“By expanding DigiCamps with the support of Netflix and our education partners, we’re making sure more young people – from more regions and backgrounds – get the chance to explore coding, animation, and digital storytelling in a meaningful, inspiring way,” says DigiBC Executive Director Loc Dao.
This work is central to DigiBC’s mission: building a strong talent pipeline, strengthening pathways into creative tech careers, and ensuring young people across B.C. can see themselves in the province’s innovative digital industries. It complements DigiBC’s suite of education initiatives, including the Work Placement Program (WPP), new Netflix-funded Creative Technology Gateway Scholarships, and a portfolio of micro-credential programs developed with post-secondary partners.
Read on to learn what each partner will be bringing to DigiCamps in 2026 – and how this expansion will help foster the next generation of B.C. creators.
New from Alchemy VFX: Animation Magic Camps for 2026
In 2026, a brand-new DigiCamp will debut – from Alchemy VFX, a Victoria-based animation and VFX studio now developing an original camp called Animation Magic. Alchemy VFX will deliver the first three camps on Vancouver Island next year – with plans to expand the delivery footprint across the province.
Though new to delivering DigiCamps, Alchemy VFX are experts at creating real-time effects for video games, and mentoring industry professionals to hone their visual effects skills. Applying this knowledge and experience to the development of youth programming is an exciting opportunity for Alchemy VFX’s founders, Catherine and Jeff Kuipers.
“Our vision with Animation Magic is to inspire and encourage young people to learn how to be creators, not consumers, of 3D content and art,” says Catherine.
The camp is designed for kids who are interested in the artistic side of digital media rather than the technical coding aspects. Participants will gain real insights into how 3D game art is produced, and how to apply artistic principles. Learners will create their own short animated sequence featuring a wizard character, magical effects, and an immersive environment. “We want them to activate their imaginations and tell their own stories,” says Catherine.
Adding to its educational impact, Alchemy VFX has also been participating in DigiBC’s Work Placement Program, offering co-op positions to assist in development for Animation Magic – another effort that dovetails with DigiBC’s commitment to opening local career pathways in creative tech.
“It’s been very rewarding to support our local students and graduates, and see them gain confidence and industry skills,” says Jeff. “We’ve enjoyed their energy and enthusiasm, and I’m proud of the work they’ve done on Animation Magic.”
UTG Academy: In-Class Coding Camps at 22 Schools Across the Lower Mainland
On top of the new Alchemy VFX offering, DigiBC’s original-format coding camps will be branching out to schools in 2026.
For years, UTG Academy has delivered after-school and summer DigiCamps that use coding to spark curiosity and confidence. In 2026, UTG will expand its reach by taking DigiCamps directly into Lower Mainland classrooms.
The programming will continue to be practical, hands-on – and grounded in visibility: showing kids what real careers in creative tech look like.
“There’s so much noise right now for kids now,” says Jamie. “Earlier generations had a clearer script for what came next. Today things are so different. With more possibilities and more distraction, kids need better visibility into the kinds of roles that exist and the paths that lead to them.”
In the past, DigiCamps have relied on students and parents registering for extracurricular sessions. Moving DigiCamps into schools brings creative tech to thousands more young people who might otherwise not get the exposure. “Now when we show up in schools, we can support more students who might never have seen themselves in these kinds of opportunities,” adds Jamie. “I think more kids deserve the opportunity to explore, build, and discover what they’re capable of.”
The in-school workshops will focus on introducing the Python programming language, through exercises and mini-challenges carried out in a supportive environment.
The Bigger Picture: DigiBC’s Commitment to Education
DigiCamps sit within our broader ecosystem of programs designed to build strong, inclusive talent pathways across B.C.’s creative technology sectors, including:
- Work Placement Program (WPP): 170+ student placements to date across animation, video games, XR, VFX, and digital media.
- Creative Technology Gateway Scholarships (also funded by Netflix): Fully funded seats at Vancouver Film School (VFS) and Vancouver Community College (VCC) for aspiring animators and VFX artists.
- Micro-Credential Programs: Developed with VCC, SFU SIAT, and the Centre for Digital Media (CDM), enabling learners to reskill or upskill for evolving roles in creative tech.
