ABOUT ICON
ICON The Illustration Conference, the 6th biennial, one-of-a-kind, global conference unites more than 600 highly-skilled, highly-educated, independent, entrepreneurial illustrators, educators, students and creative professionals from all media.
ICON6 delivers a compelling and provocative program with over 50 speakers who bring their unique take on the industry and professional practice. Representing the brightest minds from many creative fields including publishing, advertising, galleries, film, animation, fashion, design and retail, each guest speaker offers their experience, knowledge and insight through main stage speeches, roundtable discussions, hands-on workshops, exhibitions and networking events over a 4-day period in July 2010.
MISSION
The National Illustration Conference, (ICON), is committed to providing a forum for an ongoing dialogue that serves the illustration, design, editorial, advertising, and academic communities. Its purpose is to provide a platform for the most influential illustrators and industry leaders to address, in a timely manner, the most pervasive issues facing the profession. The Illustration Conference (ICON) is a 501 C-6 nonprofit organization of illustrators and is an entity in itself.
HISTORY
Our inaugural conference in October 1999 brought together top illustrators, educators, art directors, representatives and art buyers to explore The Future of Illustration. This event was the first national caucus for illustrators and was an overwhelming success, selling out to over 500 attendees. Through discussions and presentations, we launched what had become an ongoing networking and information exchange among professional illustrators, clients, students, educators and colleagues in related fields such as photography and design. Since 1999, we have produced four more conferences in Santa Fe, Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York City. These events have continued to probe and discuss the issues relevant to the field of illustration and design. They have examined specific topics such as copyright, product development, children' s books, animation, galleries, promotion, and contracts. The conferences have maintained the standard for convening the industry's best and brightest talent to present and talk about their work, their business, their lives, and their passion for illustration. Attendance has increased steadily since the first conference and grown to include inspiring, informative and topical pre-conference tours and workshops. ICON6 is going a step further with a “one-tent” format with more speakers giving shorter main stage presentations to the entire attendance for a heightened and energized experience. ICON6 has set ambitious attendance goals with affordable conference rates and introduces its first-ever student discount rate and has incorporated social-networking marketing through Facebook and Twitter. ICON6 also plans to increase its growing attendance from international illustrators with out-reach to Mexico, Europe, Japan and Australia. ICON remains the only national conference specifically for illustrators and the graphic arts community providing an unprecedented forum for the creativity, inspiration and drive that captivates the profession.