The 2026 Expo

The UNESCO City of Media Arts EXPO is an industry showcase celebrating the creative businesses, talent and innovation from York, the North and beyond. Taking place as part of the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival, it brings together around 40 creative companies working across film and television, visual effects, video games, virtual production, XR, design, animation and more. It is a chance to meet the people behind some of the region’s most exciting creative work, discover what local companies do, make new connections and find opportunities to collaborate. Whether you work in the creative industries, are looking to enter the sector, are a student or simply want to find out more about the creative businesses on your doorstep, the EXPO is open to you. This year’s event takes place at De Grey Rooms, York, from Thursday 5 – Friday 6 November 2026 from 9:00-21:00. The EXPO runs alongside the Aesthetica Film Festival (4–8 November), is free to attend and does not require a Festival pass. There are a series of free workshops on creative business development running alongside this year’s EXPO. Free to Enter

Meet the Companies

Forty businesses will exhibit at the 2026 EXPO, representing an impressive and diverse range of creative disciplines. These include cutting-edge fields such as virtual production, visual effects, film and TV, interactive design, gaming, graphic design, publishing, XR (extended reality) and many more. This variety showcases not only the breadth and scale of the region’s cultural output but also its dynamic ability to innovate across multiple creative sectors. These businesses work collaboratively and consistently deliver world-class projects for some of the biggest names in the industry, including Adidas, Apple TV+, BBC, Channel 4, HBO, ITV, Netflix, Pepsi, and Sky. Their partnerships with such global brands highlight the strength, professionalism, and influence of the region’s creative community. The EXPO is a powerful demonstration of how the North of England has become a hub for creativity and innovation, with businesses that are operating at the highest levels nationally and internationally. Together, these companies are driving forward the creative economy, inspiring new talent, and showcasing the region as a powerhouse of cultural production.

Championing the Creative Industries

The EXPO is a significant catalyst for the Creative Industries on both a national and international level: an unparalleled opportunity to experience cutting-edge work, forge strategic partnerships and meet the future creators making waves in the UK’s Creative Industries. York is 1 of 28 cities worldwide that was selected by UNESCO because of its extensive outputs in Media Arts. It is the only UNESCO City of Media Arts city in the UK. Other global destinations that share this status are powerhouse cities, including Austin, Texas; Sapporo, Japan; and Toronto, Canada. Our outputs in the region are on a par with these global destinations. York’s status as a UNESCO City of Media Arts reflects the strength of its creative and digital community. The EXPO puts that community centre stage, connecting local businesses with filmmakers, developers, producers, commissioners and other festival visitors from across the UK and beyond. Aesthetica has been actively working with a range of city-wide partners to drive progression routes and pathways into the Creative Industries.

York is a Vibrant Centre of Media Arts

This event is a dynamic marketplace for innovative ideas and collaboration. It’s a platform for creative industries, which contributes £145 billion pounds to the UK economy annually and employs 2.3 million people. York is a leader in the creative economy and our cultural significance is on a global scale. Set within the programme of this year’s Aesthetica Film Festival, and now in its third year, the EXPO showcases the exceptional work being delivered by media arts and creative businesses who are based in the region, often with a global reach. In addition to connecting filmmakers, developers and screen executives attending the festival with businesses that deliver the services they need, the EXPO is a catalyst to support the next generation of talent by showcasing educational pathways and career progression routes.