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A: A degree in Performance Production & Design doesn’t lead to just one job. It opens many doors. Whether you're drawn to theatre, film, music, events, museums, or emerging digital forms, this program gives you practical skills, creative tools, and the confidence to take on a wide range of exciting careers. Here's what that could look like:

Creative & Conceptual Design Careers

Production Designer / Art Director

Designs the overall look and feel of a performance, film, or experience. Works with directors and creative teams to shape environments, colors, and visual storytelling. This role is about translating big ideas into physical spaces that move an audience.

Scenic Designer

Designs the spaces where stories happen. From furniture layouts to full-scale landscapes, they create drawings, models, and digital mockups that guide how a show looks and feels. If you love shaping the world around you, this is a deeply satisfying path.

Lighting Designer

Uses light to set mood, focus attention, and support performance. Whether it’s soft and emotional or sharp and rhythmic, lighting designers cue moments that help an audience feel the story. This is a great fit for people who think visually and love tech.

Sound Designer

Shapes the soundscape of a production using recorded effects, music, and textures. They also build the systems that deliver sound to the audience. If you’re tuned into how something sounds and love to experiment with software and speakers, this is a powerful role.

Projection & Media Designer

Creates moving images and live video that interact with performers and space. Uses tools like TouchDesigner or QLab to control projections, textures, and visuals during live shows. This is where video, animation, and live performance meet.

Costume Designer

Designs clothing that reflects character, story, and movement. Researches time periods, sketches looks, shops or builds garments, and supports fittings with performers. This is storytelling through fabric, and it’s ideal for people who love detail and fashion.

Technical & Craft-Based Roles

Props Master / Artisan

Builds or sources the objects that performers interact with on stage — anything from antique books to oversized masks. This job combines crafting skills with creativity, research, and collaboration. A great fit for tinkerers and DIYers.

Scenic Carpenter

Builds stages, walls, platforms, and structural scenery. Works with wood, metal, and tools to bring a designer’s plan to life. If you like building with your hands and seeing immediate results, scenic carpentry is a solid career path.

Scenic Painter / Charge Artist

Paints and finishes scenery to look like brick, sky, woodgrain, marble — or anything else the show calls for. Often works on large surfaces and murals. A great fit for artists who want to apply their skills to live performance.

Video Systems Engineer

Sets up and manages projectors, screens, video walls, and live camera systems. Works closely with projection designers and handles cabling, networking, and calibration. This job is for detail-oriented folks who like puzzles and precision.

Media Server Programmer

Runs the software that makes visuals appear at the right time and place. Uses cue-based software to trigger media across multiple devices. Great for those who love timelines, playback, and interactive visuals.

Audio Systems Technician  

Mixes sound during live performances, installs speaker systems, and runs cables and mics. Responsible for making sure everything sounds good for the audience and performers. Perfect for people who are calm under pressure and love working with audio gear.

Lighting Technician

Installs lighting equipment, runs power and data, and helps turn a designer’s plan into a working rig. Often works with ladders, lifts, and control consoles. If you like tools, problem-solving, and lighting tech, this is a hands-on and reliable career.

Automation Technician

Programs and maintains motors that move scenery, props, or lighting rigs. These techs make magic happen — rotating platforms, flying scenery, and hidden reveals. Ideal for people who love movement, systems, and safety.

Fabrication & Rapid Prototyping Specialist

Uses 3D printers, CNC machines, and laser cutters to create masks, models, props, and more. Blends digital design with hands-on making. A great fit for people who love design and enjoy crossing between digital and physical tools.

Management & Leadership Roles

Production Manager

Oversees the whole production process, from budgeting and timelines to coordinating the team. Keeps things running smoothly and solves problems before they become crises. If you’re organized, proactive, and like working with people, this role is essential.

Technical Director

Leads the build team, estimates materials, solves construction challenges, and manages safety. Makes sure the physical elements of a show come together as planned. This job is for makers and planners who love leadership and logistics.

