CFP: Popular Arts Conference 2026

CFP: 2026 Popular Arts Conference

The Popular Arts Conference (PAC) invites submissions for our 19th Annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, September 3-7, 2026.

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.

A broad range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives is sought, including but not limited to proposals pertaining to literary and art criticism, cultural studies, history, communications, philosophy, linguistics, pedagogy, law, and scientific studies of pop culture. 

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

Submission Types:

• Individual talks (usually 15-20 minutes)

• Group panels (1 hour)

• Roundtables, workshops, and book sessions (1 hour)

More information and submission instructions are available at: https://populararts.org/2026-cfp/ 

Submissions Deadline: To receive the fullest consideration, proposals will be submitted by January 12, 2026. Submissions that come in after this deadline may still be considered, on a case-by-case basis.

Send any questions to: [email protected]