The Minneapolis Indie Xpo (MIX), a popular and growing showcase for independent artists, won't be back for the foreseeable future.

Sarah Morean, who directed the show in its two years of existence, mentioned last year in an interview with Tom Spurgeon that the show wouldn't be back in 2012. She also suggested that "after this year it might not happen again." Now, however, Morean has given official word on the MIX website that the event won't return, although she remains hopeful for the potential of similar shows in the future.

So do I. Robot 6 wishes Morean and the other MIX organizers the best in future endeavors.

Dear MIX Supporters,

In the months approaching MIX’s second annual show in 2011, organizers made the decision to put things on hold and take a break in 2012.

This hiatus has yielded the firm decision that MIX will be discontinued permanently for reasons unrelated to the show’s success.

By all accounts, MIX was an enormous success and stood every chance of growing still. Let that be encouragement for any future comics fans or would-be organizers who might consider starting a new show of their own in our absence.

We certainly did our best — in partnership with many great artists, partners and sponsors — to create an attractive, well-run and high-quality showcase of independent comics for the city of Minneapolis. We increased attendance from 1000 to 2200 in one year, by extending the show to two days and heightening awareness of comics and our festival through ongoing promotions and partnerships. We provided high-quality programming which will continue to be archived on our site and YouTube page (stay tuned for future additions). Also, we created an environment that invited more Midwesterners to encounter exclusively indie comics, sometimes for the first time, on their own home turf.

We continue to believe in comic books, their independent creators, and this city which without a doubt has a love for them.

We will do our best to continue to connect the public here to the greater Minnesota comics community by sharing comics-related news and events through our Facebook and Twitter accounts, for as long as it is possible to do so. Feel free to alert us of an opportunity to share your comics-related events.

Thank you for your encouragement over the years shown through emails, tweets, assistance, blog posts, smiles, kind press or in-person hand shakes. At times it was sustaining.

You have all been the very best, and we are grateful for what we’ve done here. Thanks to the artists and thanks to all of you who helped support us, supporting them.

Our apologies to hopeful exhibitors or attendees who were never able to participate in the Minneapolis Indie Xpo. We would encourage you to attend Minneapolis’ other great local shows, including the Midwest Comic Book Association’s two annual shows SpringCon and FallCon, Rain Taxi’s Twin Cities Book Festival, the Twin Cities Zinefest and the Minnesota Center for Book Arts’ Book Arts Festival, among others (we hope) are in the works.

With Kind Regards,

Sarah Morean

Festival Director, 2010 and 2011