ACE! Australian Comics Exhibition is the first international exhibition series dedicated exclusively to promoting contemporary Australian comic artists overseas.
Created, curated, and produced by Jakub Mazerant through IllustrateYourLife - Studio for Creative Collaboration, the project introduces Australian comics to global audiences while building lasting cultural connections through visual storytelling.
The project has created significant opportunities for Australian creators to exhibit internationally, engage with new audiences, collaborate with artists overseas, and participate in educational and cultural exchange programs.

ACE! Australian Comics Exhibition

ACE! showcases the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary Australian comics, presenting artists with distinct visual styles, storytelling approaches, and cultural perspectives. The exhibition reflects Australia’s multicultural identity while proudly recognising First Nations voices through the inclusion of works by Indigenous Australian comic artists.
Beyond promoting individual creators, ACE! introduces international audiences to Australia’s wider comics community by highlighting home-grown festivals, events, publishers, and creative initiatives.

Celebrating Diversity & Community

Since 2018, ACE! has featured the work of 50 Australian comic artists across five international exhibitions:
Łódź, Poland (2018), Berlin, Germany (2020), Bangkok, Thailand (2022), Chengdu, China (2024), Shanghai, China (2024)

Our Journey so far

The project is delivered in close collaboration with Australian diplomatic missions, supporting the Australian Government’s public diplomacy efforts to promote domestic culture, creativity, and artistic excellence overseas through long-term international partnerships:
Australian Embassy, Berlin
Australian Embassy, Bangkok
Australian Consulate-General, Chengdu
Australian Consulate-General, Shanghai

Diplomatic Partnerships

Every edition of ACE! includes a comprehensive public program designed by Jakub Mazerant and delivered in collaboration with universities, schools, galleries, museums, festivals, and cultural organisations.
Across the exhibition series, ACE! has included:
Panel discussions with Australian and international artists, academics, and industry professionals.
Artist talks exploring Australian comics and visual storytelling.
University masterclasses for art and design students.
Workshops for emerging artists and school students.
Children’s comic workshops encouraging creativity through drawing and storytelling.
Networking events connecting Australian creators with international creative communities.

Public Programs & Education

If you are interested in bringing ACE! to your city, participating as an artist, or supporting a future edition,

LET'S COLLABORATE
LET'S CONNECT
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Australian+Embassy+Thailand.jpg
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  • Shanghai, China

  • Shanghai, China

  • Shanghai, China

  • Shanghai, China

  • Chengdu, China

  • Chengdu, China

  • Chengdu, China

  • Chengdu, China

  • Bangkok, Thailand

  • Bangkok, Thailand

  • Bangkok, Thailand

  • Bangkok, Thailand

  • Berlin, Germany

  • Berlin, Germany

  • Berlin, Germany

  • Berlin, Germany

  • Łódź, Poland

  • Łódź, Poland

  • Łódź, Poland

  • Łódź, Poland

AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT

Each exhibition has been individually developed for its host city, with professionally curated displays, translated exhibition materials, and accompanying public programs designed to make Australian comics accessible to international audiences. 

CUSTOMISED SHOWS

The exhibition series was created to share Australian art and culture around the world. Helping to achieve this goal in an engaging and entertaining way is Casey the Koala.
Designed collaboratively by talented illustrator and comic artist Ben Mitchell and the ACE! founder, Jakub Mazerant, the friendly character became a staple of the show. Casey welcomes guests, emanating the Australian spirit from head to toe through the way he dresses and his relaxed attitude. The introduction of the mascot has been welcomed with great success, adding to already unique promotional elements such as a giant postcard and bespoke merchandise.

CASEY THE KOALA

ARTISTS INVOLVED

LET’S CONNECT

ACE! Australian Comics Exhibition offers cultural organisations, festivals, institutions and international partners a unique opportunity to engage new audiences. The exhibition showcases contemporary Australian creativity through an original, accessible and highly engaging format.

Featuring emerging and established Australian comic artists, ACE! works as a standalone exhibition or part of a larger festival. The lineup can be paired with talks, masterclasses, and workshops to engage children, youth, and adults alike.

For global audiences, ACE! offers a fresh look at Australia through contemporary visual storytelling, introducing lesser-known artists and perspectives. For Australian creators, it provides vital international exposure, new connections, and access to global creative communities.

For partner organisations, ACE! can become more than an exhibition. It can provide a distinctive cultural programme, generate opportunities for public engagement and education, and create meaningful connections between Australian and local artists, institutions and audiences.

The project also offers a strong platform for cultural diplomacy. Comics provide an accessible way to introduce Australian creativity, identity and contemporary culture while creating space for dialogue between countries. ACE! can support international relationships through culture in a way that is informal, engaging and relevant to audiences of different ages and backgrounds.

Partners can support an existing ACE! format or work with IllustrateYourLife to develop an edition tailored to a particular country, institution, festival or cultural programme.

For organisations looking to present Australian culture in an original way, support Australian artists internationally, enrich their cultural programming or contribute to stronger international connections, ACE! offers a project with a proven international framework and considerable scope for collaboration.

If you are interested in bringing ACE! to your city or supporting a future edition,

BRING ACE! TO YOUR CITY
LET'S CONNECT

www.australiancomicsexhibition.com