The Australian Cartoonists' Association (ACA) is the Australian professional cartoonists' organisation and was established on 17 July 1924 as the Society of Australian Black and White Artists. It was the first association of newspaper artists in the world.
It soon became The Black and White Artists Society; and, by 1938, its name had been changed to The Black and White Artists Club. By 1939, it had a sketching division and an etching division.
In 2024, a collection of artworks were put on display in the exhibit "A Century of Satire" at State Library of New South Wales to celebrate 100 years since the Black & White Artists Club began.
First clubrooms
The Association's first clubrooms were at 250 George Street, Sydney.
Founding members
Founding members were 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, Fred Knowles and Cecil Hartt, who was elected president.
Other notable members
- Jules Faber (elected president 2009)
- Alex Gurney
Hall of Fame
- Jimmy Bancks (1889–1952) – creator of Ginger Meggs
- Stanley Cross (1888–1977) – creator of The Potts and Wally and the Major
- Will Dyson (1880–1938) – political cartoonist (Bulletin, Melbourne Punch, Daily Herald)
- Ken Emerson (1927–2010) – creator of On The Rocks and The Warrumbunglers
- George Finey (1895–1987) – cartoonist (Smith's Weekly)
- May Gibbs (1877–1969) – author and illustrator
- Alex Gurney (1902–1955) – creator of Bluey and Curley
- Jeff Hook (1928–2018) – editorial cartoonist for the Hobart Mercury, Herald Sun
- Eric Jolliffe (1907–2001) – creator of Witchetty's Tribe and Saltbush Bill
- Percy Leason (1889–1959) – early political cartoonist (Bulletin, Melbourne Punch)
- Vane Lindesay (1920–) – cartoonist, author and cartoon historian
- Norman Lindsay (1879–1969) – acclaimed artist, sculptor and cartoonist
- David Low (1891–1963) – political cartoonist and caricaturist
- Phil May (1864–1903) – caricaturist
- Emile Mercier (1901–1981) – editorial cartoonist for The Mirror
- Pat Oliphant (1935– ) – 1967 Pulitzer Prize winner
- Bruce Petty (1929–2023) – political cartoonist and animator
- Ron Tandberg (1943–2018) – editorial cartoonist for The Age
- Monty Wedd (1921–2012) – creator of Captain Justice, Ned Kelly and Ben Hall comic strips
ACA presidents
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Term
!align="left"|President
|-
| align="left"|1924–39
| align="centr"|Cecil Hartt
|-
| align="left"|1931–54
| align="centr"|Stan Cross
|-
| align="left"|1955–57
| align="centr"|Jim Russell
|-
| align="left"|1958–64
| align="centr"|Doug Albion <br/>(acting for Jim Russell)
|-
| align="left"|1965–73
| align="centr"|Jim Russell
|-
| align="left"|1974
| align="centr"|Doug Albion
|-
| align="left"|1975
| align="centr"|Tony Rafty
|-
| align="left"|1976
| align="centr"|Max Ariev
|-
| align="left"|1977
| align="centr"|Dan Russell
|-
| align="left"|1978
| align="centr"|Jim Swanson
|-
| align="left"|1979
| align="centr"|Ian Cox
|-
| align="left"|1980
| align="centr"|Arthur Hudson
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Term
!align="left"|President
Previous recipients of the award are:
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Awardee
|-
| align="left"|1985
| align="centr"|Jim Russell
|-
| align="left"|1986
| align="centr"|The Bulletin
|-
| align="left"|1987
| align="centr"|John Thorby
|-
| align="left"|1988
| align="centr"|Vane Lindesay
|-
| align="left"|1989
| align="centr"|State Library of New South Wales
|-
| align="left"|1990
| align="centr"|James Kemsley
|-
| align="left"|1991
| align="centr"|Dan Russell
|-
| align="left"|1992
| align="centr"|Lindsay Foyle
|-
| align="left"|1993
| align="centr"|John Champion
|-
| align="left"|1994
| align="centr"|Les Dixon
|-
| align="left"|1995
| align="centr"|Cole Buchanan
|-
| align="left"|1996
| align="centr"|Tony Rafty
|-
| align="left"|1997
| align="centr"|L. J. Hooker
|-
| align="left"|1998
| align="centr"|Jeff Hook
|-
| align="left"|1999
| align="centr"|Roger Fletcher
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Awardee