ONE YEAR OF STUDY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM VANARTS
World-Class Faculty
All of our Department Heads and instructors at VanArts are top industry professionals with industry work experience. They are here because of their passion for teaching and desire to help you become a creative professional they can proudly work alongside.
Compared to the broad general curriculum offered at many other schools, programs at VanArts are much more focused and specialized. Because of our size and strong industry connections, we can quickly adapt what we teach to ensure your education is based on the skills you need to work in your chosen field.
Specialized, Adaptable Curriculum
Through a small, focused classroom environment you will receive substantial one-on-one attention from your instructors. You will have your own personal workstation for the year and the close-knit collaboration with your peers and faculty will lead to lifelong friendships and partnerships.
Small Class Sizes
More than half of our student body are from all over the world, which expands your network in an increasingly global industry. If you wish to continue your studies after graduating from VanArts, degree pathways are available through our university partners in Canada, United States, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
An International Network
FROM STUDENTS TO PROS
Attend Our Next Info Session
Can’t visit us in person? No worries! Our Online Info Session brings the VanArts experience to you. Join us to discover why we are the premier art institute in Vancouver.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATH FOR YOU!
2D Character Animation
- Great for cartoon fans
- Crosses over with comics & illustration
- Harmony software industry-standard
- Many jobs on animated TV series
3D Character Animation
- Characters are 3-dimensional & lifelike
- Great for technical artists
- Maya software is industry-standard
- Jobs in feature films, video games & TV
The hit animated TV series Rick and Morty is produced in Vancouver at Bardel Entertainment, and many of our own animators have been a part of it, including Nathan Litz, who won this year’s Emmy for his direction on the show.
Other shows that our graduates have worked on include: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Hilda, The Dragon Prince, Teen Titans Go, Mega Man, The Incredibles 2, Disney's The Lion King, Transformers: Rescue Bots, and many, many more…
A total of 9 VanArts alumni worked on the ground-breaking film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver. One of them was Samuel Rico, who has served an an Animation Director for studios in Mexico and now animates on features such as Hotel Transylvania 3 and The Angry Birds Movie 2.
Into the Spider-Verse has been a game-changer for animated filmmaking, winning both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and hard-working animators like Sam got to share in the glory!
There's demand for both 2D & 3D Animation careers. Choose the track that appeals the most for your career goals.
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VanArts is where creative professionals are made. From Animation and Game Art to Photography, VFX, Web Development, and Acting, our industry-focused diploma programs give you the skills to thrive in the global creative industry.
92%
#2
High Mark of Placement 6 Months from Graduation.
Rank as one of the Top Animation Training Programs in Canada
Consistently Ranked in Top 5 Worldwide by Animation Career Review
Reasons to Attend VanArts
Committing to go to school is a big decision. VanArts wants you to be 100% comfortable that you’re making the best choice.
Classes have 12 students max. More collaboration and more feedback from our studio trained faculty.
Small Classes
Get trained in the most current software and industry standards that recruiters are looking for.
Be Industry Ready
Make life-long connections with artists and studio professionals around the globe.
A global community
New Term Schedule
Apply Now to secure your spot. We keep classes small and focused with up to 2 intakes per year.
Program
2D Character Animation
3D Character Animation
Acting Foundations (3 months)
Art Foundation (6 months)
Game Art & Design
Visual Effects for Film & TV
Acting for Film & TV
Professional Photography
Web Development & Digital Design
Start Date
March 10, 2025
September 2, 2025
March 9, 2026
September 8, 2026
September 2, 2025
September 8, 2026
Duration
12 Months
(unless otherwise noted)
Our Programs
Tools & Resources We Use
Take the First Step Towards Your Dream
Curriculum
- 1.1Timing/Spacing
- 1.2Physics & Body Mechanics
- 1.3Path of Action
- 1.4Lead/Follow
- 1.5Initiating Force
- 1.1Timing/Spacing
- 1.2Physics & Body Mechanics
- 1.3Path of Action
- 1.4Lead/Follow
- 1.5Initiating Force
- 1.1Timing/Spacing
- 1.2Physics & Body Mechanics
- 1.3Path of Action
- 1.4Lead/Follow
- 1.5Initiating Force
- 1.1Timing/Spacing
- 1.2Physics & Body Mechanics
- 1.3Path of Action
- 1.4Lead/Follow
- 1.5Initiating Force
What Our Students Say
"Only one month after graduation I landed my first job at Cinesite, and then at Digital Domain. I am currently at Disney Vancouver working on Moana 2, and it is awesome."
Walt Disney Animation Studios, Vancouver
“I discovered a love for film animation at VanArts. I’ve been in the industry for over 15 years, working for Dreamworks, Sony, WETA, and now loving my job at Disney. It’s a dream come true.”
Walt Disney Animation Studios, California
"I had absolutely no experience in Web before joining VanArts. I learned programming languages and the logic behind them, making it easy for me to understand what to do and how to do it. It made me ready for the job."
“I graduated with honours at VanArts. The most important thing I took from the program, in addition to a solid foundation of skills, was the network of people I had the opportunity to meet, of which several have developed into important career relationships."
"I love visual art, movement, and telling stories, so my life goal was to find a way to do that professionally. My credits now include The Last Kids on Earth for Netflix and several Peanuts specials for Apple TV."
WildBrain Studios, Vancouver
"I chose VanArts because of their detailed curriculum, industry-pro faculty, and the chance to replicate a live game project studio pipeline. I joined Remedy and have delivered 3 titles, Control, Control DLC, and Alan Wake 2."
Remedy Entertainment Plc, Espoo, Finland
"The year I spent at VanArts was a dream come true, lots of work and totally worth it. Everything I learned helped me take my skills to the next level and get a job in the most important place for animation: Vancouver!"
Sony Pictures Imageworks, Vancouver
"The overall vibe at VanArts convinced me. I got my first gig soon after graduation, and booked roles in multiple film & television series. There’s always so much more to learn which is why I love doing it."
Student Work
students are immersed in the Animation and Visual Effects industry, and spend a lot of hands-on time creating professional-quality work.
Visual Effects for Film & TV
By Baruch Zevolun
2D Character Animation
By Ryan Torio
Game Art & Design
By Michael Falcone
3D Character Animation
By Hope Milligan
