Following the demise of other American touring festivals of animation, such as Spike and Mike's Classic Festival of Animation, the stated purpose of the "Animation Show" was to bring animated short films back into proper cinemas, where most of them were intended to be seen, and to "free these artists from the dungeons of Internet exhibition". It was the first-ever festival of animation to be curated by working animators and was described as a "passion project" by its creators, not something intended to turn a giant profit. A sister series of "Animation Show" DVD volumes are also available from MTV Home Video and Paramount Home Entertainment, but the producers stress that the theatrical and DVD lineups are intentionally a little bit different, to encourage audiences to not just wait for the DVD but to visit the cinema and view these films properly. As stated on the "Animation Show" programs and flyers, once the current edition of the Show is out of theaters, it's "gone forever".