Stage Manager / Show Caller

Tracks everything in a production — actors, cues, props, changes — and keeps rehearsals on time. During the show, they call every lighting and sound cue. If you’re calm, detailed, and love coordinating people, this is the heart of every show.

Tour / Road Manager

Travels with a show and makes sure it runs smoothly at every stop. Solves problems, coordinates local crews, and adapts designs to new spaces. This is a great fit if you like travel, fast thinking, and working in new environments.

Venue Technician / House Crew

Works in theatres, concert halls, and museums to support incoming productions. Sets up and operates lighting, sound, and video systems. This role is stable, flexible, and often perfect for early-career technicians.

New & Interdisciplinary Fields

Live Event / Experience Designer

Designs spaces and stories for concerts, installations, fashion shows, and festivals. Blends sound, light, and staging into unforgettable live environments. If you’re excited by energy, crowds, and creative staging, this is where theatre meets the world.

Exhibition / Museum Designer

Plans how people move through galleries, museums, and public installations. Designs spaces that are informative, interactive, and beautiful. Ideal for people who care about art, education, and spatial storytelling.

Themed Entertainment Designer

Works on rides, escape rooms, immersive games, or theme parks. Designs interactive spaces that tell stories and surprise audiences. If you love world-building and play, this is a career where your imagination becomes the environment.

XR / Immersive Technologist

Combines live performance with virtual or augmented reality. Uses projections, sensors, and software to create experiences that respond to audiences. Great for artists and makers interested in technology and future-focused design.

Community Arts Facilitator / Teaching Artist

Brings design and performance into schools, youth programs, and public spaces. Leads workshops that help others express themselves through art. A meaningful choice for those who want their creativity to make a difference in people’s lives.

Creative Producer

Supports projects from idea to opening. Balances logistics, team-building, and artistic vision. If you’re organized, love starting things, and care about making art happen, this role gives you a hand in every part of the process.

Arts Technician for Events, Cruise Lines, or Corporate Shows

Applies technical skills to concerts, conferences, cruise ships, and major events. Every day is different, and the locations can be global. If you’re adventurous, adaptable, and technically skilled, this role brings you to the center of the action.

A: A Production, Production & Design degree doesn’t limit you to just one kind of job. It prepares you to work across a wide range of creative and technical industries. Your skills in collaboration, design, storytelling, and problem-solving are valuable in places you might not expect. From theatre and film to museums, concerts, and immersive technology, here’s where your training can take you:

Theatre and Performing Arts

This is where many students begin. You can work in regional theatres, festivals, touring shows, or independent productions as a designer, technician, stage manager, or producer. Whether it’s a small black box theatre or a major stage, theatre gives you a place to apply creative ideas and technical skills directly. It’s also where many people first build confidence and make lasting professional connections.

Dance and Contemporary Performance

Dance companies of all sizes need lighting designers, production managers, sound artists, and touring technicians. These productions often explore new forms and technology, making them ideal for interdisciplinary artists. Your training in flexible and collaborative processes fits naturally into this world, whether you're supporting emerging choreographers or well-established companies.

Live Music and Touring Concerts

From arena tours to indie festivals, concerts rely on teams of designers and technicians to create unforgettable experiences. Lighting, projections, sound, and stage management all play a major role. Whether you’re touring with a band or setting up for a local show, your ability to think quickly, solve problems, and adapt to new spaces will be a strong asset.

Events and Corporate Productions

Corporate launches, fashion shows, product demos, conferences, and brand activations all need skilled creative and technical teams. These events are fast-paced and highly visual. If you enjoy variety, collaboration, and making things run smoothly under pressure, this field offers exciting work and strong earning potential.

Film, Television, and Streaming

The skills you learn in design, drafting, lighting, sound, media playback, and props apply directly to art departments, costume teams, and onset crew roles. With Vancouver’s thriving film industry, many students find opportunities soon after graduating. This is a field where experience, creativity, and adaptability are highly valued.

