LightBox Expo Returns to Pasadena on October 24-26

This press release is provided by LightBox Expo.

Pasadena, California, September 17, 2025 -- LightBox Expo, the entertainment and art industry event that will bring together thousands of creatives October 24-26 at the Pasadena Convention Center, unveiled its stellar programming lineup, original demos and participating artists including: John Musker (Aladdin) and Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid), Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle Wong (KPop Demon Hunters), Alex Woo, Nicky Lavender and Sacha Kapijimpanga (In Your Dreams), Fede Álvarez (Alien: Romulus), Kevin Lima and Jymn Magon (A Goofy Movie), Angela Sung (Bad Guys), Patrick McHale (Over the Garden Wall), SamDoesArts, Jorge R. Gutierrez (El Guapo vs. The Narco Vampires), Meg Park, Limei Hshieh and Griselda Sastrawinata (Zootopia 2), Darrell Warner and Paul Tazewell (Wicked), and hundreds more!

The programming schedule is packed with exciting new panels given by those spearheading productions at Disney Television Animation, ILM, Lucasfilm Animation, Pixar, 20th Television Animation and Walt Disney Imagineering, Netflix Animation, Laika, Sony Pictures Animation, Dreamworks, Skydance Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Titmouse and more. With over 200 hours of programs, demos, panels, workshops and more including a special sing-along screening of KPop Demon Hunters and Q&A, the complete content schedule is now available at https://lightboxexpo.com/schedule/  

“LightBox Expo is a time to celebrate the creators, visionaries, and storytellers who ensure that dreams and magic exist in the world,” said Maggie Kang, co-director and creator of KPop Demon Hunters. “It is a reminder that we are a community brought together by our shared passion to create, to ignite joy, to bring hope, and today we are needed more than ever.” 

Created by character designer and illustrator, Bobby Chiu (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland) and Jim Demonakos, event organizer and filmmaker (Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters), LightBox Expo is the only place where you can get a behind the scenes look at new and beloved franchises including Lord of the Rings, Alien, Wicked, Star Wars, Wednesday, DOOM and A Goofy Movie.

“This year we are honored to host so many incredibly talented artists, directors, creators and visionaries who are sharing the unique stories and processes behind our favorite films, animation, games, TV shows and illustrations. We hope each attendee leaves feeling inspired, empowered and a bit smarter, too,” said Bobby Chiu, LightBox Expo co-creator. 

An event not to be missed by art professionals and aspiring students in illustration, animation and special effects, there are opportunities for portfolio reviews and one-on-one interactions with more than 30 companies, schools and studios that are advancing the opportunity for artists to grow in their disciplines.

“Thankful for our returning sponsors, universities and studios who bring their best artists and come seeking new talent, we are excited to welcome new sponsors including Ravensburger, Webtoon, Animation Mentor, XP-Pen, CalArts Extended Studies and Clip Studio Paint. LightBox wouldn’t be possible without the community and we’re excited to see artists gather in and around the Convention Center for a weekend of community building, artistry and more,” said Jim Demonakos, LightBox Expo co-creator.

A favorite community event, Sketch Crawl, returns. Hosted by story artist, Nick Sung and director, Dave Pimental, they invite you to dust off your sketchbook for a casual, public gathering. Slow down, draw and connect with industry friends from around the world.

“Paint the Scene” is a new plein air event taking place on Friday morning in front of the LIGHTBOX Expo letters at the Pasadena Convention Center. Angela Sung and Warrior Painters with mentors Michelle Lin, Sean Bodley, Jennifer Wang, Qianjiao Ma, and Jeff Hong will meet fellow artists as they observe, learn, and draw or paint alongside one another.

