The College For Creative Studies Launches First Entertainment Arts & Illustration Industry Event

The College for Creative Studies has announced the first Industry EXPOsion week-long immersion event. CCS invites industry professionals interested in visual storytelling, animation, gaming, illustration, 3D asset creation, concept art and motion graphics to an exclusive showcase featuring exceptional talents of Entertainment Arts and Illustration students.

The expo kicks off April 1-3 with reviews and virtual presentations by over twenty creative professionals from across the U.S. including Warner Brothers, Blizzard Entertainment, Disney, Boxfort, Evil Eye Pictures, Hallmark and Spindlehorse Toons. Over 200 CCS students will participate and over 120 CCS students will present their creative reels and portfolios.

The highlight of the event is on Thursday, April 4, which will include an afternoon in-person industry day session and a Toyota Lecture Series art and design symposium that will take place at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education in the GM Auditorium. The speaker panel will include several moderated sessions, one of which features notable concept designers from across the country in conversation with Tim Flattery, Hollywood concept artist, CCS Provost and Chief Academic Officer. The keynote speaker is Chris Houghton, creator and executive producer of Disney Channel's ‘Big City Greens.' 

“This week-long initiative connects our industry partners and alumni with students, both in person and virtually,” said Shannon McPartlon, Executive Director of the Office of Partnerships, College for Creative Studies. “This approach was developed in direct response to the growing need to put worldwide creative professionals in front of our students in fresh and inventive ways, aiming to provide our students with comprehensive industry insights spanning animation, game design, concept design, visual development and illustration.”

Registration for the expo is now open, and further details can be found on https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ccs-industry-exposion-event-tickets-663005165297?aff=oddtdtcreator.

CCS's Entertainment Arts program prepares students to join the next generation of storytellers. Students can choose from the animation, concept design or game design paths and customize the curriculum to suit their individual talents and goals. They learn from Hollywood insiders, using the latest software and equipment. All of the Entertainment Arts emphases are STEM-designated programs.  

CCS's Illustration program integrates the fundamentals of visual storytelling, figure drawing, color, composition, and perspective with industry-relevant coursework. The illustration course options form pathways in visual development, publishing, fashion lifestyle and licensing, comics and sequential, or gallery artist. Our pathways help create a focused portfolio for freelance or studio-based careers in illustration, and that combined with our business-centric course and optional Entrepreneurial Studies concentration prepare students for success.