The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association is dedicated to the creation, advancement, and diffusion of the aesthetic practices and knowledge of ancient & modern languages, literatures, cultures, and the arts.

PAMLA hosts an annual conference, publishes two issues of its peer-reviewed journal, Pacific Coast Philology, and hosts online events and the PAMLA Arts Matter website.

PAMLA has existed as a Humanities non-profit association for over 124 years, and is the west coast affiliate of the Modern Language Association. The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association has been affiliated since its founding as the Philological Association of the Pacific Coast in 1899 with the American Philological Association, and since 1917 with the Modern Language Association of America.

Anyone interested in creative writing, language, literary or cultural studies, or the arts may become a PAMLA member: see Membership.