CIRCLE has announced the launch of CIRCLE Expanded Orbit, a new international training programme dedicated to immersive storytelling and XR-based practices, developed in partnership with Onassis ONX, the Onassis Foundation’s global platform for art and advanced technologies.

Taking place from 21 to 26 November 2026 in Athens, the programme will support filmmakers, artists, XR creators and multidisciplinary storytellers working across XR, MR, VR, AR, AI and game-based storytelling. Applications are now open for individual creators or teams of up to two, with a deadline of 23 July 2026.

The initiative marks a significant expansion of CIRCLE’s existing mission. Founded in 2018, CIRCLE has supported more than 200 women and gender-expansive filmmakers from over 50 countries through its peer-driven training model. Expanded Orbit extends that framework into emergent media, positioning immersive practice as a space for authorship, collaboration and artistic experimentation.

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentarian Katerina Cizek has been appointed Head of Studies. Cizek, co-founder and Artistic Director of the Co-Creation Studio at MIT Open Documentary Lab, will oversee the programme’s pedagogical and creative direction alongside a group of international mentors.

Biljana Tutorov, Founder and Programme Director of CIRCLE, described the programme as an organic evolution of the platform’s work, stressing the importance of ensuring that women and gender-expansive creators help lead the transformation of storytelling through new media.

For Onassis ONX, the partnership reflects a broader commitment to building international pathways for immersive artists. Prodromos Tsiavos, Head of Digital & Innovation at Onassis Foundation, framed the initiative around technology as a means of expanding artistic expression, critical thinking and new forms of immersion.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interviews in late August. More information is available through CIRCLE.