The essence of Imagination Exchange can be summed up in the following three mission directives. Our core focus is to:
Standardize the objectives of digital media education, and streamline the process in which educators impart critical information to students. Utilize these standards to hold educators responsible to stay current in industry technology and practices.
Empower creative minds with tools and the understanding necessary to produce success and progressive influence in the digital economy.
Nurture a thriving worldwide community committed to sharing and developing a wealth of knowledge between students, educators, and professionals.
Imagination Exchange is the manifestation of over thirteen years spent cultivating creative leadership in the discipline of digital arts education. While our pulse beats in tandem with this rapidly-evolving industry, our constant aim is to facilitate health and progress in the skill sets of today’s talent.
In short, Imagination Exchange exists for you. You are the student, the educator, the professional— and if your craft is mature and healthy, you embody all three. As a disciple of digital creativity, you will always be expanding your skill sets and work philosophy. With this growth discovered along your creative journey, you will find joy in sharing your own treasure map with others who are on earlier stages of their path. Success is most readily found when one’s livelihood is focused on the epicenter of their passion. We provide you with the resources necessary to develop your talent as a world-class media force, for you to utilize in a fulfilling dynamic with the economy. In turn, we further develop the community together, providing you with the opportunity to harness your prowess for the benefit of new talent. Our mission is to accompany you ever step of the way, working in tune, to grow a thriving and cohesive community experience.
If you are brand new to the digital arts industry, and are asking yourself where to start—you have already taken the role of the student. The very first step of the inquisitive mind begins the pioneering of a new field or skill set. We pride ourselves in guiding you, mutually plotting a course to self-actualize your long term dreams, as well as to celebrate your short term achievements. However, even after you have crowned your initial aspirations or attained that dream job, your role of student will never be relinquished. As you pursue your passion, you will continually evolve at a healthy rate – exploring the never-stagnant intricacies of your career path.
Joseph Joubert once stated, “To teach is to learn twice.” A true educator never stops discovering all that their field of study has to offer. Committed leadership is an organic experience which meshes the malleable minds of new students with your current perception of the practice being taught. To impart more to your shapeable minds, you must soak up more understanding in a study that is virtually changing by the minute. Together with you and our esteemed community of industry talent, it is easy to stay at the helm of the challenging waters that lie ahead.
Professional digital literacy is relative to the career path you have chosen. Different careers require varying levels of skill set comprehension and overall digital literacy. The first “grand” achievement desired by a student is that of employment or a thriving freelance profession in their desired career path. Most educators are professionals who wish to devote their time to the next generation of students. We work together with you as a student to help you achieve this goal, as well as to provide a forum for you to interact with other industry professionals. Of course, you never stop learning in your career path, and we provide a natural environment to facilitate this life long process.
So how does this affect you –the student, educator, and, or professional in a tangible way? How does this theory and understanding in the visual arts assist you along your creative journey? How does this make you any more employable in the economic workforce, or help you train those who are seeking professional stature? How does this make you a better professional, or provide development in new territories of your craft? The following are the main verticals provided by Imagination Exchange.
Imagination Exchange evolved from relationships and talent forged from the 3D arts curriculum development and training center, 3D Exchange. 3D Exchange was founded in 1996, and ascended as a key provider of digital arts training, with many of the members graduating to assume roles at companies such as Pixar and Lucas Arts, as well as form their own world-class studios. 3D Exchange participates in developing high end, complete curriculum – exclusive to certain industry standard softwares, as well as tools and skill sets vital to the media professional. We partner with leading digital media software developers to standardize testing and student credentials, as well as provide the absolute best and most complete training materials to meet these high standards. In short, Imagination Exchange is committed to not only setting the standard in digital media arts, but also developing the training materials necessary to get you there.
Imagination Exchange is comprised of a wealth of industry professionals who want to see you succeed and obtain your goals and dreams. We are partnered with the Digital Arts Studio Partnership in conjecture with the California Digital Arts Studio Partnership Act, along with the Tower of Youth to provide a strength in resources, events and opportunities for the developing artist. We provide answers to inquiring students, as well as put students and professionals in touch with the guidance they seek. Our free Explorer Program is a wealth of information in career guidance and mentorship in objective completion. The bottom line is this – if you have questions we have answers. If our immediate pool of resources does not have an answer, we will put you in touch with someone who gladly will assist you.
Imagination Exchange, together with 3D Exchange, currently provides full comprehensive curriculum, currently utilized in schools and training centers, for a handful of vital 3D animation applications, immediately available through Imagination Exchange. We pride ourselves with offering the most thorough digital media arts career counseling resource, which is currently further developed through our Explorer program. We possess vital industry awareness and key relationships with professional digital software developers. If we do not provide in-house curriculum for a certain competency or product, we can certainly refer you to the best available at the time. However, our ultimate goal is to provide complete training material and support for all core competencies necessary for the digital artist toolbox under the Imagination Exchange umbrella.
We are working fervently towards the goal of achieving centralized standardization in digital media arts education. We imagine a world where digital media students are universally empowered with the level of education they deserve. We believe that this will not become a reality until educators are accountable to collective standards in their fields. Moreover, we believe that every student should have the right to easily access education in the media arts career paths. Sadly, this is currently not the case. Many high schools and colleges do not provide adequate training in these fields, if they do so at all. Many art schools and training centers provide incomplete or outdated training in a field that is not only constantly changing, but also holds more aggressive standards than many other professions available today. We cannot view this as an acceptable state of affairs. Along with our key partnerships with such groups as the Digital Arts Studio Partnership and the Tower of Youth, we are building a collective to create the opportunities vital to the young creative minds of our generation.
The time is now to assume your role in the change necessary to revolutionize the current state of digital arts education. Too many young, creative minds become overwhelmed or discouraged with the daunting task of realizing their potential, or to become a participant in their preferred workforce capacity. It is pure tragedy that world-changing talent is not nurtured, but often falls along the wayside. Digital media education is in the dark ages, but it is our choice to continue to accept things as they are. Widespread change cannot happen by a small few alone – but together, with you, we can usher a new era of awareness facilitating the development of the creative mind. If you are interested in becoming an asset to the next generation of media artists – please consult our “Participate” page, or click here.
