Joe McCoy is the Artistic Director of the Academy, a graduate of the William B. Davis Centre for Actor's Study, and a gifted teacher of the craft he has been honing for many years as an actor and as a director. Whether on faculty at Canadian College of Film & Acting, Victoria Motion Picture School, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts School, Screen Actors Studio, or Guest Instructor at Canadian College of Performing Arts, Joe is perhaps the most recognizable acting instructor in Victoria. He is known for his humour, insight, and absolute passion as an educator. Intuitive and knowledgeable, he works in a relaxed and often hilarious style that allows students to feel safe and free from judgement. ​

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"Sometimes people arrive here not respecting themselves, but that doesn't last long. (chuckles) I think in-depth training re-humanizes us. There are as many acting languages as there are actors. I find that developing a common language with each actor is key, but even before that to establish the aesthetic of reverence for this work is vital. Then of course, we are irreverent with each other, which keeps people from getting too stuck on themselves. We are continually challenged to get out of our own way. I'm just a doorman, really. I show them the door, but they walk through by themselves."​

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Credits include; Da Vinci's Inquest, The Dead Zone, The Keeper, In the Land of the Blind, and Lola. Stage roles include "Malvolio" in the 12th Night, and "Henry Harry" in Brilliant Traces."Cascadia", co-directed by Joe McCoy and Jim Knox, was featured in the Victoria Film Festival in February 2011.