The Royal Academy of Illustration & Design, aka R.A.I.D., is an award-winning artist collective located in Toronto’s historic Parkdale. With a primary focus on comics and graphic novels, R.A.I.D. is a creative ecosystem where artists can build their ideas, collaborate, and access varied expressive platforms. Through its network of creatives, R.A.I.D. also operates as a scaleable creative agency that offers expertise in creative concepts, idea development, and visual solutions involving illustration, design, animation, film, multi-media, and sequential art.

A BRIEF HISTORY

R.A.I.D. was founded in 2002 by friends Chip Zdarsky, Ben Shannon, Kagan Mcleod, and Cameron Stewart. What began as a shared space for four artists eager to make their mark grew and evolved into an artist collective featuring some of the finest talents in the comic and sequential art industry. Ensuing years saw residencies by such notable artists as Kalman Andrasofszky, Karl Kerschl, Andy Belanger, Scott Hepburn, Cary Nord, Marcus To, Paul Rivoche, Francis Manapul, and Ramón K Pérez. Some staying a short time, while others have made it their home to this day. With such a varied array of creatives and an ever-evolving array of new voices entering the collective, individuals are given a unique space to learn, collaborate, and inspire. In 2018 R.A.I.D. expanded to its new headquarters located at 1720 Queen Street West in Parkdale, Toronto ON. Within these walls you can find our creative ecosystem;

• RAID Work, a co-working space for creatives to create and collaborate.
• RAID Create, a scaleable agency to meet every client’s needs.
• RAID Press, an independent publishing avenue for creators, by creators.

In out space you’ll also find;

• RAID Gallery & Cafe, the RAID gallery of Sequential & Illustrative Arts whose mandate is to showcase, educate, and inform on the most pervasive yet often neglected form of art; comic books. The gallery also boasts a cafe and snack bar hosted by El Almacen Parkdale.

AWARDS & NOMINATIONS 

Members of the The RAID Studio, a curated collective of elite professionals, garnered critical acclaim through numerous awards and nominations across many fields and industries, such as digital media, animation, short films, children’s literature, video games, and comics.

NOTABLE RECOGNITIONS INCLUDE:

• • Multiple Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards, and Schuster awards in the sequential arts.
  • Official Selection of the Silver Birch Non-Fiction Awards
  • ForeWord Book of the Year Award for children’s literature.
  • Silver medal from the Society of Illustrators.
  • Multiple features in Spectrum and American Illustration.