Point Park University Co-Hosts The Animate Experience, a Global Animation Conference Thursday, June 11, 2026
The Society for Animation Studies, alongside the Pennsylvania Expanded Animation Alliance, brings The Animate Experience conference to Pittsburgh June 15-18 — primarily hosted on Point Park University’s campus in Lawrence Hall and in the University Center.
“We are excited to be a part of this dynamic conversation about animation as a way of understanding behavior and learning, and to welcome thought leaders to our campus,” said Point Park Professor Jonathan Trueblood, M.F.A., director of the animation program.
This international conference brings together more than 100 scholars, artists and industry professionals from around the world to explore the latest animation research and practice. It explores animation as a critical tool for processing complex human states, including trauma, affect and social-emotional learning and welcomes presenters from the United Kingdom, Ukraine, China, India, Australia and across North America.
The program includes academic panels, immersive workshops and exclusive screenings hosted at Point Park University, the Children's Museum's Museum Lab, Harris Theater, the University of Pittsburgh and the Fred Rogers Studio at WQED.
The event is also a celebration of the best in interdisciplinary or “expanded” animation. The Animate Experience Exhibition is a free, summer-long public installation at the Museum Lab Galleries, featuring works by international artists alongside exceptional projects by Pennsylvania students.
By making world-class animation accessible to all, the event links international expertise directly to regional talent, sparking new opportunities for creativity, community engagement and economic development through the power of moving images.