- DigiConnect: Meaningful mentorship opportunities for up-and-coming creative tech talent
2026 and Beyond: What’s Ahead for DigiCamps
DigiCamps have always been special. But having a global creative studio like Netflix behind the program is already making a meaningful impact.
“DigiCamps are one of the most powerful tools we have for growing B.C.’s creative tech talent pipeline,” says Loc. “With Netflix’s support, and partners stepping up across the province, we’re ready to bring this experience to many more schools and communities. We’re excited to work with districts, educators, and industry to keep building opportunities for the next generation of creators.”
To explore partnerships, workshops, or volunteer opportunities, contact DigiBC at [email protected]
]]>Across DigiBC, we expanded our support for emerging talent, helping creative tech employers establish and fill more than 170 student placements through our Work Placement Program. We also established a new partnership with Netflix to support education initiatives, including a new scholarship fund and expansion of our DigiCamps for kids.
On the events front, Signals Creative Tech Expo returned with momentum, introducing new elements to foster multi-platform partnerships and co-productions across film, series, and video games – while celebrating groundbreaking immersive works by some of the creators, digital storytellers, and technologists who make B.C.’s scene unique. In addition, our active participation in the lead-up to and delivery of Web Summit Vancouver this past May was an exciting opportunity to elevate our sector’s profile on an international stage.
Across the sector, our member companies celebrated phenomenal milestones this year, developing globally recognized entertainment products, launching exciting homegrown IP, attracting new investment and partnerships, and receiving recognition for quality and innovation.
Together, these achievements underscore something important: our creative-tech ecosystem is not only growing – it’s becoming more ambitious, collaborative and resilient than ever before.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to building on this year’s momentum and continuing to champion the people, projects, and partnerships that shape B.C.’s creative tech future.
Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season, and here’s to a successful, healthy, and happy 2026.
Warm regards,
Loc Dao, Executive Director, DigiBC
This year, DigiBC expanded its education programs to inspire young learners and upskill aspiring creators, from coding camps and scholarships to micro-credentials that grow the skills our sector needs most.
New Scholarships for Animation & VFX Students
Huge news for creative tech education! This year, we’re kicking off a brand-new scholarship program – our first-ever Creative Technology Gateway Scholarships – made possible by Netflix’s recent multi-year investment in DigiBC education initiatives.
Beginning in 2026, aspiring animators and VFX artists in B.C. will have access to fully funded training opportunities at two of our province’s leading institutions:
- Three full tuition scholarships for eligible students at Vancouver Film School (VFS). Applications open December 1, 2025.
- Six funded seats in Vancouver Community College’s summer Production for Animation & VFX micro-credential course. Applications will open in early spring 2026.
These scholarships are part of DigiBC’s broader effort to expand access to high-quality creative technology education – and open new avenues for careers in animation and VFX.
DigiCamps Are Expanding for 2026!
In 2025, our partner UTG Academy put on a fantastic series of summer DigiCamps, teaching girls aged 11–13 to code in a fun and interactive environment. These hands-on workshops, led by expert instructors from UTG – and generously supported by A Thinking Ape – provided learners with the skills needed to build video games from the ground up. 
Right now, we’re working on some exciting changes to DigiCamps for 2026 – expanding our curriculum and delivery footprint, building on our partnership with UTG, and welcoming a new delivery partner for 2026.
We will be sharing more details about these exciting new developments in the new year. In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more or are interested in supporting DigiCamps, we’d love to hear from you!
DigiConnect: Building Meaningful Mentorships in Creative Tech
This fall, we piloted DigiConnect, a mentorship network designed to bring B.C.’s creative tech community closer together.
Our first four-month “pilot of the pilot” paired 24 mentors and 26 mentees, and was supported by two engaging workshops, Mentorship 101, equipping participants with tools to set and achieve realistic goals, and Minding the Gaps, developed with the Centre for Digital Media, exploring how culture, confidence, and context shape communication.
We’re building a mentorship community rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and inclusion – and we’d love for you to be part of it. If you have 4+ years of experience in creative tech and want to give back, join us!
