THE Guyana Animation Network (GAN) has launched their comic art summer camp geared at fostering the development of comic art in Guyana as part of their wider mandate to promote digital media and technology.

For one week, from August 6 to 11, at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, in the Centre for Information Technology (CIT), Guyanese will be engaged in comic art and comic book character designs through training on comic book drawing and literacy. The camp is also a fundraising activity for GAN.

Speaking at the launch on Friday at the Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) of the University of Guyana (UG), President of GAN, Francine Leitch, said the fundraiser is just one of the many initiatives to lead, activate and inspire, especially young Guyanese to tap into the lucrative industries of animation, digital media and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

This is just one of many events the network has organised since its formation in 2016.

“Having participated in several activities in the past year, GAN has also aimed to improve digital advocacy, digital training, empowerment through education and employment activities through global networking opportunities,” she said, noting that opportunities can be improved when “education meets digital empowerment halfway”.

Headlining at this year’s summer camp is Barbados-born artist with over 15 years experience in comic book drawing and literacy, Shawn Alleyne, who is the guest trainer. The organisation started planning its Comic Art collaboration with Alleyne last year after meeting with him at CARIFESTA XIII (Barbados) 2017.

Speaking at the launch, Alleyne shared his challenges but said he never lost hope of his dream.

“The untapped market is there for anything you want to create,” he said, adding: “I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys came up with next week [at the summer camp].”

But even as he urged persons to follow their dreams and not to be deterred by those who trivialise the industry, especially in the Caribbean, he cautioned the young people to earn their living by being unique and harnessing the culture they know.

The launch was structured as a comic convention (comic-con) where young people came dressed as their favourite comic book characters.

With a show of tremendous support from young people dressed in their cosplay (costume play), Leitch was happy to highlight just how GAN’s support has been growing and shared her hopes that the network continues to grow.