Comics Artists

About Shout Mouse Press

Shout Mouse Press (shoutmousepress.org) supports the creation and publication of diverse books by young people for young people. Our books and programs activate youth power, advance social justice, and expand representation in youth literature.

The writers (ages 12+) we coach are underrepresented within young people’s literature, and their perspectives underheard. Our work provides a platform for them to tell their own stories and, as published authors and public speakers, to act as leaders and agents of change.

SMP authors include immigrant, incarcerated, queer, Black, Muslim, AAPI, Latinx, and otherwise marginalized youth in Greater Washington, DC. Their original children’s books, novels, comics, memoirs, and poetry collections are inspired by their own lived experiences and engage readers of all backgrounds. Since our founding in 2014 we have produced 60+ titles, earned 20+ book industry honors, and sold or donated nearly 150,000+ books nationwide.

Opportunity

Shout Mouse Press, in partnership with the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), is seeking four Comics Artists to illustrate a collaborative graphic novel created by girls and gender-expansive youth of color (ages 12–16).

Over a three-week summer workshop, 8 youth writers will develop interconnected short stories set within a shared middle school world. Following the writing workshop, each Comics Artist will be responsible for translating two youth-authored scripts into fully realized comics grounded in strong principles of sequential storytelling.

This is a professional development opportunity designed especially for emerging comics creators, with mentorship from SMP’s Comics Art Director.

Role Overview

Each Comics Artist will be paired with two youth authors to illustrate their short story scripts as comics.

During Summer Workshop (July 27 – August 14, 2027):

• Weeks 1-2: Participate in 1–2 virtual sessions
• Week 3: Attend workshop in-person, 3 hrs/day (August 10–14, 2026 at NMWA)
  • During this week, comics artists will collaborate directly with youth authors to:
    • Engage in live sketching sessions
    • Develop character studies
    • Create visual interpretations of scenes
    • Produce thumbnails and rough storyboards

Post-Workshop Comics Creation (mid-August 2026 to mid-February 2027)

• Work under the supervision and mentorship of SMP’s Comics Art Director
• Translate finalized scripts into polished, middle-grade appropriate comic narratives
• Participate in scheduled virtual check-ins with youth authors during sketch and color phases
• Meet all agreed-upon deadlines and revision benchmarks

Qualifications

We are seeking artists who:

• Are skilled in comics creation and sequential storytelling
• Understand panel composition, pacing, dialogue flow, and visual narrative clarity
• Have prior experience with narrative illustration, storyboarding, or comics
• Are comfortable creating work appropriate for a middle grade audience (ages 10–14)
• Are strong communicators and collaborative partners
• Can work independently and meet deadlines over a six-month production timeline
• Are comfortable working digitally and delivering high-resolution files

We especially encourage applications from emerging artists (particularly those under 25) and artists whose lived experiences reflect the identities and communities of the youth authors in this project.

We strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, and/or members of otherwise marginalized communities to apply.

Shout Mouse Press is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Timeline

Workshop Participation

• TBD 1-2 Virtual sessions during Weeks 1–2 (July 27–August 7, 2026)
• In-person Week 3: August 10–14, 2026 (Washington, DC – National Museum of Women in the Arts)

Production Timeline

• Mid-August 2026 – Mid-February 2027
• Broader milestone schedule will be provided upon hiring
• Includes phases for thumbnails, pencils, color art, and revisions

Compensation & Professional Development

This opportunity is part-service, part-compensation. Our goals are to provide emerging illustrators with meaningful publication credentials, an opportunity to contribute their artistic talents to a youth-centered project, and fair compensation within our nonprofit budget.

Each Comics Artist will receive:

• $3,000 flat project stipend (for illustrating two youth-authored stories)
• 5 complimentary copies of the published book
• Professional credit in the book interior and metadata, plus a bio and link featured on the SMP website and in print
• Mentorship from an experienced Comics Art Director throughout production

We are also happy to verify community service hours if applicable.

In addition, artists gain national publication credit, launch programming at a major museum, and the opportunity to help expand representation in middle grade literature. We are especially interested in working with artists who see value in both the creative collaboration and the community impact of this work!

Interested?

Visit shoutmousepress.org/illustrate to apply. Apply by Apr 3, 2026