This process depends on who’s pushing for an idea and who is backing it up, it can be animation studios themselves along with sponsors, but many anime are adaptations of manga or light novels, in which case, publishers front costs (including the costs of having it shown...
As it is there’s a heavy US bias which makes it financially impossible for most of us in the rest of the world to attend. Membership, airfares and accommodation could easily total $5,000.00. I’d imagine even in the US it would be upwards of $1,000.000 for many. Settle it in one...