When B&T arrived at Canva’s World Tour last night, it was clear that this was never going to be your average team meeting and when the show kicked off that hunch was confirmed in the most gloriously unhinged way possible.
More than 4,000 attendees packed into the The Dome at Sydney Olympic Park for what can only be described as equal parts tech conference, musical theatre, and fever dream – a kaleidoscope of creativity that proved Canva knows how to throw a party.
It all kicked off with some vibrant activations and killer photo ops that transformed the venue into a designer’s dreamscape. Each corner felt like stepping into a different Canva moodboard brought to life, from a candy-striped Wardrobe Room lined with costumes and props, to a bright pink Hair & Makeup Lounge that looks like it came right out of a Barbie dreamhouse.
There was even a Prop Store and an On Air Studio setup straight out of a creative’s imagination, complete with giant teddy bears, drum kits, and lighting cases decked out with retro stickers.
By the time RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Hannah Conda took the stage, recorder in hand, to deliver a heartfelt (and slightly off key) rendition of My Heart Will Go On, the 4,000-strong crowd of “canvanauts” was fully onboard the Canva rocketship – are we using that metaphor right Canva?
The theme of the evening, “The Imagination Era”, came alive in full colour, complete with a spontaneous singalong of Livin’ on a Prayer that would’ve made Jon Bon Jovi himself proud.
Then came Canva’s Got Talent, a showcase of pure in-house brilliance: Simone belted out Valerie, Alex transformed September into a disco anthem with a Canva World Tour twist, and entire teams brought the house down with hilarious dance numbers.
But this is Canva, and at Canva, no one loses. “Everyone should win, no one’s a loser at Canva,” Conda announced, as she broke off pieces of the trophy for each act.
It was the first major event for Canva in Sydney for a number of years, with the last few years being held in Los Angelse, and what a homecoming it was.
Between the drag ball energy and the karaoke-level commitment, the event was an ode to creativity itself. It was unfiltered, unpredictable, and unapologetically fun.
But it wasn’t all about the fun, see Canva’s huge slate of announcements here!
