Stephen L. Holland’s UK Comics Laureate Term Extended Another Year

The Lakes Festival has announced that its appointed UK Comics Laureate, Stephen L. Holland, store owner of Page 45 in Nottingham, will continue in that role for another year, until at least October 2023. He follows Dave Gibbons in 2014, Charlie Adlard in 2016, Hannah Berry in 2018, and Holland in 2020.

Recently on social media, a number of people questioned what Holland actually did in the role, with a few nominating comic book creator Joe Glass to take his place. In issuing the reupped appointment, the Lakes Festival has also reiterated just what Stephen Holland has done in that role. You may set it to the music of The Twelve Days Of Christmas if you wish.

“To date, Stephen has delivered 16 talks or workshops to students, librarians, and teachers, given three presentations at various Lakes International Comic Art Festivals and created two short films to encourage 16- to 21-year-olds to visit and make full use of public libraries. His events have been enthusiastically received, and his dedication and hard work quite extraordinary. In his unpaid role as Comics Laureate, Stephen has also been featured as a guest editor on the LoveReading4Kids website, written a column for the Cartoon Museum’s newsletter, and has been invited to speak at the prestigious Eagle House Children’s Literature Festival in September 2023. Working with LICAF and the Little LICAF team, Stephen has also reviewed a huge range of graphic novels, assembling an invaluable “Recommended Reading List” for a various age groups, all available to read on the Festival’s website.” And they quote Holland as saying “One of my primary goals as Comics Laureate is to introduce as many new people as possible from the broadest of backgrounds to the most diverse range of quality graphic novels currently available in Britain. To reach new people accessibility is all, so this isn’t a guide to the cleverest comics ever created (although they are all exceptionally clever); it’s a selection of the very finest and most beguiling which have proved to be perfect introductions to those curious about comics during my 25+ years as curator of Page 45, so often kick-starting a lifetime’s newfound adoration and exploration of our beloved medium.”

The Comics Laureate, a role initiated by LICAF, is an ambassadorial and educational role for the comic genre and aims to raise awareness of the impact comics can have in terms of increasing literacy and creativity. The appointment is made biennially to a distinguished comics creator, writer or artist in recognition of their outstanding achievement in the genre. This is the first time an incumbent has continued in that role for any length of time, and reflects the impact of the pandemic lockdown.

Working closely with the Lakes International Comics Art Festival, the Comics Laureate champions the role of comics in improving literacy through a programme of educational visits, workshop events, guest appearances and conferences. A key focus of their role is working to increase the acceptance of comics as a creative art form in schools, libraries and throughout the education system.

Lakes Director Julie Tait stated of Holland, “His energy and passion is remarkable and so welcome, and we are absolutely delighted he’ll be continuing in the Comics Laureate role until October 2023. The Comics Laureate has been and continues to be a vital role for the comics art form. It isn’t just a title; it’s part and parcel of our wider objectives as a Festival, to reach out to new audiences and raise the profile and the understanding of the importance of comics for education, inspiration, and literacy. If anyone has taken our mantra ‘Comics can change the world’ and really run with it, it’s Stephen. He will be a very tough act to follow!”

I wonder if Joe Glass will get the chance?

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival returns to Bowness-on-Windermere 29th September to 1st October 2023 where a new Comics Laureate will be announced.