Sing-Along, Signings, and Stellar Programming

From concept art panels to anniversary spotlights, program highlights include: 

• KPop Demon Hunters - Join a sing-along screening and Q&A on Friday, October 24. Mark your calendars for a “making of” production panel and poster signing on Saturday.
• Wicked - The costume design and concept art panels offer a unique opportunity to see how each piece reflects individual character personalities and the story's evolution.
• Anniversaries and retrospectives - Panels include the 20th Anniversary of Corpse Bride, 25th Anniversary of The Emperor’s New Groove and for A Goofy Movie: From Script to Storyreels (the Disney classic, A Goofy Movie is celebrating its 30th anniversary).
• Walt Disney Animation Studios veterans and longtime collaborators Ron Clements and John Musker present “The Art of Storytelling.” Their iconic film credits include The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), Hercules (1997), Treasure Planet (2002), The Princess and the Frog (2009) and Moana (2016). Pietro Schito will moderate. 
• The Art of …  Go behind the scenes with The Art of Doom: The Dark Ages, The Art of Star Wars, The Art of Alien: Romulus and A Journey Through the Art of The Cat In the Hat. “Wednesday, Season 2 Concept Art” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Season 2 Concept Art” will delight fans of both series. 
• The Making of Netflix Animation’s epic new film, In Your Dreams 

In addition, The Walt Disney Family of Companies will host 12 panels. The expansive list includes:

• Tails Behind the Art of Zootopia 2
• Designing and Animating Graphics for Pixar's Elio
• Disney Television Animation Presents: Phineas and Ferb - The Evolution of Writing a Hit Comedy Series 
• A spotlight on ILM Feature Animation and Lucasfilm Animation - This year, ILM celebrates its 50th year and Lucasfilm Animation celebrates 20 years. 
• Career panels on all three days!
  • On October 24, Walt Disney Imagineers will share insightful details on their personal career paths during the panel, “Journeys to Walt Disney Imagineering.”
  • On October 25, Pixar's Department Heads will offer strategies for making an impact and building a successful career on the panel, “I’m Hired!  What’s Next?” Also on Saturday, attend “Craft, Creativity, and Career at The Walt Disney Company” to hear speakers in a variety of animation production roles. Join Walt Disney Animation Studios' Hillary Bradfield for “The Winding Road to Story” as she takes you on her winding career journey and behind the scenes of Disney Animation's storytelling process.
  • On October 26, bring your questions to “Meet the Disney Recruiters” featuring team members from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation, ILM, Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar.

Concept Art Awards and Lifetime Achievement Recipients

Every year, in partnership with the Concept Art Association, LightBox Expo presents The Concept Art Awards, which recognizes the best concept art from film, TV, video games as well as independent and student artists. Among the recipients of the 7th Annual Concept Art Awards being honored are Lifetime Achievement recipients, Tim Burton and Stan Winston. The annual award ceremony presentation will be on Saturday night, October 25th, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The awards are open to anyone with a LBX event badge.

International Animation and Oscar® Contenders

On Friday, October 24 at 9 pm, the best of Animayo International Film Festival of Animation 2025 takes center stage at the Civic Auditorium. Founded by filmmaker Damián Perea, Animayo is the first and only Spanish “Qualifying Festival” by the Academy for the Oscars® in two categories: International Animated Short Film and Best Short in Spanish – “Animación con Ñ”. So far, the festival has had four short film nominations, including one in the short list and one Oscar® winner. Don’t miss this celebration of the best in animation!

On the evening of Saturday, October 25th, attendees can watch the “Best Animated Shorts” of the 2025-2026 awards season. Handpicked by The Animation Showcase, this exclusive screening showcases the year’s most acclaimed animated titles, featuring shorts that have collectively earned over 32 Academy Award® nominations and 9 Oscar® wins. After captivating audiences at top animation studios, this celebrated awards-season program now comes to LightBox Expo.

About LightBox Expo

For artists and by artists, LightBox Expo (LBX) is a three-day entertainment art industry event that brings together creatives to learn, inspire and ignite a shared passion for art. Held October 24-26 at the Pasadena Convention Center, we invite you to connect with artists, indie studios, and renowned leaders in animation, live-action, illustration and video games. LBX features hundreds of panels, programs and demos, as well as the coolest artist alley on the planet! Celebrate your craft and make meaningful connections. Don’t miss this exceptional industry event.

For more information: https://lightboxexpo.com
Tickets: https://www.showclix.com/tickets/lightboxexpo2025

Stay Up to Date and Connect with Artists

Download the official LightBox Expo mobile app (Google Play and Apple iOS) for the latest programming updates and announcements