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York U AMPD

Dedicated to excellence, experimentation and thought leadership, AMPD offers an exceptional environment for the development of next-generation creative talent.

School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University

Home to Digital Media, Film, Media Arts, Dance, Design, Music, Theatre & Visual Arts at York U The School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University is one of North America’s premier institutions for professional education across the arts. We offer hands-on professional training and in-depth academic studies in cinema and media arts, dance, design, digital media, music, theatre and visual art/art history. Our programs push the boundaries between artistic media, explore emerging technologies and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. The world increasingly needs creative thinkers to ignite bold new ideas, invent transformative experiences, and devise innovative solutions for global challenges. Creativity - the art of the disciplined imagination - is the single most valuable asset for career success. Open your mind to new ways of thinking. Unleash your potential and define the future of creativity with us at AMPD!

09/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to see AMPD at the Ontario Universities’ Fair this weekend!

It was wonderful meeting so many prospective students and families, hearing what you’re interested in and answering your questions about programs, admissions and student life at York.

There are more opportunities to connect with AMPD this fall:

York’s Fall Open House on Oct. 24: https://bit.ly/4d3kHqk
AMPD information sessions: https://bit.ly/3qotmem
Campus tours: https://bit.ly/4d5ionw

We hope to see you again soon!

09/25/2026

AMPD faculty and alumni were recently on stage and behind the scenes in 'Gaslight' at Capitol Theatre Port Hope.

Assistant Professor Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster starred in the production, alongside the work of AMPD instructor Jareth Li as Lighting Designer, Joyce Padua (BFA ’19) as Associate Set Designer and Mary Witlib (BFA ’25) as Head of Props.

Production credits
Cast: Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Darren Martens, Mallory James and Glynis Ranney
Director: Marie Farsi
Stage Manager: Craig Francis
ASM: Molly Muck
Dialect Coach: Alison Deon
Sound Designer: Ashley Au
Set Designer: Sim Suzer
Costume Designer: Anika Binding
Lighting Designer: Jareth Li
Associate Set Designer: Joyce Padua
Associate Costume Designer: Carlyn Rahusaar Routledge
Fight Director: Siobhan Richardson
Associate Fight Director: Matt Richardson
Head of Props: Mary Witlib

Photo: Sam Moffatt

09/24/2026

AMPD has welcomed five new full-time faculty members.

Lyndon Barrois Jr., Tanya Berg, Daphne Rena Idiz, Moynan King and Emilia White bring experience across artistic practice, education and cultural research, with work exploring areas such as generative AI, embodied learning, feminist performance and participatory art.

Learn more: https://www.yorku.ca/yfile/2026/09/17/ampd-scholars-offer-diverse-expertise-across-arts-media-dance/

09/23/2026

Fourth-year AMPD Music student Jaasmaan is now a Canadian Screen Music Award winner!

Jaasmaan received the 2026 award for Best Original Score, Original Song for his work on 'Path of the Wind', a Hindi and Malayalam film directed by Wasim Aliyar.

AMPD Professors Noam Lemish and Sundar Viswanathan also performed on the award-winning track, with Lemish on piano and Viswanathan on bansuri.

He credits the guidance of AMPD professors and instructors Sarah Slean, John Castillo, Steven Munro and Randolph Peters, along with Lemish and Viswanathan, with helping him grow as a composer and develop his approach to composing for film.

“This award is monumental in my career in so many ways and I can't be thankful enough to my teachers.”

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4jjtuIj

09/21/2026

Congratulations to all the students, alumni, faculty and staff who represented AMPD at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, on screen, behind the scenes and throughout the festival.

Highlights included Naomi Jaye (MFA ’19) who presented 'SLOW', a participatory multi-screen installation, and MA student Rennie Taylor's 'Little Free Cinema' which featured work by alumna Christina Dovolis (MFA '23) and Professor Emeritus Philip Hoffman.

Sylvia Mok’s (BFA ’26) documentary 'Restaurant Kids' screened as part of the National Film Board of Canada and TIFF’s ReDefined initiative, while AMPD alumni were also part of the team behind 'Neverman' featured in TIFF’s Centrepiece programme.

The festival also brought recognition for alum Yuula Benivolski (MFA ’25), whose 'The Black Box is Orange' received an Honourable Mention for the Best Canadian Discovery Award.

Until next year, TIFF!

Pictured (left to right): Rennie Taylor and Philip Hoffman, Syvlia Mok, and Naomi Jaye.

09/18/2026

AMPD professor Laura Levin has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours for scholarly, artistic and scientific achievement.

A leading figure in performance studies, Levin’s work explores the intersections of performance, technology and public life, while advancing collaborative and research-creation practices across disciplines and communities.

Congratulations to Professor Levin on this remarkable recognition.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3TyUB7X

09/17/2026

AMPD has announced its 2026–27 Theatre & Dance performance season with an exciting fall and winter program spanning new work, reimagined classics, choreography, festivals and student-led creation.

Explore the season and upcoming dates: https://bit.ly/4xwOxdY

09/16/2026

AMPD Dean Brandon Vickerd is bringing a new public artwork to West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby.

'The Equestrian', a stainless steel and bronze sculpture featuring a resting horse with a small bird on its back, draws on the agricultural history and natural landscape of the Niagara Escarpment. The work is designed to bring a sense of calm to the hospital’s outdoor courtyard and is expected to be installed this fall.

Read more about the public art commission and the story behind the sculpture: https://bit.ly/46nFwJg

09/14/2026

AMPD was back at xoTO House during TIFF!

Dean Brandon Vickerd, AMPD faculty and staff, and members of the York U Motion Media Studio team joined industry leaders and members of Toronto’s film and screen community to connect and celebrate the people and work shaping the city’s screen sector.

Address

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON
M3J1P3

Telephone

4166508176

Website

http://ampd.yorku.ca/

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