ArtCon to bring SciFi star and horror drama creators to Neosho

Neosho Arts Council will be presenting their annual pop culture convention, ArtCon, February 7, 2026. This year the organization is bringing more vendors and a bigger guest list to the event which celebrates the fine arts behind pop culture.

“ArtCon is growing once again and we are excited to have the community experience a comic convention right here in Neosho,” said Sarah Serio, president of Neosho Arts Council.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Chase Masterson who is best known for her role of “Leeta” on “Star Trek Deep Space Nine.” Plus Clay Adams, voice actor for animated shows like “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Both actors will also be taking part in a Q&A session during ArtCon to answer questions from attendees and talk about their acting work.

Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley, whose comic book “The Beauty” was just adapted into FX’s newest live action series are part of the comic creator line up.

“We are thrilled to have both Jeremy and Jason joining us at ArtCon,” Serio said. “These are two local comic creators who call southwest Missouri home and their work is being seen on the global stage.” The duo will be taking part in a special “The Beauty” centered panel.

Comic creator Ande Parks, whose comic “Ciudad” was adapted into the Netflix film “Extraction” starring Chris Hemsworth and who had a notable run working on the comic book “Green Arrow,” will be in attendance. Plus Kevin Mellon, known for his work as a director and art director for “Marvel’s Hit-Monkey” as well as work on shows like “Archer,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Black Lightning” will be at ArtCon.

“Megan Levens was a guest at our first ArtCon and she’s making her first return to the convention floor this year,” Serio said. Levens has drawn for numerous comics including “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” and “Buff the Vampire Slayer.”

Also in attendance will be Cullen Bunn, who’s written for Deadpool, XMen, and his own creator-comics, and JimmyZ Johnston, known for his work on books like Micronauts, The Tick, and Warlock 5.

The event will feature a full day of activities for all ages and a variety of interests while celebrating the fine arts that make comics, tv, movies, and games possible.

Those attending ArtCon can join free panels being held throughout the day on topics ranging across creative writing, comic creation, cosplay, and tabletop role play games.

The vendor hall will have over 100 unique booths filled with comic books, action figures, independent comic creators, nerdy crafts, and more.

“We have a wide selection of vendors this year,” Serio said. “There are several booths that will have vintage and back issue comics, Pokémon and Magic the Gathering cards, K-Pop items, and original works of comic art from area creators.”

Other activities include the cosplay contest and an esports tournament where cash prizes will be awarded in each event. The cosplay contest has divisions for kids, teens, and adults while the esports event is only for teens and adults. Full rules are available on the arts council’s website.

“We have expanded our Dungeons and Dragons area and our Magic the Gathering area,” Serio said. There will be game sessions for all skill levels and special sessions to teach new players the games. Attendees will also be able to enjoy a wide selection of board games.

A selection of food trucks will be on site offering a variety of options from tex-mex to barbeque to donuts. Plus the Missouri Ghostbusters will be showing off several of their Ghostbuster cars.

Admission to the entire event is just $5 per person for all day access and kids under the age of 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.

“Our goal is to keep ArtCon fun and affordable for the whole community,” said Serio. “Tickets to similar events can easily run four times higher.” ArtCon is totally run by volunteers and all funds go to support Neosho Arts Council. Funds raised will go to support the organization's work to continue creating public art, hosting free community concerts, supporting student artists, and bringing creative opportunities to the area.

ArtCon will be February 7, 2026 at the Neosho Jr. High (14646 Kodiak Road) from 10am to 5pm, admission is $5 while kids age 5 and under are free. For a schedule of events, contest rules, guest details or to buy tickets visit neoshoarts.net.