Nominees of the 2026 Doug Wright Awards

From the Doug Wright Awards website.

Here are the nominees of the 22nd annual Doug Wright Awards which will be given out on Saturday June 6 at the Arts & Letters Club in Toronto.

Editorial cartoons about the erosion of freedoms displayed in Geneva

Every two years in Geneva, two cartoonists receive an international prize recognizing their commitment and courage.

This year, the winners are Safaa Odah from Palestine and Jimmy “Spire” Ssentongo from Uganda.

Throughout the month of May, their work, along with a selection of topical cartoons, is on display on Quai Wilson.

The 2026 edition is dedicated to three current topics as interpreted by cartoonists from around the world: new empires, the impact of artificial intelligence, and freedoms under attack.

On the Line

Anthony Feinstein in The Globe & Mail.

Strongmen have an extraordinarily thin skin when it comes to laughing at themselves.

It is a striking that these men with enormous power, vast armies, lethal weapons, and apparently limitless self-confidence fear the simple cartoon. 

Is it because they know instinctively that Mark Twain was correct when he had one of his characters observe, “Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand”? 

Hitler’s fury at being lampooned by the cartoons of David Low pales, however, when compared to the violence unleashed more than half a century later by 12 cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. 

Telnaes: Democracy Under Siege Makes Its U.S. Debut May 1st

From The Daily Cartoonist.

For four days, beginning May 1, 2026, Ann Telnaes and Friends are making the Laura Dix documentary Democracy Under Siege available in the United States.

26th World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition (Results)

First Prize: Darko Drljevic, Montenegro

The jury, composed of five members of World Press Freedom Canada met on April 8 to select the winners of the 26th World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition.

The theme, this year, was "Times are tough".

Michael de Adder wins National Newspaper Award 2025

Michael de Adder of the Globe and Mail is a second time winner in the Illustrated Commentary category at the 77th edition of the National Newspaper Awards.

Julie Rocheleau designs the 2026 MCAF poster

From the MCAF Facebook page.

To illustrate the theme of its next edition, Alive!, and mark its 15th anniversary, the FBDM chose a prominent figure from the Montreal comic book scene and a regular participant in the Festival.

After working as a freelancer in animation studios, Julie Rocheleau turned to comics in the early 2010s, with notable and award-winning collaborations in Canada, Europe and the United States. 

She is notably the co-author of 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘦-𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘣 and 𝘓𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦. This queen of illustration in Quebec likes to play with representations of fauna and flora. Her posters, with their dynamic compositions, are always elegant and sensitive, with a unique punk touch.

She was therefore the obvious choice to illustrate the poster for this year's edition.

Chinese dissident on trial

From The Guardian.

Miss Mao

Chinese dissident artist Gao Zhen, known for making satirical sculptures of China’s former leader Mao Zedong, has been tried over accusations of “defaming national heroes and martyrs”.

Gao, 69, who was detained in 2024 during a visit to China from the US, faces a maximum three-year prison sentence.

KAL wins his 6th Overseas Press Club Award

Kevin (KAL) Kallaugher is the winner of the 2026 Overseas Press Club Award for editorial cartooning. 

This is the sixth time KAL since 1998 that KAL has won the award. KAL’s winning portfolio spans cartoons published in The Economist, The Baltimore Sun, and his Substack, KAL Draws the Line.

"His work is pointed yet funny," stated the judges, "balancing sophisticated hard-hitting satire with belly laughs, the true mark of a great editorial cartoonist."

You can see cartoons from his winning portfolio by clicking here to go to his Substack. 

Drawing the Line: An Evening with Political Cartoonists

From Media and Democracy Project.

Since before the founding of the country, there have been political cartoons, often mocking the powerful with sharp humor, capturing the absurdity of the moment, shaping public opinion, and even exposing corruption. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in today’s fast paced digital world an image can be shared in the blink of an eye, changing hearts and minds.

With censorship and threats on the rise for the press, including political cartoonists, join us for this special evening with three award-winning political cartoonists who will take us behind the scenes on how they distill the news into a single image and the role that political satire plays in defending democracy.

Jack Ohman wins 2026 Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning

From the Herblock Foundation.

Jack Ohman was announced as the winner of the 2026 Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning. 

Pedro X. Molina was named as this year’s finalist.

“Under Pressure”: Report on the Situation of Threatened Press Cartoonists Worldwide (2023–2025)

From Cartooning for Peace.

Niels Bo Bojesen (Denmark)

The new report on the situation of threatened press cartoonists around the world will be released on March 2, 2026. 

It is the result of a joint effort by Cartooning for Peace, Cartoonists Rights and their partners: Freedom Cartoonists Foundation, FORHUM, Columbia Global Freedom of Expression – Columbia University, and Reporters Without Borders.

26th World Press Freedom Canada International Editorial Cartoon Competition

 

The theme of the 26th International Editorial Cartoon Competition is:

Times are tough

Inflation is skyrocketing while wages remain stagnant, artificial intelligence threatens entire sectors of the economy and home ownership is out of reach for younger generations.
The imposition of tariffs and the erratic behavior of the American president fuels uncertainty worldwide.
What was previously alarming becomes normal while we wait for the next scandal, the next court ruling or the next election to turn the tide.

Scott Adams 1957-2026

From AP News.

Scott Adams, whose popular comic strip “Dilbert” captured the frustration of beleaguered, white-collar cubicle workers and satirized the ridiculousness of modern office culture until he was abruptly dropped from syndication in 2023 for racist remarks, has died. He was 68.

His first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced the death Tuesday on a livestream posted on Adams’ social media accounts. “He’s not with us right anymore,” she said. 

Canadian cartoonists land The New Yorker 2026 calendar cover

From The Vancouver Sun.

Vancouver cartoonists Ian Boothby and Pia Guerra have landed a rare distinction: Their work appears on the cover of The New Yorker’s 2026 calendar.

“I was about to buy the calendar online and suddenly realized our cartoon was on the cover,” said Guerra. “It had been out since June, and we had no idea.”