Since its inception in 2004, the annual Pictoplasma Berlin conference and festival transforms the city into the global epicentre for a diverse, international scene of artists, illustrators, designers, creatives and producers, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. A second conference takes place later each year in New York, acting as a unique forum for the US scene to network – with further tour stops and outpost events around the world happening throughout the year to engage and highlight local talent and communities. As the educational counterpart to the conferences, the Pictoplasma Academy masterclasses invite a selected group of international graduate students and young professionals to kick-start their careers as character designers in close collaboration with industry leading artists.