SCAD TVfest provides a front-row seat to top performers in the industry

It’s one of the most star-laden events of the Atlanta arts season, as well as the opportunity to catch episodes of new and returning series.’ SCAD TVfest returns February 4 through February 6 with three loaded days of television screenings and panel discussions, taking place at Midtown’s SCADshow theater.

Some of the 2026 highlights include appearances by Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary, who will receive the Variety Showrunner Award, and Jeff Probst of Survivor, who will take home the Legend of Television Award. Cast members from series’ such as Bridgerton, Scrubs and the Emmy Award-winning The Pitt will also be on hand.  

Heading up the event is Christina Routhier, the executive and artistic director of SCAD TVfest. She has been with SCAD for more than 25 years and has been involved with SCAD TVfest since it launched in 2013. “I’ve truly been part of it from the very beginning,” she says via email. “Watching the festival grow has been incredibly exciting, especially as the television industry itself has changed so dramatically.”

Over the past decade, she feels there has been a major shift in the industry, from traditional network and cable TV to streaming and platform-driven storytelling. As such, it’s been important for the SCAD TVfest to evolve as well. “What started as a more traditional TV-focused event is now a festival that reflects how television is actually being made and consumed today. We’re very intentional about bringing in current, working creatives and giving students direct access to the people shaping the industry now. It’s still very much about great storytelling — but the scope, the voices, the panels and the opportunities have expanded in all the best ways.”

For her, putting together the festival schedule is a combination of both curating events and having studios bring suggestions her way. Oftentimes, a studio will come up with a special program. NBCU/Peacock pitched her to do a Saturday Night Live-focused panel called Backstage at Studio 8H: Inside the Making of Saturday Night Live, scheduled for Feb. 5. Other collaborative programming with studios includes Funny Business: Writing Comedy with Universal Studio Group; The Business and Art of Casting at Warner Bros. Television; and Hallmark’s Power of Love Panel.

SCAD TVfest also works with media partners on programming, including EW’s Breaking Big and Variety’s Showrunner Award.

Routhier, though, also wants to honor traditional fare such as the SCAD Alumni Panel, Behind the Lens and Meet the Executives. “There are some areas that we are passionate about amplifying, including inclusion in the industry, artisans, and, of course, our SCAD alumni who are working on some of the most exciting shows in television.”

Looking back, some of the panels she is most proud of are those that have focused on craft and collaboration. The female showrunner conversations, for instance, have consistently been highlights, as well as panels that focus on artisans such as costume designers, production designers, editors and sound teams. She feels these artists don’t always get top billing but are essential to the storytelling. “Those sessions have created honest, generous conversations and real learning moments, and they really reflect what SCAD TVfest is all about: access, insight and inspiration.” 

The event also gives students real-world experience, which she says is invaluable. SCAD TVfest, she feels, provides them with a front-row seat to top performers in the industry and allows them to gain firsthand insight and meaningful connections, as well as practical lessons that give them a true advantage as they begin their careers. “Our hope is that they carry the advice, inspiration and experience gained at the festival with them as they enter the workforce.”

Routhier says today’s offerings are part of a golden age of television, with production and storytelling reaching new heights. “From boundary-pushing series like The Pitt to the funniest shows on television like Abbott Elementary to cultural phenomena such as Bridgerton, viewers now have an unprecedented wealth of high-quality television at their fingertips.”

Although celebrities are abundant, highlighting Atlanta- and Georgia-based shows, talent and industry professionals is incredibly important. Atlanta has become a major and undeniable hub for television production. “Over the years, we have enjoyed working with locally based networks and studios such as Adult Swim, TNT, TBS and Tyler Perry Studios. It’s both exciting and meaningful for our students to see world-class work being created right in their own backyard by the best in the industry. Showcasing projects filmed and produced here helps connect what students are learning in the classroom to the very real career opportunities available to them in the industry.”

This year, two Georgia-filmed series produced by SCAD are part of SCAD TVfest — chefATL and the new sitcom Lodged. Another panel spotlights casting directors and industry representatives who actively work in the state, giving students direct access to the people helping to shape careers locally and nationally. “It’s a powerful reminder that Atlanta isn’t just a place to study television — it’s a place to make it,” says Routhier.

Where & when

SCAD TVfest happens February 4 through February 6. Festival passes are $125 for the general public or $90 for SCAD Card holders and SCAD alumni, with daily passes also available. The main stage is at SCADshow at 1470 Spring St. NW.

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Jim Farmer is the recipient of the 2022 National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award for Best Theatre Feature and a nominee for Online Journalist of the Year. A member of five national critics’ organizations, he covers theater and film for ArtsATL. A graduate of the University of Georgia, he has written about the arts for 30-plus years. Jim is the festival director of Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ film festival, and lives in Avondale Estates with his husband Craig.