Image: The 2026 Creator Economy Summit features Joanna Beveridge, Alecia Vagulans, James McPherson, Sabine Zonderland, Shannon Jones, Sarah Renae Clark and Daniel Ahern
Screen Queensland has today announced the Creator Economy Summit, a first-of-its-kind initiative bringing together the power and knowledge of established film and television professionals with the momentum of the rapidly growing creator economy.
Developed by Screen Queensland in partnership with Changer and in conjunction with The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), the one-day event will take place on Saturday 7 February as part of the 2026 AACTA Festival at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast.
With Australia’s creator community now numbering in the millions, the Creator Economy Summit responds to the growing demand from online creators seeking to professionalise their practice, scale their businesses and explore opportunities across film, television and digital screen, while offering valuable insights for producers and screen practitioners navigating new platform-led business models.
Screen Queensland Executive Director, Screen Content Julie Eckersley said the summit reflects the agency’s commitment to supporting creators as the screen industry ecosystem continues to evolve.
“It is time to build more bridges between the creator economy and the existing film and television industry. The Creator Economy Summit brings these two elements together to support creators to take the next step in building a sustainable global business.
“At the same time it opens doors for the film and television industry to establish deeper collaborations with creators and a richer understanding of the amazing opportunities in this space.”
Changer Founder Farhad Meher-Homji said that creators are no longer just building channels, they’re building real businesses.
“The Creator Economy Summit is about giving creators the tools, connections and confidence to scale sustainably and engage meaningfully with the broader screen industry.”
AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic said they are very excited to be collaborating with Screen Queensland and Changer on the inaugural Creator Economy Summit.
“Bringing together established film, television and media leaders with the vibrant, fast-growing creator economy, this one-day summit will foster genuine dialogue, unlock new partnership opportunities and inspire innovative approaches to Australian screen content.
“As the perfect crossroads for these two worlds, the AACTA Festival is where legacy and established craft meets next gen creativity and we’re proud to champion this powerful game changing convergence.”
Designed for online creators and film and television producers to come together, the summit will feature a curated mix of panel discussions with senior representatives from ABC, Netflix, BBC Studios and Screen Australia, alongside creator-led sessions with Sarah Renae Clark, YouTube’s Sabine Zonderland, James McPherson and Shannon Jones, focused on business growth, monetisation and pathways into screen.
As a pilot initiative, the Creator Economy Summit will test audience appetite and inform future creator-focused programs, with a long-term vision to position South East Queensland as the creator capital of Australia.
For program detail and registration information, visit screenqueensland.com.au.
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Media contact
Carrie Barber
Marketing and Communications Manager
media@screenqld.com.au | 07 3248 0500
