A surreally great weekend
August 5, 2014 in Events, General, News
Cartoonists Beside the Surrealside in Herne Bay at the weekend was a scorching success. Here’s co-organiser Nathan Ariss with his post-event analysis:
I have only just recently discovered the true meaning of some of those well-worn platitudes, such as “Build it and they will come” and “We really couldn’t have done it without you” etc.
The Herne Bay cartoon festival has grown organically in fits and starts, borne late from the Duchamp Festival last August. I’ve been privileged to have midwived it into being, along with many of the town’s inspirational “can-do” types.
The Procartoonists undoubtedly owe a huge debt of gratitude to Beach Creative this year, run by Mandy Broughton and Mandy Troughton; the exceptional exhibition template provided for us by David Cross; and the organisation powerhouse and savviness of Sue Austen and Steve Coombes, who opened their home and list of contacts to greet, feed and publicise a multitude of cartoonists.
They also ensured that all the ridiculous ideas and things I threw at them to produce actually came into being. Thanks must also go to Arts Council England.

A collaborative effort on a big board. Insert regulation “drawing a crowd” picture caption here. Photo © Kasia Kowalska
But, of course, a Bandstand full of cartoonists, ready with boards and tables, workshops and games, and paper and pens and paints and ideas, is only part of the picture. Thankfully, the informative and intelligent press and TV coverage we managed to garner ensured eager and expectant waves of audience for us to entertain and amuse.
BBC News preview of the event
ITV News report on the day

The event was a hit with the public, left, as well as cartoonists such as Cathy Simpson and The Surreal McCoy. Photos © Mika Schick
Thanks to Nathan. The big boards drawn at the event will be on display at the town’s Clocktower this summer. Here are some more photos (click any image to enlarge) then we will shut up about the festival … until next year.

The public was very keen to engage with the work and discuss the drawings. Matt Buck talks cartoons. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

The comic-strip workshop run by Tim Harries was packed throughout the day. He also hosted one on Saturday at Beach Creative. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Finished work: Dave Brown channels seaside postcard maestro Donald McGill and Chris Burke serves up Dali with melted ice-creams. Delicious. Photo © Kasia Kowalska
Many thanks to Kasia Kowalska and Mika Schick and The Surreal McCoy for the photographs.
For more photos and cartoons from the event, see the Beach Creative photo gallery, and you can see more on Twitter at the #CartoonistsLive hashtag.
steve coombes said on August 6, 2014
A tremendous weekend for Herne Bay. And the big boards have just gone up on the hoardings around the clocktower today and are literally stopping traffic.
steve coombes said on August 7, 2014
The large boards from cartooning on Sunday at the bandstand are now up around the clocktower. And I took the liberty of giving the Venus of Herne Bay a nose piercing (well, actually a screw-head that hasn’t been screwed all the way in. They look spectacular and are literally stopping traffic.Photos to follow but in the meantime, here’s a link to some pictures from Sunday taken by local man, Greg Boughton.. https://www.dropbox.com/l/rtcGzWJYcmGH4mPNj7RU0u
Pete Dredge said on August 8, 2014
Did a brass band play “Tiddly um, pum, pum” ?
Royston said on August 8, 2014
There was a band but they were more folky 😉
Bill Stott said on August 8, 2014
Yes, more “Girl from Ipanema” [sic] -ish – but very good. And a chap [and guitar] performing on the Sunday morning who was very able too. Singing Oasis numbers solo’s not easy, I suspect.
gerardwhyman said on August 9, 2014
I met the girl from Ipanema once, not what I imagined…