Artists + Designers Share Vital Career Insights in Latest Panel Series

A speaker series at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) featuring insights from some of the country’s most sought-after artists and designers is now available for streaming.

Launched in 2020, the Alumni Career Pathways Series (ACPS) brings working artists and designers to ECU to speak to students and the public about how their careers took shape.

“Alumni Relations is pleased to bring our talented and industrious alumni back to campus to share their authentic and unfiltered experience,” says Teresa Nieman, Alumni Relations Officer at ECU. “I’m thrilled these videos can live on as resources for current and future students, recent grads, or alumni at any stage of their own careers and practices.”

The ACPS is presented annually by Alumni Relations in collaboration with Career Development + Work Integrated Learning and the Shumka Centre for Creative Entrepreneurship. The 2024 series is hosted by Shannon McKinnon, Director, CD+WIL, and collaboratively organized by Shannon and Teresa, in coordination with Cemre Demiralp and Jennifer Martin at Shumka Centre. The ACPS is generously supported by RBC.

The 2024 Visual Arts Entrepreneurship panel included artists Chelsea Yuill (BFA 2019), Brian McBay (BDES 2010), and Philip Dion (BMA 1996) and was moderated by Annie Canto (MFA 2020). The Commercial Film + Photography panel included artists Fedya Vinkovetsky (BFA 2020), Jeremy Jude Lee (BFA 2014) and Isabella Dagnino (MFA 2023) and was moderated by Alan Goldman (MAA 2011). And the Building Your Network panel on professional development featured Jazz Groden-Gilchrist (BFA 2016), Nimi Martins (MDES 2024) and Kunal Sen (BMA 2008) and was moderated by Annie Briard (MFA 2013).

Each year, the ACPS team uses feedback and questions from students and past speakers to sharpen the series’ focus. This ensures conversations always touch on current questions for contemporary practitioners.

“For example, this year’s Commercial Film + Photography panel touched on the politics and ethical concerns of working with people as subjects and what joy and inspiration can also come out of that,” Teresa says. “Birthe Piontek’s photography course as part of Pathways for Creative Futures sparked this line of thinking, and we asked how commercial photographers might navigate these interpersonal dynamics.”

Panels always include both emerging and established practitioners who operate in different corners of their respective industries, meaning their perspectives offer insight for practitioners at any stage of their careers. ACPS panels also include full-time practitioners as well as those who maintain day jobs to support their practice.

“One of my favourite things is to see how each panel member interacts with, complements and contrasts one another,” Teresa says. “The resulting talks are entertaining, informative and surprising, regardless of the theme or lines of conversation. The series truly goes beyond career advice.”

Watch the Visual Arts Entrepreneurship, Commercial Film + Photography and Building Your Network panels now, and check out all previous ACPS events via YouTube.

Students can contact ECU’s Career Development + Work Integrated Learning office to learn more about their programming, resources, and professional development opportunities.

Visit the Shumka Centre’s website and follow them on Instagram to keep up with their innovative programming.

Follow Alumni Relations on Instagram and keep an eye on ECU’s events calendar for more information on 2025 ACPS events.