A Detroit-based artists' collective is looking to give a local artist their first chance at seeing their work in print.
Maamoul Press has opened a call for submissions for local comic book artists to submit their work. The small press will select and publish a 30- to 50-page graphic novella from an artist that has never been published before.
Artists have until Sunday, Sept. 15 to submit their work.
"We want to reach people that we might not know about yet. We’re looking for artists without much exposure or work out," says Aya Krisht, co-founder of Maamoul Press.
"These might be artists that are self-taught or not present in the art spaces that they might not yet have been able to break into."
While there are no specific guidelines for the contest, Krisht and co-founders Leila Abdelrazaq and Zeinab Saab are searching for artists outside of the mainstream of graphic novels, artists that have a hard time breaking into the industry.
It’s a big opportunity for local artists. The winner will receive a micro-grant, a three week November residency as part of the Arab American National Museum’s Artists+Residents program, and free private housing and studio space at the Dearborn City Hall Artspace Lofts during that residency.
This will be the first full-length graphic novel from Maamoul Press, one of 62 finalists in the 2019 Detroit Knight Arts Challenge.
Maamoul Press was founded in 2018 as a small press, flash art collective, specializing in books and zines.
"There is no specific theme, just metro Detroit-area artists. Anyone can apply, it just has to be their first time being published," Krisht says.
"We’re looking for authentic storytelling from artists talking about their own communities, whatever that may be."
Visit Maamoul Press online for information about the submission process.
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