Popular Arts Conference 2026

The Popular Arts Conference (PAC) is an annual academic conference for the studies of the popular arts, including science/speculative fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media; comic books and graphic novels; anime and manga; tabletop and video gaming; etc., presented to a mixed audience of scholars and fans. The mission of PAC is to promote scholarship on popular culture and to encourage engagement between scholars and fans in order to deepen our understanding of the popular arts. PAC presentations are peer reviewed, based on scholarly research.

PAC talks are presented to a mixed audience of academics and fans, and take place in conjunction withDragonCon, a large multi-media, popular culture convention. Presentations should be prepared with a general audience in mind. Presenters mustregister for DragonConif their paper is accepted in order to present. PAC is an in-person conference.