Get your fill of art, komiks, stickers, and even friendships at Komiket 2024, one of the most anticipated art celebrations in the nation!
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Looking to expand your sticker and art prints collection or meet your favorite Filipino artists? Well, you have plenty of chances, what with art fairs growing more and more popular as of late. From booths at conventions to events dedicated to having local artists showcase and sell their art, local art and artists are having their time—and love and support for local art and artists are growing exponentially. One of such events is Komiket, a series of events organized by its namesake non-profit organization.
This 2023, Komiket isn’t even done yet, what with its always-stacked lineup of events. But the organization has recently released its 2024 calendar, where one can see that the komiks and arts collective and organization has a year jam-packed with events almost every month. Artists are already preparing to showcase and sell their art, and everyone else is eagerly awaiting if their favorite artists and the art they want to cop will be there.
ART AND KOMIKS GALORE
Komiket is an organization primarily dedicated to giving local komik artists and artists of all kinds a platform to share or sell their artwork. Given the rich history of Philippine komiks, they also aim to provide accessible and affordable komiks markets, where creators can showcase their work. They also strive to protect and champion creators by publishing komiks and graphic novels, discover and promote new artists, and be a bridge for Filipino art and komiks to reach the world.
Komiket events feature artists showcasing and selling their work in a wide variety of forms like comics, stickers, postcards, posters, tote bags, keychains, and more. People also often do cosplay, play games, meet their favorite creators, and more! Some artists also sell their work for discounted prices compared to in their online stores—that’s why some people are curious to see if their favorite artists will have a table at the next Komiket. Entrance fees to Komiket events are usually 100 PHP.
A YEAR’S WORTH OF EVENTS
The 2024 rendition of the event is spread out all over Metro Manila all 12 months of the year. But pick your events wisely, as a few Komiket events have faced criticism for logistics, handling, and organization. For instance, participants and users on X called out the latest Komiket partnership with Cebu Literary Festival or CebuLitFest for concerns regarding logistics and lack of proper communication. Also, earlier this year, at Komiket Pride, the organization was criticized for controversial remarks about the LGBTQIA+ community. They have since apologized.
Previous events of an organization being criticized does not mean people should no longer patronize future events, though. This criticism opens doors for organizers and handlers to do better and provide a better experience for both exhibitors and patrons.
So this year, take your pick from Komiket 2024’s almost-monthly selection of events. Some events are themed or have a specific goal, such as Komiket Pride in June (Pride Month), which highlights local queer artists and their work or the Philippine International Comics Festival in July. Watch out for which ones your favorite artists will attend or choose the one nearest to you! Or, if you’re a really avid fan, attend all the Komiket events and hoard prints, stickers, posters, komiks, and experiences.
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