Bite-Sized Learning for Busy Pros: Micro-Credentials in Creative Tech
Have you ever thought about going back to school – but couldn’t meet the time commitment of a full program? Micro-credentials are flexible courses, designed to help learners reskill or upskill at their own pace. 
For several years, DigiBC has partnered with a number of B.C. post-secondary institutions to develop, launch, and deliver micro-credentials in creative technology fields.
Currently available programs:
Production for Animation and VFX and Project Management for Video Games, VCC
Human Centred AI and Creative Technology, SFU School for Interactive Arts & Technology (SIAT). 
Now offering a limited-time 50% discount.
Building Blocks of Digital Media, and the free course Minding the Gaps: Communicating Across Differences, CDM.
These courses provide accessible pathways for people to build skills needed for our industry – and they’re also a great opportunity for industry experts to participate in course development and delivery.
In 2025, DigiBC strengthened the pathways that connect emerging talent with meaningful careers in creative tech, linking students and jobseekers with real-world experience, industry mentors, and other opportunities across B.C.
The DigiBC Work Placement Program: Our First Year is Complete!
Since its inception as a pilot project supported by B.C.’s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, DigiBC’s Work Placement Program (WPP) has been on a mission to equip B.C. post-secondary students with the experience, skills, and confidence to thrive in creative tech careers – by helping them get real-world industry experience under their belts. 
To date, we’ve delivered 170+ student placements, connecting B.C. post-secondary talent with employers across creative tech and supporting their on-the-job experience with additional resources like our new mentoring program DigiConnect, and tailored workshops developed in partnership with Vancouver Community College.
As DigiBC’s WPP grows, so does its potential to shape the future of creative tech in British Columbia, creating opportunities for the next generation of talent to stay, learn, and innovate close to home.
Over the course of 2025, with the support of members, partners and sponsors, DigiBC helped bring to life some incredible experiences across the creative tech spectrum – showcasing B.C. success stories and supporting emerging artists along the way.
The Signals Creative Tech Expo & XR Lab
Our Signals 2025 expo once again played a pivotal role in strengthening our ecosystem and spotlighting the unique extended-reality (XR) scene that’s thriving in B.C. and across Canada. Signals gave local creators a space to connect, collaborate on new narrative forms, and inspire audiences to engage with the pressing conversations of our time.
Through our XR Lab, we supported 12 projects as they developed bold new ideas – from therapeutic self-reflection tools to intergenerational storytelling and immersive works centring Indigenous worldviews.
Dream, Build, Play: Creative Tech at Science World
If you haven’t checked out Science World’s Creative Technology Gallery yet, this is your sign! Developed with DigiBC and co-presented by RBC and Beedie, the gallery opened in 2023 and is designed to inspire K–12 students and families to explore careers in animation, VFX, video games, and XR.
Since opening, the gallery has welcomed more than a million visitors and earned a national CASC Award for innovation, leadership, and impact in making science accessible.
Our partnership is going strong, and this fall, Science World launched the gallery’s second exhibition, Animation Adventure with Molly of Denali, inviting visitors into the world of the acclaimed animated series produced by GBH Kids and Vancouver’s Atomic Cartoons. Through three themed rooms – Dream, Build, and Play – guests can move from storyboards and timing into hands-on animation and FX, then step into a 360-degree Northern Lights finale that brings Molly’s story to life.
We’re excited about what’s ahead, and we look forward to partnering on more with Science World in the future!
Another key area of focus for DigiBC in 2025 was sector capacity-building, and equipping B.C. creators and studios with tools, support, and resources to shine on the global stage.
Web Summit Vancouver: Showcasing B.C. Innovation on a World Stage
This past May, the Metro Vancouver region hosted Web Summit for the first time. DigiBC and its member companies played a key role in showcasing B.C.’s diverse creative technology sector at this international tech conference.
