Providence Anime Conference (PAC) was a three-day
anime convention
An anime and manga convention (often called just anime convention) is a fan convention with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Anime conventions are commonly multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college cam ...
held in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
.
It was the first 21-and-older anime convention.
PAC was created by the
New England Anime Society, a
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
-based
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
also responsible for creating
Anime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Anime Boston was created and is run by the New England Anime Society, Inc., a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization.
Pro ...
.
History
Providence Anime Conference was announced at Anime Boston 2007 with a 21-and-older age requirement and programing geared towards mature fans.
The convention estimated that attendance would be in the thousands for the first year, and instituted a 2000-attendee cap, but only registered 211 paid attendees.
Problems with the convention included a remote convention location, an expensive convention center with limited public transportation, the 21-and-older age requirement, and no one-day passes.
At times, the convention's halls were empty due to heavy panel attendance and the dealers suffered due to the frugality of the attendees.
Positives included cash bars selling alcoholic beverages, the use of adult language, and full panel rooms with good Q&A's and discussions.
The low attendance caused the convention to lose money and not return for the immediate future.
Even with those problems, the convention was felt by many to be a good experience.
At Anime Boston 2018, a panel titled "Providence Anime Conference: 10 Years Later" was presented. During this panel, several former members of PAC staff told the tale of how the convention came to exist, what went wrong, and the legacy it left behind.
Event history
See also
*
Anime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Anime Boston was created and is run by the New England Anime Society, Inc., a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization.
Pro ...
*
New England Anime Society
*
Sangawa Project
*
Ushicon
*
List of anime conventions
A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
References
External links
Official Providence Anime Conference Website (Archived)Official New England Anime Society Website Providence Anime Conference's parent organization
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Defunct anime conventions
Recurring events established in 2008
2008 establishments in Rhode Island
Recurring events disestablished in 2008
Culture of Providence, Rhode Island
Conventions in Rhode Island