Inspiring the Creators and Innovators of Tomorrow at Universal Epic Universe
In partnership with Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX), we welcomed nearly 200 college and high school students from across the country to the first Inspiring Future Innovators Summit — a multi-day experience designed to spark ideas, build technical skills, and show students firsthand how creativity can open doors to careers in technology and entertainment.
Guided by mentors from Comcast and UDX, students participated in a design challenge where Universal Epic Universe was their innovation lab — and where gaming, storytelling, and thrill design were powered by their imagination.
The October PIXEL 🎃
The College Fellows Program We welcome our new cohort of paid alumni at Urban Arts. Our free College Access Program has piloted the College Fellows Program, pairing new high school seniors with a trained college mentor among Urban Arts alumni. These Fellows guide Game Academy seniors with step-by-step assistance with applications, essays, financial aid, and […]
“The Vanishing Enigma” Honored in Congressional App Challenge
NEW YORK, NY (2025) — Urban Arts, a New York City-based nonprofit that teaches digital game design as a pathway to college and wide-ranging careers, is proud to announce that The Vanishing Enigma created by Studio Capstone team “The AristoRats” has won the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for New York’s Eighth District, hosted by Representative […]
CEO Philip Courtney X Spark ⚡️ Talk
Urban Arts CEO Philip Courtney delivered the energized Spark Talk “Video Gaming: An Equitable On-Ramp to Workforce Development” at the Infosys Foundation conference in Indianapolis May 8, 2025—and coined the phrase “digital DaVincis.”
How many times would you have raised your hand?
Read the speech below to catch the spark.
Let’s play a game…..
COLLEGE ACCESS 2025 A New Generation of Game-Changers Takes the Next Step
Urban Arts is thrilled to celebrate our seniors as they commit to colleges across the country, armed with scholarships and dreams that are no longer just possibilities, but realities. These students — predominantly from low-income communities and first-generation applicants—are not just getting in. They’re thriving, rewriting the narrative of who belongs in the world of higher education, technology and game design. Urban Arts students have earned $45+ millions in scholarships since 2017.
Urban Arts to Honor Josh Feldman with NBCUniversal at 2025 Color Ball
Urban Arts, the premier national nonprofit harnessing the power of digital game design as a pathway to college and career, will honor Josh Feldman, Chief Marketing Officer, Advertising & Partnerships, of NBCUniversal, at its inspiring, high energy Color Ball gala. The event, set to take place on April 10 in New York City, will celebrate […]
There’s No Computer Science Without Creativity: Game Development as a Pathway to STEM Success
Dr. Amy Patterson of Urban Arts and Ellen Flaherty of Unity amplify the transformative impact of Computer Science (CS) through game development in a CSEdWeek OpEd (December 9-13, 2024). This piece spotlights how game design initiatives are changing the trajectory for K-12 students nationwide. Together, they showcase real student journeys—from high school to college to […]