted by The Ohio State
University Cartoon, Graphic, and Photographic Arts Research
Library, the nation's largest cartoon-related academic library.
Co-sponsors at Ohio State include the School of Journalism, the
College of the Arts and the Friends of the Libraries.

     The speakers to be featured at the Festival are Bill Amend,
Robb Armstrong, Bruce Beattie, Steve Bentley, Bill Griffith, M.
Thomas Inge, Scott McCloud, Jeff MacNelly, Lynn Johnston, Toni
Mendez, Trina Robbins, Lee Salem, Nancy Tew, Anita Tobias, and
Garry Trudeau.

     For additional information on the 1995 Festival of Cartoon
Art, call (614) 292-0538.
                                
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Contact:  Lucy S. Caswell, library curator and associate
professor of journalism, (614) 292-0538; Ann Hall, promotion
director, Universal Press Syndicate, (816) 932-6700.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Tue, 03 Jan 1995 16:07:17 -0500 (EST)]
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