About us

Small, mighty, and intentional about who we work with.

We're a boutique, fully remote digital agency partnering primarily with nonprofits, advocacy organizations, political campaigns, labour unions, coalitions, and mission-driven leaders. We keep our client list short on purpose.

Depth over volume. Fewer clients, bigger outcomes.

Where we started

Born on the water.

The idea for Van City Studios started on the water — literally.

Before the agency existed, our co-founder led a kayak expedition to document opposition to an oil pipeline. The team paddled the coastline the project would cross, helping tell the stories of the people working to protect it.

That experience helped inspire Van City Studios and shaped the approach we still bring to our work today: understand what's at stake, show up where we're needed, use the right tools for the job, and measure success by what the work helps move forward.

Today, we're a remote-first company. The "Van City" in our name reflects where we began, not the limits of where we work. Our team and clients are spread across borders, connected by a shared commitment to meaningful change.

The kayak expedition team on the beach, drysuits on, kayaks behind them
The expedition that started it all.
How we work

Small team. Full-stack support.

01

We wear multiple hats

Strategists, designers, builders, data nerds, and extra capacity when it counts. On a small team, no one gets to say "that's not my job." The people helping shape the strategy remain involved through design, development, launch, and beyond, so important details don't get lost between departments.

02

Depth over volume

We intentionally keep our client roster small. Fewer projects mean more senior attention, stronger working relationships, and the flexibility to respond quickly when an opportunity, challenge, or unexpected moment demands it.

03

Values shape the work

We choose our work carefully, looking for engagements where our values, experience, and approach are a strong fit.

Ethics & values

We choose our work carefully.

Our values shape the projects we take on, how we approach the work, and what our clients can expect from us. We look for engagements where our expertise, approach, and values are a strong fit.

Who we work with

  • Nonprofits and charities
  • Advocacy organizations and grassroots movements
  • Political candidates and campaigns
  • Labour unions and professional associations
  • Community organizations and coalitions
  • Mission-driven leaders and social enterprises

What you can always expect

  • Straightforward advice about what's working and what isn't
  • A senior team that remains directly involved in the work
  • Honest input about where we can help, and also where we can't
  • Your data treated as yours — portable, private, and never resold
  • Tools and training that build your team's capacity
Team

The humans behind it.

No account managers, no juniors learning on your budget. When you work with Van City Studios, this is exactly who shows up.

Ryan Vandecasteyen

Ryan Vandecasteyen

Co-founder · Creative Director & Strategist

Environmental campaigner turned digital strategist. Ryan started in the field — including that first kayak expedition — and brings a campaigner's instincts to every brief: who are we moving, and what do we need them to do?

He leads strategy and creative direction, translating a mission into supporter-facing experiences that drive engagement at scale.

James Firth

James Firth

Co-founder · Developer & Operations

Systems designer and builder. James architects the infrastructure behind every build — the NationBuilder themes, the donation flows, the rapid-response systems — and runs the operations that keep a fully remote studio shipping.

He's the reason the infrastructure holds when your campaign goes viral at 2am.

Alex Arellano

Alex Arellano

Data & Social Media

Alex finds your people, reads the numbers, and turns both into reach that compounds. Segmentation, reporting, paid social, and the testing discipline that separates a hunch from a strategy.

If a campaign decision at Van City Studios has a number behind it, Alex probably produced it.

Fully remote. Everywhere the fight is.

No office, no HQ, no geography deciding which causes we can serve. We've supported campaigns across Canada and the United States — national movements, local races, and everything between — from wherever we happen to have a signal.

NO HQ ·
NO LIMITS

Like how we work?
Let's work together.

Tell us what you're fighting for. If our values line up, we'll bring the strategy, the build, and the follow-through.

Start the conversation →    1-833-977-1220

Prefer email? sayhello@vancitystudios.com