From animation classrooms to global studios, Arena Animation is celebrating three decades of turning creative ambition into industry-ready talent, with an eye firmly on India’s fast-expanding AVGC-XR economy.
Arena Animation, the animation, VFX, gaming and digital media training brand of Aptech, has completed 30 years of creative training and skill development. Since its launch in 1996, the brand says it has empowered more than five lakh students worldwide across animation, visual effects, gaming, digital content creation, AR/VR, multimedia and related disciplines.
The milestone comes as India’s AVGC-XR sector gathers momentum, with demand rising for original content, homegrown intellectual property and creators fluent in next-generation technologies.
Arena has built a network of more than 210 centres across over 100 cities and towns globally. The brand has also recently launched an academic advisory board in Mumbai to deepen industry-academia collaboration and keep its curriculum tuned to changing technologies and industry needs.
Its philosophy, Learn from the Leader, puts industry practitioners at the centre of the learning experience. Arena says the advisory board will help ensure its curriculum remains relevant, future-focused and informed by working professionals.
The brand is also looking beyond the classroom and towards original ideas. Through initiatives such as Arena Animation Originals, students and alumni are encouraged to develop and showcase intellectual properties, with the aim of fostering creative entrepreneurship and participation in the growing creator economy.
Arena’s alumni network stretches across studios, gaming companies, broadcasters and digital content organisations, including Dneg, Rockstar Games, Zebu Animation, Green Gold Animation, ILM, NYVFXWALA, Network18 and Digitoonz. Several alumni have also worked on internationally acclaimed and Oscar-nominated projects, while others have represented India at IndiaSkills and WorldSkills competitions.
Aptech whole-time director & chief business officer Sandip Weling stated, “As Arena Animation celebrates 30 years, we take immense pride in the impact our students, alumni, faculty, franchise partners, and industry collaborators have created together. This milestone is not merely a celebration of our legacy but a reaffirmation of our commitment to the future. As the creative economy continues to expand, our focus remains on empowering aspiring creators with industry-relevant skills, fostering innovation, and enabling them to become creators, storytellers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in the global AVGC-XR ecosystem.”
Arena Animation senior vice president and national sales head Shajan Samuel commented, “India’s AVGC-XR sector is poised for significant growth, supported by increasing global demand for content, technological advancements, and policy support. With its strong legacy, extensive industry network, and future-focused learning ecosystem, Arena Animation remains committed to playing a meaningful role in building the next generation of creative professionals and contributing to India’s emergence as a global creative powerhouse.
The 30-year celebrations will roll out a series of initiatives involving students, alumni, industry partners and the wider creative community, spanning alumni engagement and industry outreach across multiple cities.
With GenAI, virtual production, immersive technologies and next-generation media workflows reshaping the creative landscape, Arena is betting that the next big idea may come not from the production floor but from the classroom.
