AVCon
| AVCon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Venue | Adelaide Showground |
| Location(s) | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Inaugurated | July 20, 2002 |
| Next event | July 5, 2025 |
| Attendance | 17,000 (2024) |
| Organised by | Team AVCon Incorporated |
| Filing status | Not-for-profit |
| Website | www |
AVCon is an Australian anime and video games festival held annually in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the largest combined anime and gaming festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
AVCon showcases anime, video gaming, tabletop gaming, Japanese culture, art and technology in one large, all-ages event. AVCon is organised by the volunteer-based not-for-profit Team AVCon Incorporated.[1]
Events and programming
[edit]The festival is divided into multiple sections focusing on individual industries or fandoms.
- Anime screening rooms
- Manga library
- Industry and community-based panels and workshops
- Video game free play
- The 'Indie Games Room' for local game development
- Retro game museum
- Esports and video game tournaments
- Art tutorials and creative competitions
- Tabletop area including role-playing games, trading card games, board games, and wargaming
- Cosplay
- Quiz night
- Kids learning and activity area
- Artist Alley and exhibitor halls
- Community areas and meetups
- Maid café
AVCon After Dark
[edit]AVCon After Dark is the 18+ event that is complementary to AVCon and hosts content with a mature age ratings, alcohol consumption, burlesque and other performances.
Games 4 Kids
[edit]In December 2023, Team AVCon Inc. ran its inaugural 'Games 4 Kids' charity, using donations and proceeds from its Christmas Artist Market to purchase several PlayStation 5 units for donation to the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital.
Festival history
[edit]Early years (2002–2008)
[edit]AVCon began in 2002 as a joint effort between volunteers of the University of South Australia's Adelaide Japanese Animation Society (AJAS) and the Adelaide University Video Gamers Association (AUVGA). Originally known as ‘AVConnection’ (a reference to the AV cables that connect a game console or DVD player to a TV) for the first two years, the event was held at the University of Adelaide in the Union building. It featured anime screenings, video game free play, vendor hall, quiz night and cosplay.
In 2004, the event officially changed its name to ‘AVCon’ and continued to expand on the University of Adelaide campus.
In 2008, the event outgrew its convention status. It officially changed its title to 'festival' and registered their organising body ‘Team AVCon Incorporated’ as an incorporated entity and registered not-for-profit.[2]
Growth and expansion (2009–2019)
[edit]In 2009, AVCon had grown past the point that it could be categorised as a simple university club event and thus was no longer suitable to host at the University of Adelaide campus. Team AVCon Inc. made the decision to relocate the event to the Adelaide Convention Centre to reflect its status as an established festival. This venue upgrade and addition of new activities, such as the Indie Game Room, The Ichigo Ke-Ki Maid Cafe and the Adelaide qualifying leg for the Madman National Cosplay Championship, resulted in double the previous year's attendance.
In 2011, AVCon hosted its first guests with local celebrities Jade and Ryan from Cheez TV and internet content creator Martin "LittleKuriboh" Billany. AVCon then began courting local and international talent as guests for each subsequent year.
In 2015, AVCon added esports to its line-up with community matches and professional teams competing in Dota 2 and StarCraft II. It also hosted the first AusSpeedruns speedrunning marathon.
In 2016, AVCon added a dedicated tabletop gaming section to its activities alongside video games, including tabletop roleplaying games, Japanese and Western trading card games, board games, and wargaming.
During these years, AVCon secured support and partnered with many large companies, such as principal sponsorship with Australian Internet service provider Internode (now known as iiNet) and Nintendo Australia.
COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023)
[edit]Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the 2020 AVCon festival was cancelled.[3] The 2021 AVCon festival was scheduled to be held at a reduced capacity at the Morphettville Racecourse from 9–11 July; however, it was cancelled due to pandemic restrictions.[4] On the 16 March 2022, an official statement was released on Team AVCon's social media and website announcing that due to the ongoing possibility of COVID-19 complications returning, AVCon would not be held in 2022.[5] Instead, in 2022, Team AVCon held two small-scale events. As part of the Adelaide Fringe, an artist market in the style of their Artist Alley was run, and in July, an AVCon After Dark style event was held that featured DJs, artists, and local vendors.
After a three-year hiatus, and with COVID-19 measures lifted in South Australia, AVCon was held again as a large event at the Adelaide Convention Centre on 21–23 July 2023 with reduced space and a selection of virtual panels.
New era (2024–present)
[edit]In 2024, Team AVCon Inc. moved the event to the Adelaide Showground with a renewed focus on creative and community orientated aspects such as fun themes, commissioned art, mini events, community outreach, cafe with maids, panels, art classes, arcades and guests. The event on Saturday reached capacity and for the first time Team AVCon Inc. had to advise publicly that Saturday were sold out. AVCon also ran its first After Dark in the new format that included R18+ art and games, drawing workshops, alcohol service and a burlesque show. In 2025 AVCon will return to the Adelaide Showground with more space and more content.
