Thought Bubble Relocates for 2017
Press Release
After nine incredible years of presenting the UK’s biggest comic book convention at Leeds Dock, we are very excited to announce that we are moving to pastures new with the introduction of a huge festival village in the middle of Leeds City Centre. This major development will also see the annual festival moving from its established dates in November to earlier in the year with the 11th edition of Thought Bubble taking place from 18th to 24th September 2017 with a huge comic convention on 23rd and 24th September.
Since Thought Bubble began in 2007 the festival has grown from a one-day event to a week-long festival that now attracts audiences in excess of 60,000. The move to the city centre, which is being supported by Leeds City Council and a range of sponsors and partners, will provide much needed, larger spaces and enable greater public access – allowing more people than ever before to visit the country’s best loved comic book festival.
The new multi-venue site in central Leeds will include a series of huge marquees that will take over popular outdoor spaces in the city including Millennium Square and Victoria Gardens. In addition, some of the city’s favourite venues will play host to the festival programme with Leeds Town Hall, Carriageworks Theatre and Leeds City Museum all involved.
The news comes after we celebrated our tenth anniversary in Leeds, with a week-long festival from 1st to 6th November. Sponsored by comiXology, Amazon’s premier digital comic shopping and reading platform, the festival attracted thousands of fans, comic arts professionals and special guests from around the world, including the world renowned comic book artist, Mike Mignola – creator of Hellboy.
We're very excited to also be celebrating the first anniversary of DC's Young Animal comics imprint, by welcoming the line's curator, writer and co-creator of other hits such as Umbrella Academy and The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and former My Chemical Romance frontman - the amazing Gerard Way - as a guest of honour to 2017's festival, with many more guests to be announced in the new year.
Lisa Wood, Festival Director said:
‘Thought Bubble has been at the forefront of comic book culture in the UK for ten years and over this time the festival has become THE premier destination for thousands of comic book fans, artists, writers and industry representatives. After our first event which was presented in the basement of Leeds Town Hall and attracted an audience of 500 it seems fitting that we’ll be returning to the city centre with a huge festival village that will enable more people than ever before to experience the wonderful world of comic books and graphic novels. The move wouldn’t be possible without Leeds City Council and we thank them for their invaluable support which will help us remain true to our reputation as one of the most important places in the world for comic art.’Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said:
‘We are delighted to be working with Thought Bubble as the festival makes this exciting move into the city centre. After ten years, Thought Bubble has grown into the most successful event of its kind in the UK and has provided a huge range of creative opportunities for people living and working in the city. Leeds City Council’s support of the event reflects our wider investment in the arts as we recognise the positive impact it can make on people’s lives. Thought Bubble complements a huge range of unique and innovative festivals and events taking place across Leeds throughout the year.’Thought Bubble Festival is the UK’s largest event of its kind – an annual celebration of sequential art in all its forms. Including everything from superhero comics to independent and small-press artists and writers, Thought Bubble seeks to promote literacy and artistic skills through the medium of sequential art. Thought Bubble formed in 2007 as a non-profit-making organisation dedicated to promoting comics, graphic novels, and animation as an important national and international cultural art-form.
