Bastogne International Press Cartoon 2026 Brings Together 32 Cartoonists From 10 Countries
Belgium · September 2026
Bastogne International Press Cartoon 2026 Brings Together 32 Cartoonists From 10 Countries
The 17th Bastogne International Press Cartoon will take place from September 22–27, with exhibitions featuring António Antunes, Marilena Nardi, Frank Hoppmann, Barrigue and Jawad Morad.
Thirty-two cartoonists from ten countries will take part in the 17th Bastogne International Press Cartoon (BIPC), which returns to the Belgian city of Bastogne from September 22 to 27, 2026.
Organised by La Gaume ça Cartoon, this year’s programme combines individual and group exhibitions with meetings, signing sessions and activities for schools. The exhibitions will be open to the general public from September 25 to 27 at the Pôle Culture and several other venues around Bastogne. Admission is free.
The participating cartoonists come from Belgium, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Syria and Venezuela.
António: Fifty Years of Cartoons
Among this year’s exhibitions is “50 ans de dessins d’humour”, devoted to Portuguese cartoonist António Moreira Antunes.
The exhibition draws on António, 50 anos de humores – 1974–2024, looking back at fifty years of his work. Rather than presenting every stage of his career, the Bastogne exhibition offers a selection from the material assembled for the book.
Marilena Nardi and Freedom of Expression
Italian cartoonist Marilena Nardi will present an exhibition centred on freedom of expression and the changing conditions surrounding press cartoons.
The works address subjects including the economic pressures facing the press, legal action against cartoonists and the arrival of artificial intelligence. Nardi teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice and has contributed to publications including Corriere della Sera and Il Fatto Quotidiano.
The Art of Frank Hoppmann
German caricaturist and illustrator Frank Hoppmann is the subject of another individual exhibition, “L’Art selon Frank Hoppmann.”
Born in Lingen in 1975, Hoppmann has worked for publications including Welt am Sonntag, Rolling Stone and Eulenspiegel. His political and cultural caricatures are known for deliberately exaggerated portraits, and the Bastogne exhibition brings a selection of that work to the Pôle Culture.
Jawad Morad: “Bons baisers de Syrie”
Syrian-born Kurdish cartoonist Jawad Morad, who now lives in Belgium, will show original works under the title “Bons baisers de Syrie.”
Morad’s exhibition includes watercolours, acrylics, ink drawings and interactive works. His editorial cartoons have appeared in publications including The Levant News, North Press and Iran Wire.
He is the sole Syrian representative among the ten countries taking part in this year’s festival.
Barrigue and the Wider Exhibition Programme
Swiss cartoonist Barrigue is also represented with “Le temps trépasse et le dessin reste,” an exhibition looking back across his long career in press cartoons.
Cartoons Across the Festival
Beyond the individual exhibitions, BIPC 2026 includes a collective tribute to Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, presented under the title “Ne me quitte pas…”.
Other exhibitions include “Cartoons sur le pont” at the Maison du Tourisme and “1914/18 – Des crayons dans les tranchées”, presented by JM Renault at the Bastogne War Museum.
A Weekend With the Cartoonists
The first part of the festival is largely devoted to educational activities, including workshops and visits involving schools and other groups.
The public exhibition programme runs from September 25 to 27. The official opening is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presentation of the festival’s first prize at 7 p.m.
The 17th Bastogne International Press Cartoon runs from September 22–27, 2026, with the public exhibition programme taking place from September 25–27.
