Bengaluru GAFX 2026 Summit to held from Feb 27: Targets 50,000 creative jobs

Minister Priyank Kharge announces the 7th edition of the GAFX Summit, highlighting jobs, investment, and Karnataka’s growing leadership in animation, VFX, gaming and cinema.

The seventh edition of the GAFX Summit will be held in Bengaluru from February 27 to March 1, 2026, with a strong focus on animation, visual effects, gaming, extended reality (XR) and film production. Karnataka Minister for IT and BT, Priyank Kharge, announced this during a press conference in Bengaluru.

The GAFX Summit, which has become a key platform for the creative technology sector, will bring together professionals, industry leaders, young talent and students under one roof. According to the minister, the event will serve as a space for knowledge-sharing, talent discovery and exposure to global best practices in creative industries.

Priyank Kharge said Karnataka has been consistently investing in digital art platforms across districts, not limiting growth only to Bengaluru. He noted that the state’s AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics) ecosystem has been nurtured steadily over the last six years. The government aims to generate nearly 50,000 jobs in the coming years through focused policies and infrastructure support.

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The minister pointed out that many high-budget Indian films have completed major creative work within Karnataka’s Centres of Excellence. Films such as Baahubali, Kantara and KGF, along with productions in multiple languages, relied heavily on creative and technical work done in the state.

Highlighting regional growth, Kharge said strong creative ideas are emerging from tier-two cities. The government is now prioritising these regions to ensure balanced development, while continuing to strengthen Bengaluru’s position as a global creative hub.

He added that the summit will provide young people with hands-on learning opportunities and exposure to industry veterans. Experience-sharing sessions by global experts will also be a major attraction.

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Referring to the Finance Minister’s recent mention of the “Orange Economy” in Union Budget 2026-27, Kharge said Karnataka has been building this ecosystem for nearly seven years. He explained that AVGC is now globally recognised as part of the Orange Economy, which contributes nearly $2 trillion worldwide.

Karnataka has introduced a dedicated AVGC-XR policy and allocated ₹150 crore to the sector. Kharge said no other state or even the Centre has earmarked such focused funding. While other states are now announcing creative labs, Karnataka has already implemented similar initiatives but has not received enough recognition, he added.