Between the B.C. Pavilion and DigiBC’s Startup Island feature, we showcased more than 20 B.C. studios, boosting international visibility and forging new partnerships. We also strengthened investor relations, with ILM Vancouver and Kabam Games hosting international investors as part of the Invest Vancouver sector tour. In addition, DigiBC had the opportunity to host the first-ever creative technology Centre Stage panel, featuring Natali Altshuler, COO of EA SPORTS and DigiBC Board Member, alongside Activision CMO Tyler Bahl.
Web Summit Vancouver is set to return again May 11–14, 2026, and we’re already involved in the planning process, continuing to identify and leverage new opportunities for B.C.’s creative tech community.
Beta Lounge & XP Indie Biz Connect
With the support of members, partners and sponsors, DigiBC has established two new B2B spaces for the creative tech industry in 2025: Beta Lounge and XP Indie Biz Connect.
Beta Lounge brings together video game industry professionals to exchange bold ideas and strategic insights, and create opportunities to collaborate and accelerate creative growth. Launched in 2024 as part of our Signals Creative Tech Expo, Beta Lounge expanded in 2025 into a bi-annual program – and this year it was more successful than ever, with growing support from Creative BC, Kabam, and Xsolla.
XP Indie Biz Connect is an initiative launched in 2024, providing indie creators with opportunities to develop knowledge, tools, and relationships needed to scale studios, expand networks, and take their creative ideas to the next level.
Both Beta Lounge and XP Indie Biz Connect will be back in 2026, so watch for more!
]]>Across BC’s diverse creative tech ecosystem, our animation, VFX, video game, and XR studios worked on an impressive lineup of indie and blockbuster products for screens big and small – and received international recognition for the innovation, quality, and creativity of their work.
We invited our member studios to share their good news from 2025. Here are a few of the highlights….
- 81 Monkeys created and implemented a project funding partnership program, securing more than $1.5 million toward its upcoming title World of Anterra.
- Atomic Cartoons Super Team Canada picked up two wins at the 2025 Leo Awards for Best Animation and Best Voice Performance.
- Buffalo Buffalo launched its debut game, Fresh Tracks, on PS5 in August, along with Birdseed VR, a new VR bird-watching game coming to Meta Quest and SteamVR in 2026.
- The Centre for Digital Media won the Technology Trailblazer Award at the 2025 Magnet Awards for Pioneering Leadership in the Ecosystem (MAPLE) for its role in shaping B.C.’s digital-product innovation ecosystem.
- Coal Car Studio launched Fruit Golf into early access on Meta Quest, Android, and iOS in June, with plans for Fruit Golf: Dash on Horizon Worlds, along with mixed reality experience CrossCraft.
- DNEG won the Academy Award for Visual Effects, the BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects, the Critics Choice Award for Best Visual Effects and 4 VES Awards for its work on Dune: Part Two.
- Electronic Arts (EA) teams in Vancouver contributed to a standout slate of releases in 2025, including the record-breaking Battlefield 6, the global launches of both EA SPORTS FC 26 and EA SPORTS NHL 26, and the early access release of skate.
- Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios merged to form the unified brand, Eyeline. In 2025, Eyeline’s VFX Supervisor Sue Rowe won an Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season Or A Movie, and VFX Producer Gayle Munro was awarded a VES Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field. Eyeline is also back in Hawkins for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, with global VFX efforts on the season led by longtime Vancouver VFX Supervisor Julius Lechner, supported by a large local team here in BC.
- ILM moved into its new, expanded facility at The Stack in Coal Harbour, where its team contributed to a spectacular slate of work, including Lilo & Stitch, Sinners, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Frankenstein, Predator: Badlands, Avatar: Fire & Ash and the highly anticipated new seasons of Stranger Things, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. ILM received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for Andor along with a nomination for the forthcoming Children’s and Family Emmy Awards for the series Time Bandits.
- IM4 Media Lab was featured on CBC’s North By Northwest, highlighting the creative collaboration behind the intergenerational mural Thunderbird Dreams: Imagining Good Futures.
- Ludic Lemur Entertainment‘s game Calm the Storm is nominated in the Indie Game Awards in the Achievement in Accessibility category.
- re:Naissance Immersive hosted their first ever Creative Collisions with Touch Designer YVR and MOV37XR – bringing together performing arts and digital artists to to experiment with interactive and immersive performance.
