20.03.07
University College Falmouth's Open Forum on graphic literature contributes to global debate

"A stunning event in a remarkable place" was how leading British publisher, Dan Franklin, described University College Falmouth's one-day Open Forum on the theme of publishers talking about publishing graphic literature, that took place at the College's Woodlane Campus last week.

The College's MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice encourages illustrators to develop their own personal voice and to author their own concepts, and hosts a forum every year on a particular theme.

This year's Forum was presented by leading comics historian, Paul Gravett (www.paulgravett.com), and featured presentations by an international line-up of guest speakers including Dan Franklin from Jonathan Cape/Random House UK (www.randomhouse.co.uk), Gita Wolf from Tara Publishing in India (www.tarabooks.com), Yvan Alagbe from Fremok in France (www.fremok.org), and Chris Oliveros from Drawn & Quarterly (www.drawnandquarterly.com) in Canada.

The Forum also provided the audience with an opportunity to participate in discussion with the guest speakers during the day.

"The event attracted great feedback from participants and speakers alike," commented MA Illustration: Authorial Practice Course Leader and organiser of the event, Steve Braund. "The event also contributed significantly to the international debate about graphic literature – a term that covers illustrated books, graphic novels, comics and independent/self-published books – and not only inspired all sorts of innovative ideas but also provided real insight into the global publishing industry. We have already had requests for the podcast of the event from the US, Australia and France."

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall, a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through higher education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

For further information about MA Illustration: Authorial Practice at University College Falmouth, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/authorialillustration, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or contact Admissions on 01326 214372 (for the full-time option) or 01326 214373 (for the part-time route).

For further information contact Jilly Easterby of University College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email jilly.easterby@falmouthac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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