Sharjah Art Foundation announces an open call to broaden and diversify the creative scope of Corniche, an annual comic anthology.

Illustrators and comic artists from the GCC are invited to submit pitches for a six-page comic to be considered for publication in the eighth edition.

Selected artists will be invited for a three-day creative exchange in Sharjah. The ensuing comics will be compiled into a publication that follows an exploratory, free-flowing approach, enabling a range of genres to co-exist, from biography and art history to science fiction, fantasy and mythology.

Corniche was born out of a three-day comic-making workshop held in 2019, when the participating artists decided to compile their final comics into an anthology, titling it after the Sharjah Corniche overlooking the workshop space. It has since grown into a community-centred project, a crucial platform for local illustrators to meet, experiment and publish, and one of the Foundation’s core initiatives.

Corniche 8 will launch at Focal Point 2026.

About Focal Point
 
Focal Point is an annual art book fair showcasing independent bookmaking from the region and around the world. Audiences will find a compelling selection of printed material by artists’ presses, bookmakers, self-publishers and non-commercial cultural producers. As part of its commitment to expanding and experimenting with the medium of publishing, Focal Point includes talks, book launches, artists’ signings, workshops, music and artist-made products.

An initiative of Sharjah Art Foundation, Focal Point spotlights UAE-based publishers and functions as a critical space for knowledge sharing and community building. The fair is held annually at Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, a heritage site within Sharjah’s historical quarter.

To learn about Corniche, click here.

How to apply:

• Only applications submitted through this link will be considered.
• The deadline for submitting pitches is 11:59 pm, UAE local time (GMT +4), on 30 June 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.
• In case your query is not answered in the FAQs section below, contact corniche@sharjahart.org, and mention Corniche 8 Open Call in the subject line.


FAQs
 
Who can apply to this open call?
Any GCC-based illustrator and/or comic artist, aged 18 and older, can submit an application.

What do I need to submit?
Alongside other basic information indicated in the form, applicants need to attach the following as part of their comic pitch:

• Art portfolio
• Story synopsis
• Rough storyboard
• Rough sketch of one page

Your entire comic or idea does not need to be finalised at the time of application, but the general direction of your storyline is considered and your illustration style is assessed. Once selected, you will be given time to finalise the comic.

Do I have to stick to a certain theme for my comic pitch?
Your subject may be either personal or fictional, but please be mindful of the UAE’s cultural sensitivities regarding religion, politics and explicit content.

What is the minimum/maximum permissible page count for the final submission?
Artists are required to submit exactly six pages (three spreads). Submissions containing more or fewer than six pages will be automatically rejected. However, artists may include as many panels on each page as they like.

Are there any size/dimension requirements?
For your initial pitch, ensure that the attachments, whether digital or scanned, can be clearly viewed and read, keeping in mind that the final format will be a colour paperback (20 x 20 cm). A resolution of 300 dpi is encouraged.

What medium can I use for my comic?
You can use the medium of your choice—traditional, digital or multimedia—to execute the comic (and initial pitch). Relying on AI for image generation in either your proposal or your final comic will risk disqualifying your submission.

In which language can I submit the comic?
You can submit the comic in either English or Arabic. Comics without dialogue or other text are also encouraged. Whichever language you choose, make sure it reads well and is proofed for grammatical and typographical accuracy.

Will I retain the copyright to my comic?
Artists retain full copyright to their work for Corniche and only grant Sharjah Art Foundation primary publishing rights.

When will I be notified if my submission has been accepted or not?
Artists whose submissions have been selected for the anthology will be notified by 15 July 2026.

What is the project timeline for this anthology?
After receiving the acceptance notification, the artist will have a little more than a month to complete and finalise the submission. The final submissions must be made by 15 September 2026 at 11:59 pm, UAE local time (GMT +4). Any submissions sent after this date will be automatically rejected.