- Silverstring Media launched its first Steam demo of Greenhearth Necromancer as part of the Games From Vancouver Steam event with a planned Spring launch of the full game.
- Simply Sweet Games soft launched its debut premium casual title Criss Cross Castle, with more than 15,000 mobile installs in early traction, a 4.8 star rating, and reaching the Top 100 Word Games in Canada after launch. Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Carina Kom was named to BIV’s 2025 Forty under 40, recognizing her leadership in inclusive design and premium casual game development.
- Sony Pictures Imageworks animated KPop Demon Hunters – the most-watched film of all time on Netflix (over 236 million views) – along with In Your Dreams, the Netflix feature which debuted at #4 on the streamer. The team also provided VFX work for A Minecraft Movie, along with The Fantastic Four: First Steps and The Bad Guys 2.
- Stellar Creative Lab celebrated the release of Sausage Party: Foodtopia Season 2 on Amazon Prime, along with Marvel Zombies, a 4-episode event series which premiered on Disney+.
- Walt Disney Animation Studios has been working collaboratively between its Burbank and Vancouver based studios to create Zootopia 2 and the short film Versa, featured recently at several short film festivals.
- Wildbrain Studios’ received 30 accolades this year — 9 wins plus 21 nominations — from the Children’s & Family Emmys, Canadian Screen Awards, Leo Awards, and more local, national and global honours. WildBrain also launched its latest Peanuts special, Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical, and announced an extension of its Peanuts partnership with Apple TV. In addition, the team celebrated the premiere of its work on LEGO DREAMZzz S3 and LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising S3.
- … and one more thing! Waterproof Studios produced the CG intro cinematic for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, which debuted in style at the December 2024 Game Awards in LA with a full live orchestra performance (yes… technically 2024, but definitely worth a watch!)
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6:30pm – 7:30pm: Mingling
7:30pm – 8:00pm: Guest Speakers
8:00pm – 9:30pm: Mingling continues
Full Indie RSVP Page: https://luma.com/abqhfrr7
Feel free to bring your laptop/console if you want to showcase your work. There will be tables/desks in the room to set up on. You do not need to ask permission, just bring your games!
Join the Full Indie Discord channel, where most of the conversation goes down. The organizers will also be much faster to respond through here: https://discord.com/invite/yCbnfjn
]]>Presented by DigiBC in partnership with the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), this annual celebration of future-forward storytelling has become a flagship event for B.C.’s creative technology community, and a welcoming space for anyone curious about the spaces where art and technology intersect.
“Signals is a living example of what DigiBC stands for,” says Loc Dao, Executive Director of DigiBC. “We’re here to champion the creators and innovators who are pushing technology forward – not away from human connection, but toward it.”
The main hub for Signals will be the same as years past: the DigiBC Creative Tech Studio at 577 Great Northern Way, Emily Carr University at the Centre for Digital Media. However, this year, Signals has expanded to include musical performances at Signals After Hours, and immersive films at The Dome at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, encouraging visitors to explore the city while discovering new ideas in XR, interactive installations, and live performance.
This year’s curatorial theme, “Lightning Stories & Collective Dreams” explores how technology can deepen our sense of place and community in a time of rapid change. Programming weaves together themes of home, identity, and our evolving relationship with the natural and digital realms – and reminds us of the crucial role that storytellers play in times of uncertainty. The works on display reflect questions many of us share right now: how do we stay connected to culture and history as digital tools reshape our world? How can emerging technologies strengthen, rather than fragment, our relationships?
Plus, what sets Signals apart from other art shows is the way it invites participation. Rather than simply viewing pieces at a distance, visitors are asked to wander right inside immersive and playful artworks, such as SheManShe by Zachery C. Longboy. Or, to actively contribute to works created collectively in real time – ReVerie by Pinyao Liu & Keon Lee and A Walled City by Weidi Zhang and Rodger [Jieliang] Luo). And much more (see below).
It’s an environment where artists, technologists, and audiences meet as collaborators, and where the boundaries between spectator and creator naturally blur. “What excites me most about Signals is seeing artists and technologists explore what’s possible. Their projects remind us that technology can be playful, surprising, and deeply human,” says Dao.
