Conference

Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026

This edition has ended

Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026 ran Jun 6–7, 2026 at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Canada. ConferenceGrid lists 84 speakers, 18 sponsors, 15 exhibitors and 30 sessions. Dates for the next edition are not announced yet.

Lineup updated Oct 11, 2026 · dates verified May 24, 2026

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) is a vibrant celebration of independent comic art and culture, drawing both local and international enthusiasts. Known for its dynamic and inclusive atmosphere, TCAF stands out as a premier event in the comic arts world, welcoming over 315+ artists from diverse backgrounds. The festival offers a unique opportunity to ex…

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84Speakers
18Sponsors
15Exhibitors
30Sessions
87Companies · in total

Speakers

Programmed at Toronto, in alphabetical order.

Alex Lupp
Author · Sand
Allie Landy
University of Toronto, iSchool / LED Coordinator
Amie Wright
Executive Director · Toronto Comic Arts Festival
Amy Noseworthy
Cartoonist
Andrew Wheeler
Shout Out
Aron Nels Steinke
Belinda Patterson
Toronto Public Library
Betsy Gomez
ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom
Boum
Brooklin Stormie
Author · Astronautical!
Candida Rifkind
Professor of comics & Canadian writing
Carl Brundtland
Author · Way Off Track
Cassandra Calin
Author · New Girl
CCOL Volunteers
Canada Comics Open Library
Chester Brown
Author · Paying For It: The Film Edition
Claudia Dávila
Author · Way Off Track
Crucial Comix Representative
Crucial Comix
Dani Diaz
Author · Dreamover
Danielle Corsetto
Author · Girls with Slingshots
D. Boyd
Author · Denniveniquity
Derek Laufman
Illustrator
Dr. Lucia Cedeira Serantes
Scholar · Young People, Comics and Reading: Exploring a Complex Reading Experience

Sponsors

The companies behind the program. Tiers as disclosed.

Akrylic
Canada Comics Open Library
Canada Council for the Arts
CSSC / SCEBD: Canadian Society for the Study of Comics
Drawn & Quarterly
Graphic Medicine
Hand Eye Society
Mattamy Athletic Centre
MINT Manga Project
Moveable
Netplaza Toronto
Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Library Association
Regent Park Arts
The Beguiling
The Beguiling Schools & Libraries
The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto Metropolitan University Library

Agenda

Selected from 30 sessions.

  • All Weekend Saturday 10:15AM-6:15PM ⋅ Sunday 10:15AM-3:45PM

    Still Zine: TCAF x CCOL Zine Jam

    Join Still Zine, TCAF, and the Canada Comics Open Library (CCOL) for a weekend-long Zine Jam! Create a one-page journal comic about your TCAF experience in the Leaside Room, with C…

  • Saturday, June 7 10:15-11:15AM

    Don’t Look Up: Comics in the Age of Environmentalism

    Sofia Alarcon discusses the idea of 'endsickness' in conversation with Ebru Ustundag, focusing on inspiration for her climate change-themed graphic collection, Endsickness, and how…

  • Saturday, June 7 10:15-11:15AM

    Four-Colour Magic: Process, Cartooning, and Comics in Age of AI

    A panel of practitioners discusses the process and daily routines of cartooning, now including AI tools, and the implications for artists using artificial intelligence in their wor…

  • Saturday, June 7 10:30-11:30AM

    Graphic Novels Grow Up: 20 years of notables comic titles for young adult and teen readers

    Moderated by Dr. Lucia Cedeira Serantes, panelists discuss the growth and diversification of young adult comics since the launching of Scholastic's Graphix imprint. Featuring Dani …

  • Saturday, June 7 11:30AM-12:30PM

    Graphic Medicine 101

    A session discussing the field of graphic medicine focused on comics and healthcare, opportunities in publishing and education. Moderated by Matthew Noe with panelists Shay Mirk, K…

  • Saturday, June 7 11:30AM-12:30PM

    Panels, Pages, and Protests: Defending Graphic Literature for Young Readers

    American Library Association President-Elect Sam Helmick moderates a discussion about the importance of comics for youth literacy, comic book censorship, and defending the right to…

  • Saturday, June 7 12:00 - 1:00PM

    Spotlight on Guy Delisle

    Guy Delisle discusses his new biography Muybridge with comics scholar and editor Irene Velentzas, exploring art, invention, and recognition in comics nonfiction.

  • Saturday, June 7 12:30-1:30PM

    Ask a (Comics) Librarian

    Librarians and comics experts discuss the practice, history, and recommendations in comics librarianship, moderated by Allie Landy. Panelists: Jack Phoenix, Belinda Patterson, Mega…

  • Saturday, June 7 1:30-2:30PM

    Deeply Digital: From Webcomics to Print

    A panel exploring the journey from digital to print for webcomic artists and the impact on schools, libraries, and awards. Moderated by Megan Halsband, with panelists Ryan North, D…

Quick answers

When is Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026?
Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026 ran Jun 6–7, 2026 at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Where is Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026 held?
Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026 was held at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Who is speaking at Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026?
ConferenceGrid lists 84 speakers, including Alex Lupp (Author, Sand), Allie Landy (University of Toronto, iSchool / LED Coordinator) and Amie Wright (Executive Director, Toronto Comic Arts Festival).
Who sponsors Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2026?
ConferenceGrid lists 18 sponsors, including Akrylic, Canada Comics Open Library, Canada Council for the Arts, CSSC / SCEBD: Canadian Society for the Study of Comics and Drawn & Quarterly.
Company intelligence

What does it mean when 87 companies show up, and 1 bet on three roles at once?

87 companies. one are betting more than once.

The numbers below are derived from the speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors on this page, cross-referenced into one ledger. They are the only thing here that 10times.com cannot tell you.

Who's in the room
1All threespeak · spons · exh
17Sponsoringsponsor only
15Exhibitingexhibitor only
54Speakingspeaker only

In all three roles

Canada Comics Open Library

Speakers by seniority

1% of the speakers carry senior titles: C-suite, Founder, VP, or Director-level.

  • Director / Head of11%
  • Manager / Lead11%
  • Other roles8298%

Of 84 speakers · classified by free-text title

Most-represented companies
#CompanyRolesSpeakers
1Canada Comics Open LibrarySponsor1
2AkrylicSponsor-
3Canada Council for the ArtsSponsor-
4CSSC / SCEBD: Canadian Society for the Study of ComicsSponsor-
5Drawn & QuarterlySponsor-
6Graphic MedicineSponsor-
7Hand Eye SocietySponsor-
8Mattamy Athletic CentreSponsor-
9MINT Manga ProjectSponsor-
10MoveableSponsor-
11Netplaza TorontoSponsor-
12Ontario Arts CouncilSponsor-
13Ontario Library AssociationSponsor-
14Regent Park ArtsSponsor-
Sponsors by tier
unspecified18
100% of 18