The University of South Carolina Sumter in partnership with the Sumter County Cultural Commission will present “Swan Con: The Sumter Comic Arts Festival” on March 6-7, 2020. The “town and gown” partnership is free and open to the public. South Carolina Humanities supported this program with a Fast Track Literary Grant.
Comic book artists from around the country will be featured; confirmed participants include: Rachel Lindsay, Rich Tommaso, and Noah Van Sciver . There will also be a cosplay contest, vendors, a film screening, and an escape room.
Project Director Dr. Andrew Kunka says, “The comic arts sit at the intersection of many humanities disciplines. Most significantly, comic creators use writing and drawing in combination to tell stories. Therefore, comics appeal to those interested in literature, writing, and the visual arts. One of the primary goals of this event is to share an appreciation of comics as an art form with the community.”
The festival schedule includes:
Friday, March 6, 2020
2 – 4 pm
USC Sumter, Arts & Letters Bldg, Lecture Hall
Conversations with Comics Creators:
Rachel Lindsay, Rich Tommaso
and Noah Van Sciver
Saturday, March 7, 2020
10 am – 4 pm
Partriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth, Sumter
10 AM Doors Open
Vendors and Comic Creators
11AM Comic Creators Panel
Rachel Lindsay, Rich Tommaso, and
Noah Van Sciver
1 PM Movie
24 Hour Comic (1 hour, 30 minutes)
3:30 PM Cosplay Contest
Escape Room starting at 10:00 am and running all day!
More information about the event and the featured presenters can be found HERE or by contacting Dr. Andrew Kunka at 803-938-3718.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 350,000 citizens annually.
