Bhopal : Maya Academy of Advanced Creativity (MAAC), India’s premier training institute and pioneer in high-end 3D animation, visual effects (VFX), digital content creation, gaming, and design, has successfully concluded MAAC Fest 2026. The summit took place on July12th, 2026, at Hyatt Place, Bhopal. Dr. Rajeev Agrawal, life coach, mentor & motivational guru, joined for a powerful session on career guidance, inspiring the young crowd of aspiring creators. The initiative was designed to empower, mentor, and build sustainable careers for aspiring creative professionals across Bhopal and neighboring regions.
Operating under the core theme of ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s Animation, VFX, Creative Media & Gaming Creators,' the fest aimed to address the talent needs of India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Extended Reality (AVGC-XR), and content creation sectors. As AI continues to integrate into creative production pipelines, the event offered practical, industry-aligned insights directly to over 300+ students and creative tech enthusiasts from Bhopal.
MAAC has a strong 25+ year legacy of engaging and training aspiring creators and creative professionals. The expert speakers at MAAC Fest & Summit 2026, Bhopal, shared industry-relevant insights and emerging trends that are shaping the future of creative careers in media and entertainment. The format blended discussions, keynote sessions, new launches, and student recognition to bridge the gap between academic training and industry readiness.
Mr. Abir Aich, Executive Vice President & Head Content and Academics, MAAC, also graced the occasion alongside a range of other chief guests.
Mr. Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer & Brand Custodian, MAAC, said, "The AVGC sector is witnessing strong growth, driven by the rising demand for high-quality digital content across films, gaming, advertising, and immersive platforms. At MAAC, our focus goes beyond technical training—we aim to nurture creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and industry adaptability among students. To further this vision, we are delighted to introduce Creator X and Career X—innovative, industry-led dual pathways designed to help students monetize their skills through employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. While Career X focuses on enhancing industry readiness and career opportunities, Creator X empowers aspiring creators to become entrepreneurs by building multi-platform content ventures. These initiatives will enable learners to gain exposure to evolving technologies, global production standards, real-world workflows, and meaningful networking opportunities, helping them transition seamlessly into professional & business environments within the dynamic AVGC ecosystem.”
Mr. Akhilesh Rajput, Business Partner & Centre Director, MAAC Bittan Market, Bhopal, shared, “Bhopal has always had a massive talent hub for the creative industry, with thousands of ambitious students looking for career pathways in animation, VFX, digital content creation, and gaming. By bringing MAAC Fest & Summit 2026, we are actively delivering world-class creative education for AVGC-XR ecosystem, direct industry insights, the necessary tools, advanced labs, and professional mentorship to our local student community.”
The fest had a celebrated lineup of chief guests, industry veterans, and global corporate partners. The forum also brought together an esteemed panel of industry leaders under the theme "Future of Creative Careers -Opportunities across Animation, VFX, Gaming and the Creator Economy". The panellists included names such as Mr. Deepal Das, VFX Team Lead & Supervisor, Assemblage Entertainment; Mr. Deepesh Bhansali, Associate Director, Cimpress; and Ms. Lakshmi Khanolkar, Co-Founder & CEO, Apar Games, to discuss the future of creative careers, from AVGC-XR to the Creator Economy. The fest-cum-summit featured extensive keynote speeches, detailing macro trends shaping content creation and long-term career stability for newly trained professionals.
Attendees also gained "A Masterclass on Visual Effects in Modern Filmmaking and a BTS preview of ‘Chava’ and 'Raja Shivaji'" from Mr. Deepal Dass. An intriguing insight on “Careers in Game Development" from Ms. Laxmi Khanolkar, Co-founder & CEO, Apar Games, and “Emerging Opportunities in Design Industry” from Mr. Deepesh Bhansali, Associate Director, Cimpress. Rounding out the expert lineup, Canon India presented "From Creator to Collaborator: How Big Brands Hire Creative Talent," providing crucial perspectives on how major industry players discover and recruit creative talent.
The fest also saw the unveiling and introduction of two new learning tracks for its upcoming students- namely Career X and Creator X. These are not just new courses; they are future-ready academic pathways designed to bridge the gap between industry and academia and power the next generation of creative professionals.
The fest concluded with students' felicitation and recognition ceremony. This segment highlighted successful student case studies and high-performing portfolios, showcasing the direct results of industry-aligned learning. Attendees departed with a clear understanding of portfolio curation, professional studio expectations, and how to successfully navigate the high-demand creative ecosystem.
About MAAC:
Maya Academy of Advanced Creativity (MAAC), is India’s one of the leading institutes for high-end 3D Animation and Visual Effects. Since its inception in 2001, MAAC has trained lakhs of students worldwide and operates through a network of over 130 centres.
MAAC offers industry-relevant career programs in 3D Animation, Visual Effects, Digital Content Creation, Gaming, Digital Design, Filmmaking, Broadcast, and AR/VR. All courses are designed to provide hands-on, real-world training, supported by experienced faculty, advanced infrastructure, and the latest tools and technologies. MAAC students are placed across leading media and entertainment companies in India and globally, including Prime Focus, DNEG, Amazon, Red Chillies VFX, Accenture, Green Gold Animation, NDTV, and NY VFXWAALA, among others.
For further information, please visit: http://www.maacindia.com/Default.aspx
