What is Festival Rayón?
Since 2018, our festival has focused on creating a unique meeting point for artists from different backgrounds in Mexico and around the world. It is a moment of exchange that includes the general public and people interested in connecting with naive, contemporary, urban, surrealist, and tropicalized drawings and illustration through different activities. Through the festival—and our programme in general—we have been fortunate to see dozens of projects start, emerge, and transform their role in a scene as rich and complex as ours over the past seven years.
At the same time, being part of the festival has allowed people from different countries to get to know Mexico from a perspective that is both unique and familiar. In addition to being able to meet in person with artists they have connected with through social media, our country has a graphic arts industry with a wide range of suppliers like few other cities, allowing them to produce merchandise in different formats at an incredibly affordable cost, saving them from having to import their products and making their trip cheaper, more comfortable, and safer.
WHAT WILL THE SIXTH EDITION BE LIKE?
With the change of venue, this will be the largest edition to date: With a total of 1,600 m², an estimated attendance of 5,000 visitors per day, and more than 350 participating projects (including exhibitors, speakers, workshop facilitators, suppliers, and distributors), this edition will be another step toward showing that our community continues to expand and consolidate itself in the public's taste.
The festival is a free event, with limited capacity and for all ages. It consists of two important sections:
SUPER TIANGUIS DE DIBUJO
It is the festival fair, and this year it will consist of several sections:
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GENERAL SECTION: Projects and artists with original work and merchandise from different parts of the country. The list of exhibitors is different each day.
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INTERNATIONAL SECTION: Projects and artists with original work and merchandise residing in regions outside of Mexico, who will be present on both days.
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PUBLISHING SECTION: Dedicated to projects (national or international) that distribute independent publications and fanzines. Participation is less expensive in order to level the playing field with the general section, whose products tend to sell more easily than publications.
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SUPPLIES SECTION: A space for stationery stores and suppliers of drawing materials.
public program
Free and paid activities focused on creating opportunities for exchange and creative and professional growth. With activities for all ages and levels of experience and for the development of technical skills. Some examples are: workshops, talks, screenings, public walls, consultations, the library, etc.
This year, due to popular demand, the workshops will also be available to artists and professionals interested in joining the Public Program through an open call.
FRONTÓN BUCARELI
Also known as Frontón Inclán, this 1,600 m2 venue is located in the Juarez neighborhood, in downtown Mexico City. With a single floor, this change of location will allow us to carry out all the festival's activities with greater comfort than our previous venues.
This location will allow maximum accessibility from all points of the city with a 7-minute walk away from the Cuauhtémoc Metro station, 9 minutes from the Balderas Metro station, and 10 minutes from the Reforma Metrobus station,
The Super Tianguis and the Public Program will be distributed throughout the Frontón to allow the public to explore it in its entirety and experience a full day of activities.
The participation fees for all activities will be used to cover the venue rental, furniture and equipment rental, signage, decoration, operating staff fees, security, paramedics, cleaning, volunteers, and power plant rental.
How can I participate?
All calls for submissions are open to individuals over the age of 18, of Mexican or foreign nationality, who have previous and verifiable experience in any of the activities in which they wish to participate, whether as an exhibitor, workshop facilitator, or speaker.
All calls for proposals have their own application process, and the application deadlines are final.
The application process is free of charge, and the costs of participation if the proposal is selected are shown in the rules of each call.
CALLS FOR APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE
INTERNATIONAL SUPER TIANGUIS DE DIBUJO
FROM DECEMBER 18, 2025 TO JANUARY 16, 2026 AT 11:59 PM
Exclusively for projects based abroad that would visit Mexico specifically to be part of the festival. People who are considering migrating to Mexico or who already live here will have to apply through the national call for proposals, as the costs are different and do not require an urgent response.
Unlike the General Section, international exhibitors will participate on Saturday and Sunday.
PUBLISHers SECTION
FROM DECEMBER 20, 2025 TO JANUARY 20, 2026 AT 11:59 PM
For local or foreign projects that focus exclusively on the publication and distribution of self-published works, artist books, fanzines, and other formats. This format only includes table space and does not allow for the sale of other types of products, except for prints smaller than A4.
naTional super tianguis de dibujo
FROM JANUARY 16 TO FEBRUARY 13, 2026, AT 11:59 PM
Aimed at projects that sell original work, reproductions, decorative or utilitarian products that represent their community and are in continuous dialogue with the alternative illustration scene, fanzines and self-publishing, independent comics, and the symbols and references of various subcultures and schools of thought, as opposed to styles more closely aligned with fandom conventions.
workshops
FROM FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH 4, 2026, AT 11:59 PM
This year, we will open the festival workshops to open call submissions. Workshop facilitators must propose the didactic and teaching structure of the workshop, while Rayón will be responsible for the development, promotion, ticket sales and production of the workshops.
public forum
FROM FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH 4, 2026, AT 11:59 PM
Open to publications or initiatives presentations, animated reels screenings, individual or group talks, all related to drawing and of public interest.