Museums, Galleries, and Exhibitions

Museums and galleries increasingly rely on production-trained artists and technicians to install exhibitions, program projections, set up audio tours, and support interactive works. You might build display units, design layouts, or assist with media systems. This field suits artists and makers who care about education, storytelling, and spatial experience.

Themed Entertainment and Attractions

Theme parks, immersive experiences, escape rooms, and branded installations all require scenic, lighting, sound, and media design. These roles combine creativity with engineering and guest experience. If you love world-building, collaboration, and attention to detail, this growing industry offers imaginative and rewarding work.

Cruise Ships and Travel-Based Entertainment

Many ships employ full teams of designers, stage managers, electricians, and technicians to run live shows at sea. These roles offer the chance to travel and build production experience quickly. If you're curious, adventurous, and ready to work hard, cruise contracts can be a unique and transformative first step in your career.

Immersive Technology and Experience Design

This includes VR, AR, interactive installations, motion tracking, projection mapping, and hybrid digital-physical environments. Companies in this space value designers who can think spatially, tell stories, and work with evolving tech. If you’re interested in future-forward design and hands-on innovation, this field brings your creative thinking to the edge of what's next.

Equipment Rental, AV, and Venue Operations

Rental companies, theatres, hotels, and festivals hire technicians to set up and run lighting, sound, video, and staging gear. These roles provide steady work and help you build confidence in real-world production settings. It’s a great way to gain hands-on experience and grow your network.

Arts Education and Community Engagement

Youth programs, community arts organizations, schools, and outreach initiatives all need creative facilitators and teaching artists. These roles help people of all ages engage with the arts in meaningful ways. If you care about accessibility, learning, and creative expression, this work can be both fulfilling and impactful.

Independent Practice and Self-Employment

Many of our graduates go on to freelance, form collectives, or launch their own creative businesses. They design shows, tour installations, make video art, or build specialized services in lighting, video, or fabrication. With the right mix of skill and self-direction, this degree gives you the foundation to shape your own career path.

A: Our program is within an interdisciplinary environment: Because you'll be studying within the School for the Contemporary Arts, you'll get to experience much more than students in programs that only focus on theatre. Along with working on theatre and performance shows, you'll regularly work on dance performances, concerts, video projects, and interactive installations. You'll also create your own original work. Plus, you'll have a chance to collaborate with music & sound students, film students, visual art students, and help graduate students with their major projects.

Our program focuses on contemporary and new work creation: You won't be building traditional, realistic stage sets for classic plays. Instead, we work on designs that include video screens, surround sound systems, different ways of arranging the audience, and set pieces that might move around. You'll often work on shows that don't start with a written script - instead, they're created through group brainstorming, collective teamwork, or new dance pieces that are being developed. 

We focus on innovation and hands-on making: We'll train you to be flexible and creative thinkers who can adapt to different situations. We teach design through lots of experimenting and trying things multiple times until they work, which helps you develop your own unique style and follow your personal interests.

A: Our program does not offer courses on Stage Management specifically. However, we do teach many of the same organizational and technical skills that a professional Stage Manager would need to know. We’re interested in training team members who can respond to the evolving needs of individual productions. This includes some stage management skills, but also some project management skills, or producing skills, such as knowing how to create budgets, manage production schedules, handle deadlines, seek out specialized help, and invent new processes for new artistic pursuits. Alumni from our program who work in Stage Management are competitive because they have worked across a variety of disciplines and can understand different kinds of creation processes. 

A: Your year-level cohort will be small - between 15 and 24 students each year. Most of your program-specific courses happen in hands-on studio classes where you'll get group and individual feedback, plus demonstrations and theory lessons. Because the classes are small, we can better meet your individual learning needs compared to bigger programs.

