Event Overview
MAAC hosted the Creator’s Fest 2026 on 12 July 2026 at Hyatt Place, Bhopal. The summit attracted more than 300 students and creative‑tech enthusiasts from Bhopal and surrounding regions. The fest was organized under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow’s Animation, VFX, Creative Media & Gaming Creators” and aimed to address talent needs of India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Extended Reality (AVGC‑XR) and content‑creation sectors, with a focus on AI‑driven production pipelines.
New Learning Pathways
During the event MAAC unveiled two industry‑led dual pathways – Career X and Creator X. Career X is designed to enhance industry readiness and employment opportunities, while Creator X equips aspiring creators to build multi‑platform content ventures and pursue entrepreneurship. Both tracks promise exposure to evolving technologies, global production standards, real‑world workflows and networking opportunities.
Key Speakers and Panels
The fest featured senior MAAC executives Mr. Abir Aich, Executive Vice President & Head of Content and Academics, and Mr. Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer & Brand Custodian, who highlighted strong growth in the AVGC sector and the institute’s focus beyond technical training. Dr. Rajeev Agrawal delivered a career‑guidance session. A panel titled “Future of Creative Careers – Opportunities across Animation, VFX, Gaming and the Creator Economy” included Mr. Deepal Das, VFX Team Lead & Supervisor at Assemblage Entertainment; Mr. Deepesh Bhansali, Associate Director at Cimpress; and Ms. Lakshmi Khanolkar, Co‑Founder & CEO of Apar Games. Mr. Deepal Das also presented a masterclass on visual effects in modern filmmaking and a behind‑the‑scenes preview of the projects “Chava” and “Raja Shivaji”. Ms. Khanolkar discussed careers in game development, and Mr. Bhansali spoke on emerging opportunities in the design industry. Canon India contributed a session “From Creator to Collaborator: How Big Brands Hire Creative Talent”.
Industry Partnerships and Placements
MAAC highlighted its network of over 130 centres across India and a 25‑year legacy of training lakhs of students. Placement partners mentioned include Prime Focus, DNEG, Amazon, Red Chillies VFX, Accenture, Green Gold Animation, NDTV and NY VFXWAALA. The fest concluded with a student felicitation ceremony showcasing successful case studies and high‑performing portfolios.
About MAAC
Founded in 2001, Maya Academy of Advanced Creativity (MAAC) offers career programmes in 3D animation, visual effects, digital content creation, gaming, digital design, filmmaking, broadcast and AR/VR. Courses are delivered with hands‑on training, experienced faculty, advanced infrastructure and the latest tools.