Animate Europe

2013 - Animate Europe

In 2013, we came up with the idea of a comics competition in response to the call by the German Federal Foreign Office to break new ground in the communication on Europe. We were looking for a new narrative for Europe, so we called on artists all over the world to tell us their story of Europe’s past, present or future in a graphic short story.

Make Europe Come to Life – Animate Europe!

Artists from fifteen different countries sent us their stories. Some based on myths and dreams, others on reality.

Our expert jury consisted of Willem De Graeve, Director of the Belgian Comic Strip Center, Thorsten Ernst, TV-author, Lilli Gärtner, Illustrator, Paul Gravett, Comics expert, Andreas C. Knigge, Comics expert, Marzena Sowa, Comics artist, and Linda Torfs, Owner of a comics shop and gallery, selected seven finalists who then finished their eight-page comic.

At the closing ceremony at the Brussels Comic Strip Center, Marco Tabilio was awarded the first price for his comic “Erasmus and the Seal”. “It was an excellent idea to choose Erasmus as protagonist”, said the jury. “A historical figure, a thinker, a humanist and at the same time one of the first Europeans. Tabilio chose a surprising constellation by placing the current Problems Europe is facing in historical context. Due to its surreal approach and humour, the story is didactic without being patronizing.  Tabilio‘s contribution is personal, appealing and full of graphic originality.“

Some impressions of our award ceremony: