Bow Valley College this week unveiled a new on-campus production hub for the creative industry.
The Digital Entertainment Nexus Production Hub, measuring nearly 4,000 square feet in size, features high-end equipment for students of the Calgary-based Bow Valley College Centre for Entertainment Arts.
Acting as a revenue generator for the 15,000-student school, the hub will also enable filmmakers and television producers, commercial ventures, and others to create visually stunning effects and elaborate content, according to Misheck Mwaba, the chief executive officer of Bow Valley College.
For example, the soundstage includes a large wrap-around screen that allows characters to interact with virtual environments, while motion capture tech records movements and applies them to a 3D model. Additionally, a post-production and incubation space provides room to develop content, collaborate, and create special effects.
“This Production Hub is a significant investment in the creative and digital industries that will benefit high calibre film and TV productions as well as independent creators,” Mwaba stated.
Some of the inspiration behind the launch of the Hub hails from current success in the field with the potential to be expanded upon.
“A recent blockbuster production shot just outside our college brought a new level of excitement to our city,” explains Mwaba, “and we want to build upon that energy.”
Jyoti Gondek, the Mayor of Calgary, believes that the opening of Bow Valley College’s Production Hub “marks a milestone for Calgary’s creative economy.”
“This state-of-the-art facility equips local talent with Hollywood-grade tools and strengthens our city’s reputation as a centre of innovation in film, television, gaming, and digital storytelling,” the Mayer remarked.
“By investing in creative industries and next-generation technology, we are driving economic diversification and creating meaningful opportunities for Calgarians to build rewarding careers right here at home,” she said.
The hub’s launch was financially supported by the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, which has poured more than $5M into Bow Valley since 2023.
“This is exactly the kind of bold, future-focused investment that fuels economic diversification and reinforces our city as a destination for digital and creative innovation,” posits Brad Parry, CEO of Calgary Economic Development.
Through the investment and consequent Hub, Bow Valley is expected to train 675 individuals, support 128 companies, and help create over 300 jobs by 2028.
“The launch of Bow Valley College’s Production Hub marks another major step forward in building out Calgary’s Digital Entertainment Nexus and cementing our position as a global player in the creative economy,” Parry said.
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