AMPD faculty lead transformative research supported by Connected Minds grants

AMPD faculty were among the recipients of the Connected Minds program’s first round of Team Grants, supporting research that explores how technology can contribute to a healthier, more just society.

Professor Shital Desai’s work focuses on inclusive workplace design for people with speech impairments. Professor Laura Levin’s research team examines how participatory technologies such as AI, VR and immersive theatre shape collective behaviour and connection. Professor Rebecca Caines is co-leading an Indigenous-led virtual learning environment that brings together Anishinaabe knowledge and immersive technology to support cultural resurgence and language revitalization.

York research highlights Canadian roots, global impact of IMAX theatre

A new research project led by Professor Janine Marchessault is uncovering the early history of IMAX, tracing its origins in Canada to its rise as a global cinematic technology.

Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), IMAX: A Transnational History is the first scholarly study to examine the medium’s international expansion between 1970 and 1990. The project brings together an international research team to study key IMAX theatres around the world, exploring how this Canadian innovation was adapted across cultures and contexts.

Visual Arts students transform access to Inuit art

A student-led project brought works from York University’s Inuit sculpture collection to broader audiences through an innovative pairing of physical and virtual exhibitions.

Guided by Professor Anna Hudson, students in the Joan Goldfarb Visual Arts Study Centre Curatorial placement (ARTH 4110) engaged with York’s Inuit sculpture collection to explore new ways of presenting Inuit, Sámi and Alaska Native art, archives and cultural knowledge. This work builds on Hudson’s research, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Gran.

Professor Ali Kazimi receives 2025 Fire Horse Award

Professor Ali Kazimi was named the 2025 recipient of the Fire Horse Award by the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, recognizing his outstanding contributions to film and media arts in Canada and beyond.

An award-winning filmmaker and educator, Kazimi has built an influential body of work spanning documentary, installation and media art, exploring themes of race, migration, memory and colonial history. Over several decades, his films and creative practice have earned national and international recognition while shaping critical conversations in Canadian cinema.

Professor Shital Desai receives 2025 President's Emerging Research Leadership Award

Professor Shital Desai was named a 2025 recipient of the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA) in Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, recognizing significant contributions to research within the first decade of an academic career.

Desai’s work at the intersection of design and health is advancing accessibility solutions for seniors, people living with dementia and individuals with disabilities. Her research is grounded in community impact, with collaborations including the Jane and Finch Centre and Toronto Public Library. Through this work, Desai continues to shape more inclusive design practices while improving quality of life for vulnerable populations.

Professor Jennifer Fisher receives inaugural Art Basel Award

Professor Jennifer Fisher was named an inaugural recipient of the Art Basel Award in the Media & Storytellers category, recognizing her contributions to shaping contemporary curatorial discourse.

Alongside collaborator Jim Drobnick (OCAD University), Fisher was recognized for her work on the Journal of Curatorial Studies, an academic publication that advances critical dialogue and elevates underrepresented voices within contemporary art and culture. It was selected as one of 35 international recipients for its “profound impact and innovation” in defining the curatorial as a site of knowledge production.

AMPD alumni earn accolades at TIFF 50

Several AMPD alumni earned major recognition at TIFF 50, taking home awards and honourable mentions across multiple categories.

Their work highlights the strength of York’s creative community, and adds to a growing wave of AMPD alumni shaping Canadian and global storytelling.

AMPD Music alumnus wins Grammy Award

Music alumnus Justin Gray (MA ’14) won a Grammy Award for IMMERSED, which received Best Immersive Audio Album at the 68th Grammy Awards, marking the first win by a Canadian in this category.

Recognized for its innovative use of immersive sound and global collaboration, the project brought together 38 artists, including York faculty and alumni, Professor Noam Lemish, Professor Sundar Viswanathan, Suba Sankaran (BFA ’97, MA ’02), Derek Gray (MA ’16), and part-time faculty members Kevin Turcotte and Todd Pentney.

AMPD alumni recognized with wins and nominations at the 2025 Dora Mavor Moore Awards

AMPD alumni were recognized at the 2025 Dora Mavor Moore Awards with several standout wins across multiple categories. Notable mentions include Maharabharata, co-created and performed by Miriam Fernandes (BFA ’11), and FLEX, featuring Asha James (BFA ’18), alongside Alligator Pie, directed by Severn Thompson (MFA ’20), which received multiple awards. The Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award went to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, produced by Shifting Ground Collective, co-founded by Theatre alumni Shannon Murtagh (BFA ’20) and Joshua Kilimnik (BFA ’23).

Cinespace Toronto wins Studio of the Year at Global Production Awards, highlights York U Partnership

Cinespace Studios Toronto was named Studio of the Year at the 2025 Global Production Awards in Cannes. The recognition highlights the studio’s partnership with York U Motion Media Studio (YUMMS), a one-of-a-kind space inside Cinespace that places AMPD students at the heart of the film and television world.

AMPD and industry partners launch first-of-its-kind production design workshop

Canada’s first Circular Production Design-Build Workshop was hosted at the York U Motion Media Studio (YUMMS), with AMPD students and alumni among its first participants.

Presented by the Canadian Production Design Association (CPD), the four-week workshop brought together early-career art, film and media practitioners to design and build two full standing sets using reclaimed materials.