Read on to learn more about the artists and exhibitions of Signals 2025 or
Get your tickets now
Storytellers, Boundary-Pushers, and Future Shapers: Meet the Artists of Signals
Zachery Cameron Longboy – SHEMANSHE
With a career spanning more than three decades, Zachery C. Longboy is a Sayisi Dene video, performance, and installation artist from Churchill, Manitoba, whose work explores identity and resilience. Adopted into a non-Indigenous family and living as a Two-Spirited, HIV-positive man, he places these intersecting experiences at the center of his art. Over a three-decade career his pieces have appeared in major collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Canada Council Art Bank, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art. SHEMANSHE, his first immersive installation, invites visitors into a layered encounter with land, memory, and spirit, extending his signature blend of personal narrative and experimental video.
Weidi Zhang & Jieliang (Rodger) Luo – A Walled City
Based in Los Angeles, Weidi Zhang creates immersive art with artificial intelligence at its core, exploring how technology can hold and reshape memory. Her collaborator Jieliang (Rodger) Luo, a Singapore-based scientist and entrepreneur, develops creative AI tools and once led research at Autodesk. Together, they’ll be presenting A Walled City, an interactive installation where an AI system constructs a virtual metropolis in real time, based on Hong Kong’s bygone Kowloon Walled City. During the exhibition, participants upload personal images, which the system transforms into unique chambers that join the ever-growing digital city.
Pinyao Liu & Keon Ju Maverick Lee – ReVerie
Pinyao Liu, an artist-researcher working between Linz and Vancouver, blends dream science with digital art to examine the subconscious. Partnering with percussionist and AI-music PhD student Keon Ju Maverick Lee, Liu has crafted ReVerie, where whispered dream recollections transform into a shifting 3D landscape that visitors can explore like a living dream.
Milan Koerner-Safrata (SCRNPRNT) – Stellations
Vancouver-born Milan Koerner-Safrata co-founded the interactive studio SCRNPRNT and experiments with how video games can express complex ideas. His project Stellations turns gameplay itself into the subject, sending players through looping circuits that echo the habits and patterns we fall into – and sometimes escape.
Eyez Mingtong Li – TamagotchU
Montreal artist Eyez Mingtong Li works at the intersection of film, gaming, and extended reality, creating interactive worlds that question the line between human and machine. In TamagotchU, an AI creature responds to the audience’s real-time facial expressions and sounds, building a shared personality while running on low-energy, community-friendly technology.
Youhan Guan – Rewind
Originally from China and now based in Canada, Youhan Guan combines design, coding, and storytelling to create immersive digital experiences. Rewind offers a quiet VR journalling space where participants record thoughts onto virtual cassette tapes and revisit them, blending analog nostalgia with a deeply personal digital environment.
Mel-lif-lu-ous (a.k.a. Lara Kroeker) – Wildroot & Amber
Lara Kroeker, a classically trained violinist and sound artist, draws on recent residencies in Japan and Iceland to create her brand of atmospheric, experimental music. Wildroot & Amber is a five-song installation where glass apothecary jars open to release voices and field recordings, weaving memory into live performance.
IM4 Media Lab Collective – Imagining Good Futures: Thunderbird Dreams
Founded in 2018 by award-winning filmmaker Loretta Todd, the IM4 Media Lab is an Indigenous-led centre in Vancouver dedicated to advancing immersive media while upholding cultural protocols and community governance. The lab is known for free, accessible training programs, including the world’s first Indigenous Virtual Production Micro-Credential, and for building pathways for Indigenous creators to shape the future of digital storytelling.Their collaborative piece, Imaging Good Futures: Thunderbird Dreams, brings youth and Elders together in an interactive mural of sound, light, and storytelling that celebrates Indigenous creativity and community.
Soft Rains – Ambrosia Sky
The team behind Soft Rains, a group of veteran indie and AAA game developers, specializes in building richly detailed, story-driven worlds. In Ambrosia Sky, players travel to Saturn’s outer rings to confront a mysterious alien contamination, combining first-person action with meditative exploration.