You should expect to have major production assignments both in class and as part of school-wide shows, where you'll work in roles like technical direction, production management, technician, and design. For each production, you'll have at least one faculty mentor who will guide you and give you detailed feedback throughout the entire project. 

We're committed to helping you develop not just your technical skills, but also your people skills like teamwork, communication, and organization. 

A: Yes! We participate in a huge range of events and performances. You'll participate in a range of events and performances - theatre shows, dance performances, collaborations between different art forms, graduate student final projects, installations, concerts, films, festivals, ongoing productions, and even performances that are completely created and organized by production and design students like yourself. These range from big mainstage productions where you'll work with many other students and programs at SCA, to small DIY projects with your classmates. 

We'll assign you to different production roles that match where you are in the program. Here's an example of how this might work for lighting: In your first year, you might work as a technician installing lights for productions. In your second year, you might program and operate the lighting board. In your third year, you could be head of lighting or assistant lighting designer. And in your fourth year, you might be the lead lighting designer. 

This program offers a strong foundation in production, but it is not focused only on technical training. We teach both how to use tools and why they matter in the context of storytelling and collaboration. If your goal is to join a technical union like IATSE, you will likely need more daily, hands-on experience than any university program can provide.

What makes this program different is that you will develop production skills alongside design, planning, drafting, visual research, and collaboration. We prepare students for a constantly evolving industry where understanding core concepts is more valuable than relying on specific tools that may become outdated. 

We train technologists, not just technicians. That means you will learn how technology works, how to adapt it, and how to use it as a creative part of the performance. Instead of following fixed systems, you will be ready to think critically, work flexibly, and bring new ideas to the table.

A: We want to see that you're curious, creative, and genuinely interested in this field. We're looking for people who are generous, hard-working, and caring - people who are excited to learn and try new things.

If you like to tinker with things, solve problems instead of giving up, and love learning and trying new experiences, you'll do well in this program.

We're looking for students who think creatively and can find solutions to problems, who are open to new ideas, and who work well with others. We're committed to helping every student we accept grow as an artist and learn technical skills, and we expect you to be just as committed to your own growth.

You'll work with current theatre technologies in flexible spaces that can be set up different ways. You'll learn about lighting systems that include LED lights, moving lights, and projectors, and you'll have chances to learn how to program operating systems like the ETC EOS line of products. For video and projections, you'll work with different media server software like Isadora, Qlab, and TouchDesigner, plus content creation and editing software like Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects. For sound, you'll work with different sound consoles - from small mixers to fully programmable consoles - and software like Max MSP and Qlab. Our wood shop has table saws, chop saws, routers, and other tools you'll need.

We could list every single tool we have, but we focus more on teaching you the concepts of how things work. This knowledge is more useful and adaptable than just learning specific brands. For example, if you end up in Europe working with a lighting console you've never seen before, you'll know that there are addresses that need to be connected to channels that control the dimmers to make the lights fade on and off. The specific steps might be different (and you can look those up in the manual), but the basic idea of how it works is the same everywhere.

A: We'd love to see students develop their own artistic practice and have a playful curiosity to "jump in" themselves. There's a great learning opportunity in experiencing what it's like to be "inside" a performance. Let's say you're working on a project that combines video projection design, lighting, and a single performer. By performing and running into the challenges yourself from the performer's point of view, you might gain insights that help you figure out how to make the timing, staging, and visual effects work better. A good technician needs to be able to see their work from the performer's perspective and the audience's perspective, not just their own. Building, watching, and performing in these classroom projects will help you develop skills and understanding that you can apply to bigger productions later on.

A: We have many students from around the world in our program with different levels of English skills. However, because you'll be working in environments that can sometimes be dangerous (working high up above other people, using power tools, lifting heavy things as a team, creating special effects, communicating during performances), as well as a lot of collaborative projects that require you to work with various combination of people, we need you to have a strong grasp of spoken English. You can see what the minimum English language requirements are for getting into SFU here.