Australian Cartoonists' Association
An Australian professional organisation representing cartoonists and supporting the country’s cartooning tradition.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Australian Cartoonists' Association (ACA) is a professional organisation for cartoonists in Australia. It was established on 17 July 1924 under the name Society of Australian Black and White Artists and is described as the first association of newspaper artists in the world. The organisation emerged during a period when newspaper illustration, caricature, black-and-white drawing and editorial cartooning were important parts of Australian print culture. The association changed its name relatively soon after formation, first becoming known as the Black and White Artists Society and later, by 1938, the Black and White Artists Club. Its early activities extended beyond newspaper cartooning. By 1939, the organisation had both a sketching division and an etching division, reflecting the broader interests of its members in graphic art and illustration. Its first clubrooms were located at 250 George Street in Sydney. The ACA was founded by a group of Australian artists and newspaper cartoonists that included Reg Russom, Unk White, George Finey, Syd Nicholls, Jack Quayle, John Wiseman, Jack Baird, Joe Jonsson, Cyril Samuels, Frank Jessop, Brodie Mack, Mick Paul, Harry J Weston, Jack Waring, Syd Miller, Arthur Mailey, F. H. Cumberworth and Fred Knowles. Cecil Hartt was elected the organisation’s first president. The membership also included figures associated with the development of Australian cartooning, such as Alex Gurney. Jules Faber was elected president in 2009. The organisation’s activities include recognition of achievement in Australian cartooning. Its annual Stanley Awards honour cartoonists and cartooning work, while the Gold Stanley Award represents the association’s highest distinction for a cartoonist. The Jim Russell Award, formerly known as the Silver Stanley Award, recognises an individual or organisation that the ACA board considers to have made a significant contribution to Australian cartooning. The awards connect contemporary practitioners with the history of the association and with influential Australian cartoonists, including Stan Cross and Jim Russell, after whom the major awards are named. The ACA also serves as a continuing institutional link between professional cartoonists, newspaper art and Australia’s wider visual and satirical culture. Its history encompasses editorial cartooning, illustration and related graphic practices rather than a conventional commercial product portfolio. In 2024, the centenary of the organisation’s origins was marked by the State Library of New South Wales exhibition A Century of Satire, which displayed a collection of works associated with the first hundred years of the Black & White Artists Club tradition. The available reference material does not identify a current headquarters, detailed membership figures, current officeholders or a confirmed official website.
History
The Australian Cartoonists' Association was created on 17 July 1924 as the Society of Australian Black and White Artists. Its formation brought together a group of artists working in and around Australian newspaper illustration and cartooning. The organisation is regarded as the first association of newspaper artists in the world, giving it an important place in the institutional history of professional cartooning. The founding group included Reg Russom, Unk White, George Finey, Syd Nicholls, Jack Quayle, John Wiseman, Jack Baird, Joe Jonsson, Cyril Samuels, Frank Jessop, Brodie Mack, Mick Paul, Harry J Weston, Jack Waring, Syd Miller, Arthur Mailey, F. H. Cumberworth and Fred Knowles. Cecil Hartt was elected president. The association’s first clubrooms were at 250 George Street, Sydney, providing an identifiable meeting place for its early members. The body was subsequently known as the Black and White Artists Society and then as the Black and White Artists Club. By 1938, the latter name had been adopted. The organisation’s scope included more than newspaper cartooning: by 1939 it had a sketching division and an etching division. These divisions indicate that the club functioned as a broader community for practitioners of black-and-white graphic art, while remaining closely associated with professional newspaper artists. Over time, the organisation became known as the Australian Cartoonists' Association. Its historical membership included notable cartoonists such as Alex Gurney, and Jules Faber was elected president in 2009. The available reference material does not provide a complete chronological list of presidents, membership totals, office locations after the original Sydney clubrooms, or a detailed account of the association’s administrative structure. A major continuing activity is the Stanley Awards, which recognise achievement by Australian cartoonists. The Gold Stanley Award is described as the association’s highest honour for a cartoonist. The Jim Russell Award, previously called the Silver Stanley Award, is presented to an individual or organisation judged by the ACA board to have made a significant contribution to Australian cartooning. The awards preserve the memory of important practitioners, including Stan Cross, a long-serving ACA president whose name is attached to the Gold Stanley, and Jim Russell, whose name is attached to the contribution award. The association’s centenary was publicly commemorated in 2024. The State Library of New South Wales presented A Century of Satire, an exhibition featuring a collection of artworks and marking one hundred years since the beginning of the Black & White Artists Club tradition. This commemoration placed the association’s history within the broader story of Australian satire, newspaper art and political or social commentary. The ACA’s historical role therefore extends beyond member services: it is also a custodian and promoter of a distinctive Australian cartooning heritage.
- 2024
Centenary exhibition
[1]The State Library of New South Wales presented A Century of Satire, an exhibition marking one hundred years since the Black & White Artists Club began.
- 2009
Jules Faber elected president
[1]Cartoonist Jules Faber was elected president of the association.
- 1939
Sketching and etching divisions recorded
[1]The club had established sketching and etching divisions, broadening its activities beyond newspaper cartooning.
- 1938
Name becomes Black and White Artists Club
[1]By 1938, the organisation had adopted the name Black and White Artists Club after earlier use of Society of Australian Black and White Artists and Black and White Artists Society.
- 1924
Organisation established
[1]The Society of Australian Black and White Artists was established on 17 July 1924, with Cecil Hartt elected as its first president.
- 1924
First Sydney clubrooms
[1]The organisation’s first clubrooms were located at 250 George Street, Sydney.
Products and positioning
A national professional and cultural organisation supporting Australian cartoonists, preserving the history of newspaper and graphic cartooning, and recognising achievement through the Stanley Awards.
Awards and professional recognition
Stanley Awards
The Stanley Awards are annual awards issued by the Australian Cartoonists' Association to recognise achievement in Australian cartooning. They provide a formal platform for celebrating practitioners and work across the country’s cartooning field. The awards are named after Stan Cross, an Australian cartoonist and longtime ACA president, linking current recognition with the organisation’s institutional history.
Award
Gold Stanley Award
The Gold Stanley Award is described as the Australian Cartoonists' Association’s highest honour for a cartoonist. It represents the organisation’s ultimate form of professional recognition and commemorates the legacy of Stan Cross, whose long association with the ACA is reflected in the award’s name.
Contribution award
Jim Russell Award
The Jim Russell Award, formerly called the Silver Stanley Award, is given to an individual or organisation that the ACA board considers to have made a significant contribution to Australian cartooning. Unlike the Gold Stanley, which honours a cartoonist, this award can recognise wider contributions to the field.
Recent events
- 2024
Australian Cartoonists' Association marks its centenary[1]
Other
The association’s hundred-year history was commemorated through A Century of Satire, an exhibition at the State Library of New South Wales displaying a collection of cartooning artworks.
Sources1 sources
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