CPD Announces Inaugural Cohort for Circular Production Design-Build Workshop
Canadian Production Design Association creates Canada’s first hands-on production design training program, combining practical design-build skills with circular building and material reuse strategies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO — January 19, 2026 — The Canadian Production Design Association (CPD), with the support of official partner the Canada Media Fund (CMF), announces the selected participants for the inaugural CPD Circular Production Design-Build Workshop, a free, hands-on training program designed to strengthen practical production design and build skills in Canada while advancing circular approaches to materials, sourcing, and reuse. Circular thinking and material reuse are embedded throughout the design-build process, from early planning and sourcing through construction, completion, and wrap.
Running January 24 to February 15, 2026, the workshop will be delivered over four consecutive weekends at York University’s York U Media in Motion Studio (YUMMS). Participants will work as a cohort to design and build modular standing sets using reclaimed materials, guided by working professionals across production design, construction, scenic painting, and set decoration. The completed standing sets will remain at YUMMS, where they can be reused for future training and made available as an ongoing resource for students and the film industry.
While originally envisioned solely for early-career practitioners, the selected cohort intentionally includes a rare mix of emerging and more experienced designers. This structure supports two-way learning, with experienced practitioners sharing build and production fundamentals, while emerging participants contribute fresh sustainability thinking and new approaches to material reuse that benefit the entire cohort.
“Circular design is most effective when it is taught through real-world practice. This program is built around doing, not just discussing,” said Marian Wihak, Production Designer and co-founder of the workshop. “It gives participants the chance to keep design decisions regarding material choice and reuse, construction, and, most importantly, the exit plan in mind from day one.”
Selection for the inaugural cohort was highly competitive, with the CPD receiving more than five times the number of applications as available spots. The response reflects a significant demand for this type of training in Canada and reinforces the organization’s commitment to expanding hands-on learning opportunities in the years ahead.
“This training program fills a critical gap by pairing film and television production design fundamentals with circular thinking, so the next generation can build with craft, intention, and responsibility,” said Rose Lagacé, CPD President, Production Designer, and co-founder of the program. “Choosing this cohort was genuinely difficult because the candidates were exceptional. The demand is clear, and we are very motivated to build more training like this across the country.”
The pilot was co-developed with Construction Coordinator Joe Madziak to ensure the workshop bridges design intent with safe, practical, production-ready build workflows. In the industry, Madziak is known for bringing circular thinking into day-to-day build decisions in ways that crews can practically execute. That approach was especially visible on Suits, where reuse and practical planning were treated as standard practice rather than a special initiative.
Inaugural Cohort | January–February 2026
The selected participants represent a cross-section of Canada’s screen-based design community, bringing diverse backgrounds, complementary strengths, and a shared commitment to circular thinking that will enrich the cohort’s collaborative build process.
June Charles is a Saint Lucian-born Canadian multidisciplinary designer working in film and television, and Production Designer on Village Keeper (TIFF 2024) and Seahorse (SXSW 2026).
Samiramis Kia is an Iranian-Canadian director, writer, and production designer trained in interior architecture, with internationally screened work.
Sophie Duarte is a multimedia artist working across film and television, with experience as a production designer, props master, and set decorator, known for hands-on making.
Ashley Frederick is a Toronto-based production designer and art director with screen and commercial credits, focused on detailed, story-driven worlds.
Bruno Rocca is a Northern Ontario art director and DGC Ontario member focused on renewable and reusable materials and practical circular workflows.
Emily Bendeck Garay is an emerging production designer with experience in production and locations, exploring circular approaches to screen-based design.
Anne Vo is a Toronto-based freelance production designer for commercials and music videos who shares her art department journey through social media.
Vladyslava Voloshyna brings a decade of experience in interior design, millwork, and graphic design, combining drafting and multimedia skills to support circular practice.
Miles Norton is an art director and set decorator specializing in set decorating, SketchUp, and styling, with a strong interest in reuse and circular design.
Monika Wensel is a multidisciplinary designer and maker with an industrial design background, including work as a shoemaker for film and television, now pursuing production design.
Becky Wu is a multidisciplinary designer working in film art departments with a focus on art direction and production design, creating on-screen graphics, sets, and props.
Sonia Cintra transitioned from assistant directing into the art department as a set decorator and production designer, bringing adaptability across creative environments.
Delia Yuan is a Toronto-based production designer and visual artist with a BFA in Theatre Design, creating evocative spaces that reveal character histories and untold stories.
Yulia Yu works in set decoration and props across film and television and designs on select projects, with an interest in circular production design rooted in independent production problem-solving.
Liam Cooper is a Toronto-based set decorator and Humber College Film and Television Production graduate, building skills through hands-on industry experience.
Natalie Yuen is in her final year of Interior Design at Toronto Metropolitan University, pursuing production design and expanding practical skills from woodworking to 3D modelling.
Nicole Hunter Campbell is a Toronto-based production designer and owner of Hunter Gatherer Interiors, an interior design studio centred on previously loved items and creative reuse.
Peter Mihaichuk is a production designer and art director whose credits include Thanksgiving, Star Trek: Discovery, and Letterkenny. He is eager to deepen sustainable approaches within his practice.
Workshop Founders and Instructors
Marian Wihak, Production Designer and program co-founder, is a multi-award-winning designer bringing 40 years of industry experience to her work as a sustainability leader championing material reuse and circular design-build strategies.
Rose Lagacé, Production Designer and program co-founder, is CPD President and the founder and editor of Art Departmental, focused on mentorship, education, advocacy, and sustainability-forward production design.
Joe Madziak, Construction Consultant and program co-developer, brings more than 30 years of film and television experience and supports safe, production-ready circular build workflows that align design intent with construction realities.
Jacqui Hemingway, Scenic Painter and Sustainability Advisor, brings 30 years of industry experience and supports paint and finishing methods that align with responsible materials practices.
Lily Sadri, Workshop Set Decoration Instructor, is an IATSE 873 set decorator and buyer whose credits include Suits, Covert Affairs, Gen V, and Glamorous. She brings practical circular sourcing experience, prioritizing reuse, rentals, and thoughtful procurement.
Partners and Support
The CPD Circular Production Design-Build Workshop is supported by a coalition of public, institutional, and industry partners, including the Canada Media Fund, York University and York U Media in Motion Studio, the City of Toronto and xoTO, Ontario Creates and Ontario Green Screen, the Directors Guild of Canada, CBC, IATSE Local 411, IATSE Local 873, Wiseacre Rentals, Think Lightweight, and Krypton Rental Group.
About the Canadian Production Design Association
The Canadian Production Design Association is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the art and craft of production design in Canada. Through advocacy, education, professional development, and community building, the CPD works to elevate production design and the artists and craftspeople who bring stories to life on screen.
Media Contact
Canadian Production Design Association
info@canadianproductiondesign.ca
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