Chicago Alternative Comics Expo
Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Alternative comics convention |
Frequency | Annual |
Venue | Center on Halsted (2013–2019) Broadway Armory (2023) |
Location(s) | Chicago, Illinois |
Country | United States |
Inaugurated | 16 June 2012 |
Founder | Edie Fake and Neil Brideau |
Most recent | June 3–4, 2023 |
Next event | 2024 |
Attendance | 2,200 (2014)[1] |
Organized by | Tyrell Cannon, Sage Coffey, Chris Lopez, Tony Recktenwald, Ed Witt[2] |
Filing status | Nonprofit |
Website | www |
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (widely known as CAKE) is a
Inaugurated in 2012, the curated
History
The Chicago Alternative Comics Expo was co-founded by Edie Fake and Neil Brideau, both then employees at the Chicago independent bookstore Quimby's.[5] The show was designed to honor Chicago's legacy as a home for small-press and self-publishing cartoonists.[5]
CAKE was inaugurated as a two-day event on June 16–17, 2012, at 1104 S. Wabash (The Ludington Building), part of the campus of Columbia College Chicago.[6] Sponsors included Quimby's Bookstore, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago, some of whose venues hosted concurrent events related to the show.[7]
The event moved to the Center on Halsted, an LGBT community center, in 2013.
The convention achieved nonprofit organization status in 2015.[5]
In 2020, CAKE announced it was leaving its long-time location at Center on Halsted, and relocating to the Broadway Armory,[8][9] located in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. However, the 2020,[10][11] 2021, and 2022[12] events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The in-person show returned in 2023, held at the Broadway Armory.[2]
Event history
CupCake Award
The CupCake Award is a juried prize that is presented annually at CAKE to a local minicomic creator. It comes with $250 to use toward printing a new minicomic, half a table at that year's show, and the "support" of a local mentor.[21]
Year | Winner | Mentor |
---|---|---|
2015 | Sara Drake | Annie Koyama
|
2016 | Goda Trakumaite | John Porcellino |
2017 | Kelly Fernandez | Caitlin McGuirk |
2018 | Adam Griffiths | Edie Fake |
2019 | Diana Chu | Marnie Galloway |
2020 | Joi Yao | Tyrell Cannon |
2021 | AnneMarie Rogers | Isabella Rotman |
2022 | Bread Tarleton | Jim Terry |
2023 | Natalie Mark | Zachary Clemente, Kat Fajardo |
Notes
- ^ Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- ^ Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- ^ Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
References
- ^ Rogers, Benjamin (June 4, 2014). "CAKE Report: Indie comics go to Chicago". The Beat.
- ^ a b MacDonald, Heidi (Feb 8, 2023). "CAKE is coming back to Chicago in June: And it's got a cool new venue, too!". The Beat.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Nov 13, 2012). "CAKE is taking applications". The Beat.
- ^ Kirby, Megan (Jun 11, 2015). "Finding five pieces of CAKE". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b c d Danzer, Amy (June 2, 2015). "Making CAKE: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo Features Two Illustrious Days and Dozens of Illustrators". New City Lit.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Aug 18, 2011). "Have your CAKE in Chicago next June". The Beat.
- ^ a b Berlatsky, Noah. "Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE), June 16-17, 2012," The Hooded Utilitarian (May 18, 2012).
- ^ "CAKE (CHICAGO ALTERNATIVE COMICS EXPO) 2020,". Do312. Jun 13, 2020.
- ^ "CAKE announces venue change, cites Center controversy". Windy City Times. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ Gelman, Samuel (Mar 26, 2020). "Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) Postponed Due to Coronavirus". CBR.
- ^ "Chicago Alternative Comics Expo CAKE 2020 postponed". Windy City Times. 2020-03-26.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi (Feb 11, 2022). "CAKE postponed until 2023, but other indie comics festivals go on". The Beat.
- ^ Christoph, Ella."Let Them Eat C.A.K.E. Chicago Alternative Comics Expo puts the independents up front," New City Lit (JUNE 13, 2012).
- ^ Kleefeld, Sean. "THE CAKE IS NOT A LIE AT CHICAGO'S ALTERNATIVE COMICS EXPO," MTV (06/17/2013).
- ^ Berlatsky, Noah. "Chicago Alternative Comics Expo preview: CAKE 2014 features Edie Fake, Tony Millionaire, Liz Prince, Hellen Jo, and more," Chicago Reader (May 25, 2014).
- ^ "Guest and Exhibitor List," CAKE 2016 Archive. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi. "Tonight and this weekend to do: CAKE," The Beat (06/09/2017).
- ^ "CAKE 2017," CAKE Archives. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "2018 Guests And Exhibitors," CAKE 2018 Archive. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "CAKE 2019," CAKE Archives. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "CupCake Award," CAKE website. Retrieved May 21, 2022.