National Cartoonists Society

What National Cartoonists Society does

The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is a private, membership-based nonprofit professional organization founded in 1946 that represents over 500 cartoonists working across editorial cartooning, syndicated comic strips and panels, comic books, graphic novels, online comics, animation, video game design, advertising illustration, and book/magazine illustration. The society curates membership through a unanimous Membership Committee vote, organizes a network of more than 20 regional chapters across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and administers the annual Reuben Awards, widely regarded as the highest honor in American cartooning, along with Divisional Awards covering 11 cartooning disciplines. Its charitable arm, the NCS Foundation, was formed in 2005 to administer educational programs including the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship.

Name

National Cartoonists Society

Legal name

National Cartoonists Society

Website

https://nationalcartoonists.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Cartoonists Society is a 1946-founded nonprofit professional association serving over 500 cartoonists worldwide through curated membership, regional chapters, and the annual Reuben Awards across 11 cartooning disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Arts Membership Organization

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Comic Strips & Syndication Publishing (Newspaper/Online) (MPAJAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

Keywords

• Professional cartoonists association
• Comic arts membership
• Cartooning industry awards
• Annual conference events
• Regional chapters network

Headquarters

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership fees from cartoonists across multiple membership tiers (Regular, Associate, Trade, Retired). The organization also generates revenue through annual conference tickets, merchandise sales via the NCS Shop, and the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The National Cartoonists Society (NCS) is a membership-based professional association serving over 500 cartoonists across disciplines including editorial cartooning, comic strips, comic books, graphic novels, animation, and illustration. It provides tiered membership dues, administers the annual Reuben Awards and Divisional Awards recognizing excellence in cartooning, hosts an annual conference, maintains a member directory and GlueUp-based membership portal, operates regional chapters, and runs the NCS Foundation's charitable and educational programs including the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship.

Product overview

The National Cartoonists Society is a professional membership organization representing over 500 cartoonists worldwide. The organization operates a centralized membership directory with filtering by expertise and geography, and administers multiple award programs including the prestigious Reuben Awards (Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year) and Division Awards spanning comic strips, comic books, editorial cartoons, gag cartoons, graphic novels, online comics, advertising illustration, and animated media. The society organizes an annual conference featuring the Reuben Awards ceremony and public cartoonist showcase events. Additional offerings include the NCS Foundation (charitable arm), the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship for art students, the Silver T-Square Award for service, and the Young Professional Program (27 Club) offering discounted membership for emerging cartoonists under 28. The organization maintains a member portal on the GlueUp platform, operates an online merchandise shop, and supports regional chapters across North America and the United Kingdom.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Reuben Awards: Annual award ceremony honoring outstanding cartoonists of the year and excellence in various cartooning disciplines
• Reuben Divisional Awards

Products and services

• Reuben Awards The NCS's highest honor, presented annually to the Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year, with nominees and winners celebrated by their peers. Includes Divisional awards honoring excellence across cartooning disciplines ranging from online to print, comic strips to comic books, illustration to animation.
• Division Awards Awards recognizing excellence across a wide range of cartooning disciplines including comic strips, comic books, editorial cartoons, gag cartoons, graphic novels, online comics, advertising illustration, magazine/newspaper illustration, and art for animated media.
• NCS Annual Conference Annual gathering featuring the Reuben Awards ceremony, professional development sessions, networking opportunities, and public cartoonist showcase events. Offered in-person and via livestream.
• NCS Members Directory Comprehensive online directory of over 500 professional cartoonists organized by alphabet, area of expertise, and chapter association.
• NCS Foundation (NCSF) The charitable arm of the National Cartoonists Society, formed in 2005 to continue the charitable and educational works that have been a hallmark of the NCS.
• Membership Portal (GlueUp) Online platform for membership management including dues renewal, contact info updates, event access, and member networking.
• Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship $5,000 scholarship awarded annually to a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) studying the art of cartooning. Victoria Berrocales (SCAD) was the 2026 recipient.
• Silver T-Square Award Recognition award for Outstanding Dedication and Service to the National Cartoonists Society.
• Young Professional Program (27 Club) Discounted membership at $27 per year for active cartoonists 27 years of age or under who have shown a degree of public success but do not yet meet criteria for regular membership.
• NCS Shop Online store featuring NCS branded merchandise including the NCS Icons enamel pins collection.
• Regional Chapters Local chapter network including chapters in Canada, Chicago Midwest, Connecticut, Florida, Great Lakes, Greater Midwest, Greater Northwest, Long Island, Los Angeles, New England, New Jersey, North Central, Northern California, Manhattan, Orange County, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Southeast, Texas, United Kingdom, Upstate New York, and Washington D.C.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NCS Foundation (National Cartoonists Society Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005The charitable arm of the National Cartoonists Society, formed in 2005 to continue the charitable and educational works that have been a hallmark of the NCS since its inception in 1946. Supports the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship and other educational initiatives.
• NCS FestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn affiliate organization of the National Cartoonists Society dedicated to cartooning festivals and events.
• Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization located at Ohio State University, housing one of the world's largest collections of cartoon art. Serves as a resource for the cartooning community.
• American Library Association (ALA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCS participates in librarian and educator outreach programs, connecting with libraries beyond the ALA conference.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: Nonprofit focused on First Amendment advocacy for comics creators and readers. Comparable as a nonprofit serving the cartooning community with a mission-driven focus, but centered on legal advocacy rather than awards and professional membership.
• ReedPOP (New York Comic Con organizer): Event organizer for major pop culture conventions including New York Comic Con. Adjacent as a commercial operator of cartooning/community events, contrasting NCS's nonprofit membership-driven model.
• The National Cartoon Museum (planned/affiliated entities): Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University is a documented NCS partner and houses the world's largest cartoon art collection. Adjacent as a cultural/heritage institution preserving cartooning rather than a professional membership body.

Direct peers

• Society of Illustrators: A New York-based professional membership organization for illustrators, founded in 1901. Directly comparable as a long-running professional association serving visual creators with awards, exhibitions, and community programming analogous to NCS's structure for cartoonists.
• Graphic Artists Guild: A national union and professional association for graphic artists, illustrators, and cartoonists. Comparable as a membership organization providing advocacy, business resources, and community to visual creators in similar disciplines to NCS members.
• Association of American Editorial Cartoonists: Professional organization for editorial and political cartoonists. Overlaps NCS in serving cartooning creators with advocacy, networking, and recognition, though narrower in scope to the editorial/political sub-discipline.

Regional players

• Cartoon Art Trust: UK-based charitable organization focused on cartoon art preservation and exhibitions. Comparable mission of promoting cartooning as an art form and supporting creators, though UK-focused rather than U.S.-anchored like NCS.

Emerging players

• The Inkpot Awards: Awards presented at San Diego Comic-Con recognizing contributions to comics and animation. Comparable as a peer recognition program for cartooning and adjacent creators, but administered by an event rather than a membership society.

Broad incumbents

• International Animated Film Association (ASIFA-Hollywood): Professional organization administering the Annie Awards for animation. Comparable in operating industry awards and professional development, though focused specifically on the animation sub-discipline where many NCS members also work.
• Comic-Con International: The largest fan and industry convention for comics, cartooning, and adjacent entertainment. Comparable as a major gathering event for the cartooning community but operates as a broader entertainment convention rather than a professional membership body.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalcartoonists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-cartoonists-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Cartoonists Society