Previous festivals
[edit]| Dates | Location | Theme | Guests | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 20–21, 2002 | University of Adelaide | None | Neil Phillips | |
| July 19–20, 2003 | University of Adelaide | None | Neil Phillips | |
| July 17–18, 2004 | University of Adelaide | Wacky Japan | None | Connell Wood |
| July 16–17, 2005 | University of Adelaide | RPG | None | Connell Wood |
| July 14–16, 2006 | University of Adelaide | Pirates vs Ninjas | None | Mitchell Chapman |
| July 20–22, 2007 | University of Adelaide | Rock Show | None | Mitchell Chapman |
| July 26–27, 2008 | University of Adelaide | Space Opera | None | Mark Stoffels |
| July 24–26, 2009 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Heroes and Villains | None | Mel Dyer |
| July 23–25, 2010 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Into the Woods | None | Thomas Baker |
| July 22–24, 2011 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Retro | Little Kuriboh, Ryan Lappin, Jade Gatt | Thomas Baker |
| July 27–29, 2012 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Neon Future | Cassandra Lee Morris, Crispin Freeman | Tom Birdseye |
| July 12–14, 2013 | Adelaide Convention Centre | School Days | Jessica Nigri, Chris Cason, Spike Spencer | Tom Birdseye |
| July 18–20, 2014 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Fantasy RPG | Jon St. John, Cherami Leigh, Chris Avellone | William Brennan |
| July 17–19, 2015 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Detective Agency | Jennifer Hale, Yaya Han, Eve Beauregard | William Brennan |
| July 15–17, 2016 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Magica vs Mecha | Caitlin Glass, Good Game cast Steven "Bajo" O'Donnell, Stephanie "Hex" Bendixsen, Gus "Goose" Ronald, Nich "NichBoy" Richardson and Michael "Hingers" Hing | Kira Austin |
| July 21–23, 2017 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Winter Festival | Quinton Flynn, Jen Taylor, Chris Pope, Steve Downes | Kira Austin[6] |
| July 20–22, 2018 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Evolution | Spike Spencer, Neil Kaplan, Major Sam Cosplay, Beke Cosplay, Vera Chimera, Knitemaya | Anthony Kearney[7] |
| July 5–7, 2019 | Adelaide Convention Centre | Join the Party | Paul St. Peter, D.C. Douglas | Ethan Levy[8] |
| Cancelled | N/A | N/A | Emily Franzon | |
| Morphettville Racecourse | Ultimate Fighter | JoshDub, Mully, SmashingVR, Michael Cusack, Henchwench, Scrap Shop Props | Emily Franzon | |
| No Dates, 2022 | No Event Run | N/A | N/A | Thao Vuong |
| July 21–23, 2023 | Adelaide Convention Centre | 21st Birthday | Lisle Wilkerson, Hiroshi Nagahama, Toshio Furukawa (Virtual), Shogo Sakata (Virtual) | Thao Vuong |
| June 28-30, 2024 | Adelaide Showground (Jubilee Pavilion) | Sports Festival | Bryce Papenbrook, Ladybeard (as frontman of Babybeard), Dokibird (VTuber), Whereisdanielledebs Cosplay, Zaphy Cosplay, Shadinski Cosplay, Grizzly Ghoul Cosplay, Rowenberry Cosplay, Galaxy Girl PAiDA | Matthew "Mowen" Owen |
| July 5-6, 2025 | Adelaide Showground (Jubilee and Wayville Pavilions) | TBA | TBA | Matthew "Mowen" Owen |
Mascots
[edit]AVCon’s original mascots were Ayvee (a green-haired anime-inspired humanoid female with angel wings) and Sprite, her koala animal friend. In 2004 a male counterpart to Ayvee was added named Switch (a grey-haired, anime-inspired humanoid). With Switch's introduction, Sprite featured only as a background character for a period before disappearing completely. Ayvee and Switch have been featured in art and promotional material drawn by various artists every year since. Ayvee, Switch and Sprite were created by two of AVCon's original organisers; Connell Wood and Melissa Waterman.
In 2021, a more petite pink-haired humanoid female named Juliette was designed and added to represent the AVCon 'Ichigo Ke-Ki' Maid Cafe, but has since been refocused as a general mascot. Juliette was created by artist Rae Harris.
For the 2024 event, a new character was brought on because of the need for four team captains for that year’s Sports Festival theme. A yellow-haired humanoid male with spiral glasses, a "nerd" aesthetic and robotic appendages. He was created by 2024 convenor Matthew "Mowen" Owen. This character was christened Wayville and his robot friend Ridley to honour the event's move to the Adelaide Showground.
Organisational structure
[edit]Team AVCon Incorporated, the parent organisation which produce AVCon, is a registered not-for-profit.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "About AVCon". AVCon official website. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Team AVCon Incorporated". Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission. 15 April 2021. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ "Coronavirus – what services and events are affected in SA?". NewsComAu. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "AVCon 2021 Cancellation". Facebook. 23 July 2021.
- ^ "AVCon 2022 Announcement". Team AVCon Facebook. 16 March 2022.
- ^ "AVCon financial Reporting 2016" (PDF). Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Birdseye, Tom (27 June 2018). "AVCon financial reporting 2017" (PDF). Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "AVCon Financial Reporting 2018" (PDF). Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). 25 June 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2024.