DesignerCon (DCon), the world’s premiere collectibles, art, and design megashow, today announced that Flatstock, Stephen Silver’s Silver Drawing Academy, and Betty Boop, in partnership with Nina Palomba, will be among the latest adds to the slate of art shows and programming for its 2024 event. Making its highly anticipated debut in Las Vegas at The Expo at World Market Center from November 15-17, DCon will feature a diverse lineup of exclusive collaborations, live exhibitions, and interactive art installations. Also included is an X-Large and Mister Cartoon BMX bike and streetwear collaboration. EQL, the official launch partners of DesignerCon, will help artists and brands including MEDICOM TOY, creators of the iconic BE@RBRICK, and How2Work maximize their exclusive DCon launches while helping real fans get their hands on products they love.
DesignerCon attendees will be immersed in the vibrant world of poster art at Flatstock as the brand celebrates its landmark centennial art show at DesignerCon, presented by the Poster Institute this year. Attendees will receive the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the mind-blowing work of renowned concert poster artists and have the opportunity to meet the mastermind artists behind their creations. Flatstock 100 will be Las Vegas themed and includes veteran artists like Mike King, who exhibited at the very first Flatstock in 2002, and Flatstock newcomer Abbas Husain of Brainfreeze Press. The Flatstock 100 art show will feature a field of 32 artists and studios, representing an incredible array of illustrators and designers from across the USA and Mexico. Film, comedy and gig posters from every genre, pop culture and fine art prints will all be on display, with each featured artist to host their own booth at DCon in addition to their art show displays. Fans can also expect rare and exclusive drops from studios like DKNG, Nakatomi Inc. and more at DesignerCon 2024.
"I've been involved with Flatstock since its origin in 2002 and still can't quite believe we're producing our 100th installment at DesignerCon,” said Lil Tuffy, artist and President of the Poster Institute. “I can't think of a better venue to celebrate this incredible milestone!"
DCon 2024 will also feature the Silver Drawing Academy Art Show, led by famed British artist Stephen Silver, lead character designer of Kim Possible and Danny Phantom. The art show will present works by student artists looking to launch their businesses, including Julie Parrish, Matt Billingsley, Sable Ann, Samantha Borchard, Raquel Rodriguez, and James Rankin. The show provides the opportunity for these up-and-coming artists to experience the business side of art for the first time, with many going on to start their own companies or join animation studios.
"It is an honor for our Silver Drawing Academy artists to receive this unprecedented level of exposure at DesignerCon this year, offering these student artists the opportunity to gain tens of thousands of new fans among DCon attendees this year," said Stephen Silver, Founder of Silver Drawing Academy. "I’m confident that fans will see the piece-by-piece dedication and unique talent of every student artist in this show. We encourage DCon fans and fellow artists alike to slow down, enjoy the process, and embrace what it means to create for yourself."
In addition to these featured shows, artist Nina Palomba will lead a DCon-exclusive collaboration with Rockin' Pins, an official licensee of Betty Boop and Fleischer Studios. Palomba, a lifelong fan of early animation and Fleischer’s Betty Boop universe, will design and curate DCon-exclusive prints and merchandise featuring Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, and other beloved characters. Palomba will co-host a booth at the show with Fleischer Studios partner Rockin’ Pins, as well as design a DCon-exclusive zine featuring her Betty Boop designs. The exclusive zine will be printed by Mixam, exploring the influence of these classic animations on her work. Mixam’s broader zine project at DesignerCon 2024 will bring together 24 creators from across the globe including Palomba, the majority of whom will be women.
“It is such an honor to bring Betty Boop and her iconic friends to life through my eyes and this collaboration! This opportunity is truly a dream come true and I can't fully express my excitement to work with DesignerCon and the Fleischer family on bringing this limited edition collection to life!” said Nina Palomba. “Betty Boop has been a part of my life since I was a kid. My sister and I had memorized the Definitive VHS Collection to a point we could fast forward or rewind to the exact moment of our favorite scenes. My love for cartoons and desire to have a little cream colored Pudgy dog of my own have carried with me from those moments to now; at this point it is a part of me. Max Fleischer is one of my personal creative heroes, and the Betty Boop cartoons as a whole have been a constant source of inspiration all these years in addition to being a comfort that reminds me of home. I can’t wait to share the creative process of this project through my Mixam art book, featuring the making of our one-of-a-kind new prints and full creative journey with Betty Boop, to fans from around the world at DCon 2024.”
DesignerCon will also present a thrilling BMX half-pipe exhibition in partnership with X-Large and Mister Cartoon, featuring Mister Cartoon custom-designed bikes and streetwear merchandise, set to be a VIP-exclusive experience on Friday evening. The collaboration will highlight 1990s and 2000s styles.