Matthew Biederman – Situational Compliance
Montreal-based Matthew Biederman has spent decades creating installations and performances that reveal how technology shapes perception and society. His work Situational Conformity turns a childhood game into a sharp look at surveillance: an AI issues commands while tracking players’ movements, raising questions about control and compliance.
Navid & Vassiliki Khonsari – Lili
Husband-and-wife team Navid and Vassiliki Khonsari are the co-founders of iNK Stories, a New York–based studio recognized for pushing the boundaries of narrative-driven games and interactive media. Navid, an Iranian-born writer and director, helped shape cinematic storytelling in major titles such as Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil. Vassiliki, a producer and visual anthropologist, has created cross-platform experiences honored by BAFTA,META, and more. Their latest, Lili, is a neo-noir interactive adaptation of Macbeth set in Iran, where players navigate ambition, hacking, and government surveillance.
Pegah Tabassinejad – Entropic Fields of Displacement
Artist and educator Pegah Tabassinejad, originally from Iran, creates video installations and performances focused on identity, movement, and surveillance culture. Here practice revolves around the construction of digital and live performances, film, video installations and city projects. At Signals, she’ll be presenting Entropic Fields of Displacement, an eight-channel work that follows women and marginalized gendered individuals across West Asia and Europe, turning their everyday walks into powerful reflections on migration and resilience.
Edward Madojemu – Fading Places
Edward Madojemu, a technical artist and storyteller with credits that include Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, moves fluidly between comics, animation, and extended reality, centres his practice on independent digital media creation and afrocentric experiences. Written and illustrated by a team of local artists, his interactive graphic novel Fading Places imagines the city of Vancouver in the wake of an otherworldly storm that transforms its buildings into surreal, sentient spaces, inviting viewers to uncover hidden stories through animation and augmented reality.
Casey Koyczan / Sidii Media – Ełeghàà ; All At Once
Casey Koyczan is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene interdisciplinary artist originally from Yellowknife, now based in Winnipeg. He works across many forms – 3D animation, VR/AR, sound, installation, sculpture, and graphic design – often combining traditional Indigenous materials or ideas with new digital tools. His short film Ełeghàà ; All At Once moves across overlapping timelines of Denendeh – from ancient landscapes with giant animals to orbital habitats of the future – blending legend and science fiction into one sweeping vision.
Kayla Briët – Ways of Knowing
Kayla Briët is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker whose work blends film, music, and virtual reality to share stories of belonging and cultural memory. Of Taiwanese-Chinese, Dutch-Indonesian, and African-American heritage, and an enrolled citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation through her father, she focuses on amplifying voices often left unheard. Her project Ways of Knowing, created with Diné community members, activists, and storytellers, explores the Navajo Nation’s enduring encounter with uranium mining. The immersive film reframes nuclear dialogue from fear to resilience.
Noah Miller – Echoes of Me
Noah Miller is an experience designer and PhD researcher who merges programming, motion capture, and immersive storytelling to support mental well-being and personal growth. Drawing on his interdisciplinary background and his own neurodiverse perspective, he creates VR projects that invite deep reflection. His work Echoes of Me is a guided XR encounter where participants engage in an intimate dialogue with themselves. Inspired by research on self-compassion and perspective-taking, the piece uses virtual embodiment to help visitors pause, reflect, and see themselves with fresh eyes.
LBN Media – Rift x Voxelite
LBN Media Collective is a student collective hailing from Vancouver’s Centre for Digital Media:
CDM Student Team: Janelle Hinesley, Claire Wang, Alicia Rui, Jiaqi Jing, Wendy Lin, Zoe (Wentao) Sun
Steve Sands – Kinfolks Corner
Steve Sands is a creative technologist, illustrator, tinkerer, and curious individual – and a self-described fan of structure and simplicity when it comes to design and interactive experiences. His Signals 2025 project, Kinfolks Corner, brings together designer toys, augmented reality, and innovative storytelling in lively mini-dioramas. By blending the charm of kawaii culture and technology, he aims to uncover the magic that lies at the intersection of imagination and reality.
