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Extended Studies

Creative Entrepreneurship lab

This is the place where artists, designers and makers create sustainable businesses that grow and thrive.

Join us. Start your creative
enterprise today.

What we do

Around the globe, tremendous opportunity is surging for creative industries.

The Creative Entrepreneurship Lab’s (CEL) comprehensive career and business advancement services support current students, alumni, and ultimately, the entire creative sector in Nova Scotia by serving our mission: help participants succeed as creative practitioners through economic and cultural growth.

As a hub of tools and resources, we broaden the networking opportunities for aspiring creative workers through events and education.

Click here to learn more about our first program, the TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs >>

 
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Our inspiration

  • conversations about the intersections between art and money
  • dismantling the image of the ‘Starving Artist’
  • exploring the full breadth of creative careers available
  • supporting students as they transition from NSCAD into their careers

Our programs and services

  • Creative Workers Expo
  • TD Financial Literacy for Creative Entrepreneurs Program
  • SparkZone
  • networking events
  • workshops
  • information sessions
  • one-to one assessment of career and business needs

How we can help you

  • jobs and other professional development
  • funding opportunities
  • industry engagement for both students and faculty
  • monetizing social media
  • intellectual property, ‘legalese,’ and contract review
  • exploring residencies
  • connecting to incubators, innovation labs and other business and entrepreneurial initiatives

Sponsors, donors and partners

The TD Financial Literacy Program
for Creative Entrepreneurs

You know how to design, create, and make things that are beautiful, thought-provoking, useful, or intriguing.

Let us help you figure out how to make money doing it. Let us show you how to get funded to complete your work or promote it. Let us teach you how to take some of the risk out of starting your own business.

Thanks to our sponsor, TD Bank Group – the TD Financial Literacy Program for Creative Entrepreneurs will help you gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to monetize your talent.

 

You’ve built your business from the ground up, or you’ve helped others succeed at that.

NSCAD’s creative, talented students need your help. Perhaps you are a NSCAD alum, a friend, or a friend we haven’t met.

Data shows that creative businesses that grow and thrive, do so because their founders were able to get the advice and make the connections to the right people and resources. Those vital connections made all the difference.

Help us help them build a bright, sustainable future.

 

Those ground-up, something-out-of-nothing stories we hear about entrepreneurs nearly always have a back story. And it’s about support, knowledge and confidence. Talent is not always enough.

The Lab at NSCAD addresses a gap: in Nova Scotia there are no start-up or entrepreneurial programs directed specifically to those individuals in the creative economy. NSCAD has a talent pipeline awaiting development.

Help us help them build a bright, sustainable future. Become a Creative Entrepreneurship Lab
Investor.

 
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Gregory Adolphe-Nazaire to lead Creative Entrepreneurship Lab at NSCAD

Posted on by Marc Lewis

NSCAD University is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Creative Entrepreneurship Lab.
The lab will be led by Gregory Adolphe-Nazaire, a multi award-winning instructor, consultant to governments, economic development agencies, community-based organizations, and a former executive member of an international trade organization. Adolphe-Nazaire will also serve as Special Advisor to NSCAD’s VP (Academic & Research) and Provost, Dr. Ann-Barbara Graff, and will instruct Entrepreneurship for Visual Arts (ARTS-3110/CRFT-3110) for the fall semester.

“The Creative Entrepreneurship Lab is a dedicated virtual space committed to facilitating workshops, one-to-one support, and mentorship to students and faculty,” explained Dr. Graff. “The focus of the lab is creative entrepreneurship and rethinking the creative economy with NSCAD at its centre.”

Gregory Adolphe-Nazaire.

The Creative Entrepreneurship Lab will help NSCAD students develop the business, networking, financing and advocacy skills they need to succeed with their arts-based businesses. The lab will foster an inclusive environment where all artists have the same chance of success, regardless of skills, race, gender or creed.

“I’m looking forward to working with entrepreneurially-minded students from NSCAD,” said Adolphe-Nazaire. “As a business professional who has worked in several industries across many countries, I learned to value the diversity of opinions, and I have always strived to cultivate an engaging atmosphere, whether it’s in my classroom, community forums, or business meetings. My classes are conversational, rather than formal, including video clips, presentations, and guest speakers. We’ll work together to build trusting relationships and spur self-confidence.”

Adolphe-Nazaire has been teaching corporate finance at the Dalhousie University’s Rowe School of Business since 2005. Before moving to Halifax, he worked for several large financial institutions across North America as a banker and investments manager where he advised businesses and individuals on investments, financial planning, and risk management.

He sees his role at NSCAD as one of trainer and mentor, and hopes to use his business background to prepare students for successful careers as entrepreneurs in the new creative economy. He also wants to make sure the university’s BIPOC community feels supported, safe, and valued.

“As educators, it’s important to contribute to the character-building process of our students, not just explaining concepts. Especially for fields such as entrepreneurship, which is a pillar of sustainable development and inclusion,” said Adolphe-Nazaire. “I will advise BIPOC students to keep their motivation up and make sure they have a supportive community that embraces them for who they are and cheers for their successes. Do not get discouraged and be prepared to seize the opportunity.”

Adolphe-Nazaire holds Master of Science from University of Bordeaux Management School, an MBA from University of Nantes, and he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Aix Marseille University.