The National Cartoonists Society is a non-profit membership organization open to professional cartoonists and tradespeople anywhere in the world who are working in the fields of cartooning, illustration, animation, graphic storytelling and more. Founded in 1946, our purpose is 1. To advance the ideals and standards of professional cartooning in its many forms. 2. To promote and foster a social, cultural, and intellectual interchange among professional cartoonists of all types. 3. To stimulate and encourage interest in and acceptance of the art of cartooning by aspiring cartoonists, students, educational and artistic institutions, and the public.