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 22 – 23, 2019. The “town and gown” partnership will take place at cultural venues around Sumter and will be free and open to the public. South Carolina Humanities supported this program with a Major Grant.
Comic book artists from around the country will be featured; confirmed participants include: Damian Duffy, Dustin Harbin, Carol Antonowicz, Sophie Goldstein, Noah Van Sciver, and Chuck Brown. There will also be exhibits, a cosplay contest, vendors, and a comics-creating workshop for K-12 students.
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 22, 2019
Arts and Letters Building Lecture Hall at USC Sumter
200 Miller Road, Sumter, SC
Friday Artist Panels:
1:00 PM – Damian Duffy
2:00 PM – Dustin Harbin
3:00 PM – Noah Van Sciver
4:00 PM – Sophie Goldstein and Carol Antonowicz
5:00 PM – Reception
There will also be artwork on display in the Umpteenth Gallery in the Arts & Letters building.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Sumter County Cultural Center at Patriot Hall
135 Haynsworth Street, Sumter, SC
Saturday Artist Panels, Plus Vendors and Cosplay ALL DAY:
10:00 AM – Doors Open
11:00 AM – Chuck Brown
1:00 PM – Publishing Comics Panel
3:00 PM – Noah Van Sciver, Sophie Goldstein, Carl Antonowicz
4:30 PM – Cosplay Contest
5:30 PM – Closing Reception
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 250,000 citizens annually.