Get Your Exhibition Tickets Now
Reserve your spot to explore more than 30 immersive installations, performances, and interactive works at Signals 2025!
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Kabam is excited to offer a scholarship for students who are enrolled in post-secondary Art or Design programs and are interested in pursuing a career in the games industry. Through this initiative, they hope to bring new perspectives, ideas, and experiences to our industry. The Kabam GameChanger Scholarship will award $5,000 CAD to the successful candidate, aimed at supporting their educational journey. But it’s more than just a monetary value. It’s an investment in your potential, a recognition of your passion, and a stepping stone toward becoming a leader in the games industry.
Eligibility:
- You are enrolled as a full-time student in a post-secondary Art or Design program at an accredited college, university, or post-secondary institution in British Columbia, Prince Edward Island or Quebec, Canada.
- You are a legal resident of Canada.
- Ideally, you possess a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or 80%.
- You will need to submit all information required in the application below.
- You must have demonstrated a passion for the video game industry and a desire to pursue a career in this field.
- By applying for this scholarship, you agree to the following terms & conditions: https://kabam.com/legal/kabam-gamechanger-scholarship/
- Award Amount: $5,000 CAD
- Application Period: September 15 – October 15, 2025
- The winner will be announced in December
- Ready to be a game changer? Apply now!
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About Kabam
Kabam is a world leader in developing entertaining, immersive, and highly social multiplayer games, bringing high-quality graphics, next-generation technology, and revolutionary gameplay to players around the world. Kabam’s games, Marvel Contest of Champions, Shop Titans, and more have generated hundreds of millions of downloads and have received multiple awards including Apple’s Editor’s Choice and Google Play’s Best Game of the Year. Founded in 2006, Kabam has studios and offices in Vancouver, Montreal and Charlottetown in Canada, Los Angeles and San Francisco in the United States, and in Seoul, South Korea. Kabam is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Netmarble Games.
Wrednesday, September 17 @ 10:00 – 11:00AM PST
This will be held online and it’s free of charge for DigiBC members
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/isb-ai-clauses-ip-ownership-legal-risks-you-cant-ignore-tickets-1640683060199
For this edition of Indie Superboost (ISB), Amar Sidhu, Lawyer & Chief Legal Officer at Amar-VR Law, will be joining us to talk AI clauses in contracts (i.e. publisher contracts), IP ownership, and the legal risks that you can’t ignore.
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- The ISB program focuses on collaboration and transparency, encouraging all participants to ask questions, engage with speakers, attendees, and contribute their opinions and expertise.
- Associations in the CIAIC receive free admission to all ISB events: DigiBC, Digital Alberta, SaskInteractive, New Media Manitoba, Interactive Ontario, La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, Interactive Society of Nova Scotia or Videogames PEI
This is designed to help new video game companies establishing their foothold in the market, providing them with a strategic boost to enhance their prospects for long-term success.
- Deadline to Apply: October 27, 2025
- Learn More: https://creativebc.com/funding-programs/interactive-digital-media-programs/video-games-early-stage-growth/
SPARK ANIMATION 2025: CAREER FAIR
RECOGNIZING TALENT, INGENUITY + CRAFT
Roundhouse · Exhibition Hall, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Saturday, September 20, 9:30am – 5pm
CALLING ALL EXHIBITORS!
Don’t miss your chance to showcase your organization, network with top talent, and find the perfect match for your company’s needs. To secure a booth and learn more about exhibiting opportunities, please visit the link below. Read More >>
ATTENDEE REGISTRATION
Online registrations for the SPARK ANIMATION 2025: Career Fair are NOW OPEN! You won’t want to miss this exclusive opportunity to meet face-to-face with top recruiters in the CG industry. Check this page for the latest news. Read More >>
PARTICIPATING EXHIBITORS
- Bardel Entertainment
- Industrial Light & Magic
- Sony Pictures Imageworks
- WildBrain Studios
OTHER EXHIBITORS
- Animation Den
- The Animation Box
- Mentorship Kiosk
More studios will be added, so check the event page regularly for updates >>> https://sparkcg.org/festivals/information.php?SA25-CF#