ICON: The Illustration Conference

Prisms: The Illustration Education Symposium at ICON13 brings together educators, professionals, scholars, and students to interrogate connections between history, research, and practice in the field of Illustration.

We are excited to give away a limited number of ICON13 posters illustrated by MICA alum and Baltimore artist Andrew Haener. Complete the form linked below to get your copy.

To help keep the conference buzzing and operating smoothly, we rely on a team of student volunteers. Volunteers can be anyone who is an undergraduate or graduate student, including those graduating in May 2026. Each of the ICON13 board of directors needs a team to help them execute all aspects of the conference, from setup, registration, check-in, office admin, bookstore, stagecraft, speaker concierge/wranglers, events, and more. Volunteers will receive a free conference ticket that includes all events and parties, and will get to observe as much of the programming as possible. Volunteers are responsible for their own travel and lodging in Baltimore.

The Roadshow is an exciting, one-night-only, pop-up marketplace of illustration, art, and comic works as part of our ICON13 Opening Night Party. ICON13 attendees and non-attendees are welcome to apply. This event will feature artists' books, zines, printed ephemera, artist multiples, handmade objects, and more from a diverse and impressive group of 60+ national and international exhibitors.

Motion Commotion is a curated screening of animation and motion shorts. Jury to be announced. ICON13 attendees and non-attendees are welcome to submit motion/animation projects for consideration. Artists who create experimental animation, narratives, motion graphics, and looped animation shorts are encouraged to apply.

The ICON13 Workshop program features two days of informative, inspiring, hands-on workshops, lectures, tours, and events led by an impressive roster of illustrators, educators, and creative professionals, designed to jump-start your ICON13 experience. Workshops are à la carte add-ons to your ICON conference ticket and are available only to ICON13 conference ticket holders. Workshops are not open to the public. Generally, each workshop runs for three hours, but there might be one or two all-day experiences.

VIEWFINDER: The ICON13 Attendee Exhibition

Greetings ICON attendees and speakers,

We’re excited to invite you to participate in this year’s juried gallery show as part of ICON13, happening this July in Baltimore.

This year’s exhibition, Viewfinder, explores perspective, and how we frame the world around us.

A viewfinder is the tool you look through to compose an image. It’s a decision-making device: what to include, what to leave out, and how to shape what’s seen. It’s also a curated lens, like the handheld ViewFinder, offering a sequence of images shaped by a specific point of view.

For this exhibition, Viewfinder acts as a guiding idea rather than a strict theme.

We invite you to submit work that reflects how you see. Whether that’s personal, observational, political, surreal, quiet, loud, or somewhere in between. Show us something that feels like your specific lens on the world. And is open to interpretation. 

SELECTION & JUDGING

Work will be juried and reviewed by the ICON board.

Selections will be based on:

• Strength of perspective
• Creativity and originality
• Technique and overall impact

EXHIBITION DETAILS (FOR SELECTED ARTISTS)

To make participation as easy as possible, all selected work will be professionally printed, framed, and installed by the ICON team. No shipping or framing is required on your end. A small production fee will be collected from accepted artists to cover these production costs.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please fill out the submission form and upload your artwork for consideration.

• You may submit up to 2 entries
• Files must be 300 DPI, 24 inches on the longest side

Label files: Firstname_Lastname_Title (not final_final2_REAL.jpg)

If you have any difficulties submitting, contact steven@theillustrationconference.org for assistance.

Kaleidoscope is a rapid slideshow talk in the style of Pecha Kucha / Ignite / Lightning Talks. Featured speakers present fast-paced narratives (20 slides x 20 seconds per slide)–in a quick, casual round table style, and become part of ICON lore. Only ICON13 attendees are invited to apply. More information to some shortly. 

ICON13 Portfolio Reviews are an excellent opportunity for conference attendees to meet industry-leading art directors and creatives and to have their work critiqued. The review panel includes art directors of all industries, from editorial to entertainment. Portfolio Reviews are à la carte add-ons to your ICON conference ticket and are available only to ICON13 conference ticket holders. Portfolio Reviews are not open to the public. Whether you’re early in your career and seeking valuable advice or want fresh eyes on your work, this opportunity is not to be missed.