Oregon Cartoon Institute

What Oregon Cartoon Institute does

Oregon Cartoon Institute (OCI), doing business as Oregon Cartoon Project (OCP), is a 501(c)-style non-profit cultural and educational organization headquartered in Philomath, Oregon. Founded in 2007 by Dennis Nyback and Anne Richardson (both subsequently deceased), the organization archives Oregon's cartooning and animation history, runs educational and community programming, and operates an Artist-in-Residence / fellowship program named after co-founder Anne Richardson. Following a 2022 rebrand, OCP now consolidates OCI's activities alongside an explicit publishing arm and digital publishing platform.

Name

Oregon Cartoon Institute

Legal name

Oregon Cartoon Institute

Website

https://oregoncartoonproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oregon Cartoon Institute, doing business as Oregon Cartoon Project, is a Philomath, Oregon non-profit that archives Oregon cartooning history, publishes free comics and zines via its Oregon Zine Machine platform, and runs an artist-in-residence fellowship and community events serving local artists, students, and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Arts and Comics Publishing

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAJAGAI

Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing

SECONDARYBPAMAJAJ

Digital Comics, Manga & Serialized Reading Platforms

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Media Streaming, Publishing & Content Platforms

Keywords

• Comics publishing
• Zine publishing
• Cartooning education
• Artist residency
• Nonprofit arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Philomath

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Oregon Cartoon Institute is a nonprofit organization that publishes comics and educational materials, operates the Oregon Zine Machine digital publishing platform for zines and comics, and supports Oregon's cartooning and animation heritage through artist-in-residence programs, fellowships, workshops, exhibitions, and free downloadable publications. Activities include publishing science comics, running residencies such as the Anne Elizabeth Richardson Fellowship, hosting community events, and distributing free creative-commons-licensed content.

Product overview

The Oregon Cartoon Institute operates primarily as a non-profit cultural and educational organization rather than a traditional software product company. Its portfolio consists of: the Oregon Cartoon Project (OCP) as the core organization managing archives, events, exhibitions, and educational programs focused on Oregon's cartooning and animation history; the Oregon Cartoon Institute Publishing Division producing comics, science comics, and zines including Captain & Blue, Isa's Dreams, and other educational materials available as free downloads; the Oregon Zine Machine digital platform for publishing and archiving zines with creator compensation; film productions like the short film HIGH TIDE; and the Anne Elizabeth Richardson Fellowship Program offering artist residencies and internships. Together these offerings form a comprehensive ecosystem supporting cartooning arts, education, and community engagement in Oregon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oregon Zine Machine: Publishing platform for zines and comics, offering $50 compensation to accepted creators while they retain rights to their work
• Anne Elizabeth Richardson Artist-in-Residence Program
• Oregon Cartoon Institute Publishing

Products and services

• Oregon Cartoon Project (OCP) Core non-profit organization archiving Oregon's cartooning history, exploring Oregon's present cartooning scene, and shaping its future through events, exhibitions, workshops, and educational programs.
• Oregon Cartoon Institute (OCI) Publishing Publishing arm of the Oregon Cartoon Project that produces comics, zines, and educational materials including science comics and creative works by artist residents.
• Oregon Zine Machine Online platform for publishing and archiving comics and zines; accepts creator submissions, compensates accepted works ($50 per submission) while creators retain rights, and makes zines publicly accessible.
• Captain & Blue: A Story of Wetland Wonders Science comic following Captain (a Blanding's Turtle) and friend Blue Heron on a wetlands adventure highlighting species at risk of extinction and environmental stewardship; free downloadable educational resource.
• Isa's Dreams Comic created by Natalie Garcia as OCP's inaugural 2024-25 Artist-in-Residence; available as a free download under creative commons license.
• HIGH TIDE (Short Film) 3-minute horror short film produced by OCI as a submission for the Emerald Broadband and Eugene Film Society's 10th Annual 72-Hour Horror Film Competition; crew led by Elizabeth Lucas-Lucas and now available to watch for free.
• Anne Elizabeth Richardson Fellowship Program Artist-in-residence and event intern positions providing $5,000 (paid in monthly $500 installments) to artists studying or employing art forms tied to Oregon's historical or contemporary social context, or to develop enthusiasm for creative expression in local communities.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clinton Street Theater (Portland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026Venue partner for CANDIDS comics reading event featuring local PDX alternative comics scene artists.
• Bold Coffee and Books (Portland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Event venue partner for OCP x Auntie Beeswax book signing event in Portland.
• Portland State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Academic partner for Will Eisner Week Conversation event featuring Dan Mazur and Stephen Weiner.
• Books with Pictures EugenecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Co-presents events with OCI including Valentine's Collaging & Mixtapes event. Books with Pictures is an independent comic book store in Eugene that supports local cartoonists.
• Comics Art Festival of Eugene (CAFE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Annual comics festival organized by Books With Pictures Eugene. OCP attends to make zines, showcase work, and promote Oregon Zine Machine.
• Tsunami Books (Eugene)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Tsunami Books serves as a key venue partner for OCI events. The block printing workshop in May 2025 was hosted at Tsunami Books, which also served as the launch party venue for the OCI-published comic Isa's Dreams.
• Oregon State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Educational partnership through Center for Black Studies. Walidah Imarisha teaches in PSU's Black Studies Department.
• University of OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Educational partnership through student comics magazine Art Ducko, artist residencies for U of O students, and support for cinema studies programs.
• Natalie GarciacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2024-25 Artist-in-Residence who created Isa's Dreams comic during residency. Published through OCI's publishing arm.
• Eleanor KlockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2025-26 Artist-in-Residence (Anne Elizabeth Richardson Fellow) who also designed new OCP logos and is working on a debut comic book Fool's Ballad.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Secret Acres: Independent comics publisher specializing in art-comics, mini-comics, and serialized graphic novels from emerging creators. Comparable as a small indie publisher supporting cartoonists with limited print runs and curated catalogs.
• Peow Studio: Independent comics publisher producing art-comics and graphic novels with distinctive visual styles. Comparable as a small indie comics publisher releasing curated creator-owned work in print and digital formats.
• Short Run Seattle: Seattle-based annual comics festival and small press focused on independent and zine publishing. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest indie comics/zine community organization hosting events and showcasing small-press work.
• Printed Matter: Non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and distribution of artists' books and zines. Comparable as a non-profit focused on indie publishing, distribution, and cultural preservation of small-press work.
• Iron Circus Comics: Independent comics publisher producing anthologies, graphic novels, and zines with a focus on diverse creator-owned work. Comparable as a small independent comics publisher with educational and anthology-style titles.
• Sequential Artists Workshop: Non-profit comics school and publisher offering education and publishing opportunities for cartoonists. Comparable as a non-profit combining comics education, publishing, and community programming for indie creators.
• Birdcage Bottom Books: Small independent comics publisher producing mini-comics and zines with a focus on diverse and underrepresented voices. Comparable as a creator-friendly indie publisher supporting emerging cartoonists with compensation.
• Sparkplug Studio: Independent comics publisher focused on alternative, art, and literary comics. Comparable as a small press producing work from emerging and established indie cartoonists in physical and digital formats.

Regional players

• Periscope Studio: Portland-based comics artists collective that produces comics, illustration, and animation work. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest comics community hub supporting independent cartoonists and publishing.
• Leuven University Press: Academic press publishing comics scholarship including 'Comics and the Global South,' referenced by OCI as a free e-book resource. Comparable as a publisher producing comics-related educational and scholarly content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/oregoncartoonproject
• Instagraminstagram.com/oregoncartoonproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oregon-cartoon-institute-oci

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Oregon Cartoon Institute