SAW is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation

Mission Statement

The Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW)'s mission is to nurture and educate tomorrow's generation of visual storytellers, to support creative investigation, exploration and excellence in cartooning and comic art, and to promote literacy in sequential and comic art in today’s culture.

Through its school(s), SAW's goal is to provide quality education to students dedicated to challenging themselves and learning interdisciplinary visual storytelling. Where its school(s) are located, SAW aims to educate and promote comics literacy in our local community(s).

In addition, we aim to provide work spaces, teaching residencies and distribution/publishing resources for practicing sequential artists.

Finally, through its national outreach program dedicated to publishing and promoting curious, intelligent, and visionary works we aim to integrate sequential art and artists into the broader cultural landscape.

At SAW, we believe in accountability to those we serve.

In late 2017, we transitioned to a board of directors of alumni, industry professionals, wider-community members and general comics lovers across the United States. 2024 board members include Lisa Klug, Geoff Mason, Atrian Wagner, Rob Clough, Margaret Galvan, Nancy Hunt and Marc Sobel.

Our staff report to our board who advice on the daily operations of the school. That’s everything from selecting staff to planning programs to providing accountability to planning for a sustainable future.

Code of Conduct

SAW aims to create a welcoming, inclusive learning environment that fosters artistic growth and exploration, a community created by students and teachers together. This Code of Conduct describes the behaviors and boundaries we expect all teachers at SAW to maintain, to ensure our community is healthy and strong.

At SAW, students and teachers should be able to work and learn together, to have friendships, and be candid with one another. Our students tell us that working closely with teachers is one of the best things about their SAW experience. These interactions help students gain confidence and make better comics. Teachers are responsible for maintaining a positive classroom environment and conducting appropriate relationships with students.

Sequential Artists Workshop Policy on Harassment

To provide all participants—students, workshop, event attendees, speakers, staff and volunteers—the opportunity to benefit from classes and SAW’s other activities, SAW is committed to providing a safe, harassment-free environment for everyone, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal or state laws or other group identity.

Harassment can include, but is not limited to: making unwanted and/or discriminatory advances, intimidation, stalking, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention or other verbal or physical conduct of a discriminatory nature, or by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment by engaging in such conduct.

If you feel you are being harassed or witness harassment and it is an emergency, you should contact the local authorities (i.e., call 911). If you feel you are being harassed and witness someone else being harassed or have any other concerns, please contact Emma Jensen or Tom Hart immediately.

We have also provided this online form for anonymous reporting of such behavior. If someone at SAW is harassing you or interfering with your ability to participate, please let us know.

WE BELIEVE COMICS ARE AN INCLUSIVE, COMMUNITY-CENTRED MEDIUM

At SAW, we stand with those who have put their lives on the line for generations to fight for equal rights, equal footing, equal safety and equal expression. We believe that our community-first model has the potential to radically reframe arts and literacy education.

Through our programming and partnership with other organizations, we are committed to supporting and empowering people who have been historically marginalized to tell their own stories.

What exactly does that look like?

Creating clear policy frameworks that guide our decision making processes to ensure Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive and Accessible programs;
Expanding our teaching and administrative staff, as well as our Board of Directors and volunteers to better represent our students and members;
Developing learning resources that critically examine the history of discrimination and exclusion in comics;
Building ongoing partnerships with other organizations in our community, whether that’s our Gainesville community specifically or our comics community more widely;
Maintaining regular formal and informal reporting processes that offer transparency about SAW’s daily operations and future planning;
Providing direct access to our faculty and administrators to facilitate programs that meet our communities needs;
Responding to direct and indirect feedback or complaints;
Advocating for voices that aren’t being heard in mainstream comics space.

This would not be possible without the support and accountability provided by our global network of emerging and established cartoonists who continue to bring their voices to the conversation.

You can be apart of the conversation in our online forum, the Mighty Network, or submit your ideas about how SAW can better serve its community via our Virtual Suggestion Box.

Community partnerships

We’re committed to using our knowledge, skills and experience to work with other organizations and businesses. We actively support a number of Gainesville-based and America-wide groups including The Believer Mag Free Comics Workshops, Life Transitions Skill Inc., The University of Florida Arts in Medicine, The University of Florida Graduate Comics Organization, The University of Florida Center for Arts, Migration and Entrepreneurship, and Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFAA).

Our in person programs are proudly supported in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.