18:00 Dinner - by invitation

18:45 Open to all

A networking event for female and non-binary professionals in the creative industry, sponsored by Film i Västerbotten. This inclusive gathering, held at MANDEL Sara Kulturhus.

Check in, grab your badge, and kick off an inspiring day!

Welcome to SKEÅ: Creative Connect! Meet your hosts, get a quick intro to the day, and kick things off with energy and inspiration.

A retrospective on eight years of development at Arrowhead Game Studios. Attendees will look back and learn how to lead a studio, designing and developing a smash hit, and later running an innovative live service experience.

Emma Ihre explores how the creative industries build lasting value for the many.
She shows how creativity doesn’t just entertain—it shapes a better, more social, and sustainable world. Creative work, from games to music to film, has the absolute power to drive change. Emma shares how even small companies, with limited resources, can embrace sustainability work to build more resilience and keep creating the stuff people love

A conversation on building a sustainable creative ecosystem in Skellefteå—exploring collaboration between public and private actors, connecting creators and investors, supporting talent, and redefining success beyond financial returns. Audience questions welcome!

Ben is a frequent guest in Skellefteå, and now he’s back to offer an inside look at The Yard VFX—who they are, where they come from, and what they’re working on today.

Lunch: Not included (we’ll share tips for places nearby)

This conversation explores the future of storytelling, focusing on the growing interconnection between art forms like audiovisual media, books, and video games. It highlights the essential role of human intelligence and creative freedom as the true foundation driving innovation across the creative industries.

Jonas Lawes from Seize the Frame shares the past, present, and future of film in Skellefteå. Starting with low-budget films, the team built expertise across all filmmaking stages and now creates films and compelling commercials rooted in deep local experience.

Without talent, there’s no industry. That’s a given—and it’s well-established in research as one of the most essential parts of ecosystem development. But talent doesn’t appear by chance. How do we attract, educate, and retain it? How can we prepare for the future needs in the games, film and digital experiences? And what are companies looking for?

Gianni will focus on a character called Amos, exploring how a single scene centered around him comes to life. From the script to the final image, the talk will break down the entire creative process behind that scene in Secret Level.

Join Philip Engström, VFX Supervisor at Important Looking Pirates, as he takes you behind the scenes of simulating a massive landslide, integrating live-action elements with unconventional methods of Shogun! From high-fidelity water simulations and large-scale armies to intricate set extensions and full CG environments, learn how these effects brought key moments to life and elevated the storytelling.

Bringing it all together! A creative jam to explore conference topics, shape collaborations and the future of the creative industry in Skellefteå.

Join us after the conference at the Try New Things office—just a 10-minute walk from Sara Kulturhus—to continue conversations with local, regional, and international guests in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.