Over the past year, CGconnect has grown into a space where artists, architects, designers and visualization professionals from around the world come together to share their work, learn from each other, exchange ideas and build connections.
Now, we're taking that experience somewhere new.
On October 16, 2026, we're bringing the community together for the first CGconnect Live - a hybrid experience happening live in Athens and virtually around the world.
This isn't simply a conference to watch. We've designed the day around participation, access to people you can learn from, and the conversations that often happen between the scheduled sessions.
What's happening at CGconnect Live?
The program moves through some of the biggest creative and professional questions facing our community today, from how we create and tell stories to how we build successful careers and navigate a rapidly changing industry.
AI for visual storytelling
We'll start with creativity.
In a practical AI for visual storytelling workshop, we'll explore how AI can become part of the creative process, helping develop concepts, explore moods and ideas, generate imagery and ultimately communicate stronger visual stories.
The focus isn't simply on the technology. It's on what you can do with it as a creative.
Inspiration in 10 minutes
Sometimes ten minutes is enough to leave you thinking differently.
A series of short talks will bring together different perspectives on creativity, storytelling, visual language, communication and the experiences that shape us as creative professionals.
No long presentations. Just focused stories and ideas worth sharing.
Beyond the portfolio
Great work matters. But building a successful career in CG and visualization takes more than a strong portfolio.
We'll talk about personal branding, visibility, career growth and positioning yourself in the industry - including what artists can do beyond continuously improving their work to create opportunities and build careers that last.
We'll also look more broadly at where visualization is today and where the profession may be heading next.
AI, vibe coding and the future of creativity
AI is already changing how we create. Vibe coding is opening another door, allowing people to build tools and experiences without following the traditional path into software development.
What does that mean for artists and designers?
We'll bring different voices together for an interactive conversation about AI, vibe coding, emerging workflows, and how creative professionals can use these new possibilities rather than simply watch them develop.
And the audience will be part of that conversation too.
Online doesn't mean watching from the sidelines
CGconnect Live is being designed as a hybrid experience from the start.
While the community in Athens takes a break from the main stage, our online audience will get something of their own: Mentor Minutes.
Three simultaneous 30-minute virtual breakout sessions will create smaller spaces where you can meet experienced people from the industry, hear a short story or lesson from their experience, and then ask them questions directly.
Topics will range from going from artist and freelancer to successful studio owner, to getting behind the scenes of standout creative work.
Choose the conversation most useful to you, join the room and ask what you actually want to know.
Don't just attend. Take part.
Throughout the day, both our Athens and online attendees will be invited to participate in the CGconnect Live Creative Challenge.
There will also be community activities, games, shared experiences, and opportunities to discover and connect with other people attending the event.
We'll finish the main program by showcasing some of what the community created and celebrating the people behind it with our Community Awards.
And for those joining us in Athens, the experience continues well beyond the stage.
Coffee, drinks and conversations will lead into an evening of networking on a rooftop terrace overlooking Athens, followed by an optional community walk through the city and final drinks together.
Why Athens?
There's a reason the first CGconnect Live begins here.
Even the Parthenon was designed around human experience. Its builders subtly adjusted its lines and columns because they understood that what feels right to the human eye can matter more than what is technically perfect.
As visual artists and designers, we still make those kinds of decisions every day.
Twenty-five centuries later, we're gathering in the same city; across places, across screens, around the same ideas and the same passion for creating.
Join us in Athens or online
CGconnect Live 2026 takes place on October 16, 2026, live from Gazarte in Athens, Greece, and online around the world.
Whether you're an artist, architect, designer, visualization professional, studio owner, student, or simply someone interested in where creativity and technology are heading, we'd love to have you with us.
One community. One experience. Wherever you are, be part of it.