Toronto Comic Arts Festival founder and artistic director Chris Butcher will receive the insignia of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from French Minister of Culture Franck Riester in a ceremony at the Toronto Reference Library on Thursday, the French consulate in Toronto announced.  Also attending the ceremony will be Ambassador of France to Canada Kareen Rispal and Consul General of France in Toronto Tudor Alexis.

The honor is given to artists, writers and others who have contributed to the promotion of the arts and literature in France and around the world, and have made "significant contributions to the enrichment of French cultural heritage."

Butcher has been a big promoter of bandes dessinees (French graphic novels) at TCAF and as manager from 2002 to 2017 at famed Toronto retailer The Beguiling.

"I am thrilled to support the decoration of Mr. Christopher Butcher in l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres," French Minister of Culture Riester said.  "This initiative is perfectly in line with the objective of the French Ministry of Culture to reward the talents who succeed in boosting an artistic sector by making it accessible to a wide audience.  I am delighted to award him this high French distinction."