Concordia and Zú partner to promote creative entrepreneurs
Concordia and Zú, a creative hub initiated by Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté, are teaming up to boost innovation by entrepreneurs in the entertainment sector.
Through this new collaboration, Concordia and Zú will bring together academic knowledge and research with real-world applications through projects launched by creative startups.
“At Concordia, we pride ourselves on bringing new ideas and rigorous research to our endeavours and this aligns perfectly with Zú’s approach to stimulate creativity,” says Graham Carr, Concordia’s interim president. “We are thrilled to build this partnership grounded in exploration, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.”
To kick off this partnership, Jean-Claude Bustros, chair of the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, will begin a residency as a research-creator at Zú in October.
Jean-Claude Bustros | Photo courtesy of the artist
Bustros is associate professor in the film production program and specializes in experimental and interactive cinema.
“The reputation of the cinema department at Concordia is renowned and acclaimed internationally,” says Guillaume Thérien, executive director of Zú.
“We truly believe startups will benefit from the know-how and the guidance from its chair, Jean-Claude Bustros. This is a first and major step of an integrated partnership with Concordia.”
Zú’s mission is to gather, help and promote creative entrepreneurs in the entertainment sector to develop world-class innovative projects. It supports them in their creative and growth process by facilitating access to the necessary resources for the development of new intellectual properties, in an eclectic environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Zú is funded in part by the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec and the City of Montréal.
In its newly revitalized location at Complexe-de-la-Maison-Alcan in Montreal, Zú will offer office space, meeting areas and creative tools, among other features, as well as a pool of mentors and experts. It will also host the first 5G experimental lab dedicated to creative industries in Canada.
Concordia and Zú will also explore other ways to collaborate, including through the university’s District 3 Innovation Centre and 4TH SPACE experiential learning venue.
Learn more about Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema.
