Caption 2025 Comic Festival: Dates, Venue, and Must-See Panels
The venue for the relaunched Caption Comic Festival has been announced! It will take place on August 16th and 17th, 2025, at Seacourt Hall, located at 3 Church Way, Botley, Oxford OX2 9TH. As always, children under 16 accompanied by an adult can attend Caption for free.
Contrary to some photos on Google Maps, the venue does exist. More information can be found at www.seacourthall.org.uk. It is located a mile and a half from Oxford Station, or five miles by car. There is a car park behind Seacourt Hall that offers two hours of free parking, after which paid parking applies. Buses on routes 4 A/B/C, S1, and U1 stop nearby on West Way and Westminster Way, making it accessible via several bus routes. Additionally, for those looking to stay over the weekend, the Oxford Botley Premier Inn is just around the corner, along with other nearby accommodation options.
There is reserved parking on-site for attendees with disabilities, so please reach out to Caption if you need this arrangement. If you need to bring a primary carer, they will also get in for free. Seacourt Hall is fully accessible, featuring all on one level with accessible toilets and changing rooms for parents with young children. If you have any special requirements, you are encouraged to contact the committee as soon as possible so that you can be assisted.
The schedule of panels
The schedule of panels is being finalised and currently includes:
Broken Frontier's Six To Watch - hosted by Andy Oliver, features the following creators: Cara Brown (creator of Everything's Fine), Mike Armstrong (Rose Thornhill and the Troll Bridge), Dominique Duong (The Dog & The Cat), and Shane Melisse (They're Coming Down The Stairs).
The Long And Short Of It - A panel discussing the creation of long and short form comics with guests Beck Kubrick (Dead Girls), Paul Rainey (There's No Time Like The Present) and Lucy Sullivan (Barking), hosted by Barry Renshaw (Engine Comics).
True Tales- The Stories We Tell - An exploration of autobiographical comics with creators Chris Shepherd (Anfield Road); Lucy Sullivan (Barking); Cara Brown (Everything's Fine) and Zara Slattery (Coma) published by Myriad Editions. The panel will be hosted by Barry Renshaw (Engine Comics).
More panellists will be added in the coming months.
Portfolio Reviews
This year's Caption is taking an educational direction by providing attendees with opportunities to engage directly with established creators for guidance and advice on their own projects. The aim is to highlight how established creators can assist up-and-coming creators, whether through practical skills like storytelling and printing, or through promotional activities such as marketing, exhibiting at conventions, and navigating social media.
For Caption 2025 - Rebirth, in addition to the aforementioned panels and valuable networking opportunities with fellow creators, a limited number of portfolio reviews will be available with volunteer guests.
These will be 20-minute slots throughout the day, featuring one-on-one discussions with established creators who have been in similar positions and have continued to succeed in their own unique ways. The reviews are informal, without promise of employment, bias, or agenda, and are available to offer help in whatever ways are needed. They are FREE with a valid ticket for the festival.
This is a unique opportunity to spend quality time with industry professionals. Expect these portfolio reviews to fill up quickly; interested creators can visit https://caption.sumupstore.com/page/portfolio-review-info to learn how to register their interest when purchasing a ticket, including their contact details, preferred professional, and a brief paragraph describing the type of advice or help sought.
More reviewers will be welcomed to the list closer to the event. One of those is publisher and editor Shane Chebsey of Scratch Comics, home of hit titles such as Hedrek, Dracula The Return, Fully Loaded, and Claudia Christian's Dark Legacies. Shane has been a champion and activist for independent and small press comics for over thirty years in publishing and distribution, as well as an organiser of multiple events.
The other professionals volunteering their time include:
- Lucy Sullivan (Barking)
- Andy Oliver (Saturday only) (Broken Frontier)
- Beck Kubrick (Dead Girls)
- Chris Shepherd (Anfield Road)
- Dominique Duong (Saturday only) (The Dog & The Cat)
If you already have a ticket, then email captionfest@gmail.com with your ticket reference number, your contact details, preferred professional in order of preference and a brief paragraph of what type of advice or help you're looking for.
