a charity-run event
The Guildhall Trust are a registered charity, dedicated to arts and culture. We operate the grade II listed Portsmouth Guildhall, situated in the top 10% of the most deprived areas of the country, where Comic Con takes place annually. All proceeds from the event are directed straight back into our community outreach work, which reaches as many children, young people and those in hard-to-reach areas as possible.
We provide free, innovative and accessible learning and participation opportunities, including creative skills workshops, industry days, creative careers roadshows and work experience opportunities to support schools, colleges, community groups and individuals. Comic Con expands our reach by creating a wholly accessible, inclusive and wholesome event that is designed for our community and visitors from across the UK and beyond.
The community and inclusivity
Our Con has always emphasised the importance of the community, and we have proudly stuck by that as our event grew over the years. Despite our small start, it is exactly thanks to this community and this endless support from our fans and everyone else involved that we have been able to expand and reach greater heights with each next run of our event.
While media puts a very big pressure on Cons to deliver the newest trailers, announcements and the biggest celebritites, our Con has never really been about that. For us, it is more about celebrating the geeky culture, and celebrating the fans.
From the very start, it has always been our objective to make this a safe space for everyone to be who they want to be and express themselves without limits, without judgement and without prejudice, and we hope that every year we have gotten closer and closer to achieving that. Inclusivity stands in the centre of our values, and it is engraved in the core of this whole event, so we want everyone to feel welcomed and seen at our Con.
the artists and the panels
At Portsmouth Comic Con, it’s all about celebrating the talents and knowledge of all the gifted and exceptional people that are in this industry. Each year, our Artist Alley grows with names both up-and-coming and industry veterans, and we are so proud to have welcomed some of the most brilliant individuals from all over the world into our venue.
We also think it is of high importance to discuss and create healthy debates around all the major relevant topics that the modern-day pop culture touches upon, like inclusivity, representation, big franchises and popular genres, and we always try to create entertaining and educational panels around that.
the cosplay parade
It all ties in together with our values and aims to create a safe space where everyone can be whoever they would like to be, and everyone can be applauded and celebrated. Open for everyone to participate, the parade always creates a positive and energetic atmosphere, and the main stage gets swept up in the magic of these dazzling cosplayers.
The venue and its history
Originally built in the year 1890 as the Portsmouth Town Hall, it got severely damaged as a result from the WWII bombings and later in the 1950s, it was reconstructed to the look we know today. It has been operating as a venue for many decades now, and has hosted major artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who.
For Portsmouth Comic Con weekend, the venue magically tranforms into a geeky paradise, and the atmosphere is out of this world- something everyone must experience at least once.
