With the 9th edition of HUB Montreal in full swing, we sat down with Julie Dalbec, Director of Programming, to find out more about the vision behind this year’s event. This year, HUB Montreal explores the concept of “Infinite Possibilities: When humans and technology come together, the power of unity reaches its peak”.
It all started with the main idea of “Infinite Possibilities”. Since I started out in this industry – and this is what motivated me to explore a new career path – I’ve found that digital creativity has no limits. The only real constraint is often budgetary, but in terms of innovation and imagination, anything is possible.
What makes these possibilities a reality is the perfect synergy between several elements: human talent, collaboration and technology integration. Technology, by itself, has no soul. It cannot fully exist without people, without their emotional intelligence and ability to transform an idea into a tangible experience. That’s why it was essential to emphasize the union between man and machine, and above all the strength of the collective, which makes it possible to reach as yet unexplored heights.
We’re in an era where the desire to co-create is omnipresent. People want to explore, share and build together. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, it takes just as much to bring innovative and ambitious projects to life!
We wanted the theme to be broad and inclusive enough to allow all the creative diversity to express itself. That said, we have a particular interest in projects that push back the boundaries of collaborative working, that merge technology with human expertise, and that create real collective value.
We’re looking to break away from individualism and highlight works that reflect the infinite potential of co-creation. Quebec studios are currently developing cutting-edge technologies that deserve to be highlighted.
Last but not least, we can’t ignore the social and environmental issues that are increasingly influencing the creative process and preoccupying audiences. Projects that integrate these dimensions will naturally find their place in our programming.
Every year, HUB Montreal reinvents itself while remaining true to its DNA: facilitating connections between local and international creative ecosystems. This year, we’re going one step further by putting the spotlight more firmly on the creators and people behind technological innovations.
We hope to see projects emerge from past encounters, proving that HUB Montreal is much more than an annual event: it’s a place where sustainable, structuring opportunities for the industry are born.
One of the most striking trends is this return to our roots, this desire to gather, exchange and create together. Five years after the pandemic, we can say that this has transformed our relationship with the collective and reinforced our need for shared experiences.
What’s more, we’re seeing a shift in the vocabulary used by the industry. Today, we talk less and less about “immersive” and more and more about experiences. Whether creator or viewer, what we’re looking for is an emotional connection, a powerful experience that transcends technology.
Artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality are all tools that can enrich these collective experiences and push back the limits of human interaction.
Since the theme is open-ended, and the notion of the collective is universal and in high demand, all sectors of the creative and cultural industries can be involved. However, certain fields are particularly challenged by this union between human and technology, notably those that seek to use innovation to create collaborative experiences: from VR to LBE (Location-Based Entertainment), augmented reality in museums and projects that break down geographical, cultural and economic boundaries.
Digital and immersive art is no longer in its beginning. Audiences are more demanding, looking for interactive experiences where technology exceeds our expectations. Take ABBA Voyage, for example, which after almost two years remains one of the most innovative and unique projects to date, thanks to its use of holograms. The Sphere in Las Vegas also blew us all away, and that’s just the beginning
360 immersive theaters are particularly affected by these developments: they’re already having to reinvent themselves. Audiences expect richer, more immersive content that truly transports viewers beyond the contemplative. The union of technology and the human touch is pushing back the frontiers with meaningful projects.
One striking trend is the rise of experiences that reconnect us with nature and raise our awareness of climate issues. More and more immersive projects are using technology to take us on a journey, playing with our senses by integrating natural scents, wind or other sensory stimuli to enrich the experience.
The HUB 2025 programming, still under development, will reflect this union through a diversity of experts from many ecosystems: from architecture to public spaces, from live arts to museums, from branded content to artistic experimentation, from television to festivals. We’ll explore how co-creation and collaboration between different milieus can push back the boundaries of innovation.
By bringing together specialists from diverse backgrounds in panels, conferences and workshops, we will highlight the importance of uniting people and technology to build the future of creative experiences.
Despite the structural challenges facing the industry, particularly in terms of financing, I hope that this edition will remind everyone that our sector is in full expansion, and that it is still in the process of inventing its own business models.
We’re part of an ecosystem under construction, and together we’re going to shape it. Every connection, every project, every initiative contributes to raising awareness, bringing people together and innovating.
With this 9th edition, we want to celebrate the infinite potential of co-creation and remind you that the future lies not just in technology, but in our ability to interact, collaborate and be ingenious. Because, ultimately, what makes our industry unique is the people behind every innovation.
This 9th edition promises to be a space where digital creativity, technology and people come together to shape the future. Join us in October to discover how infinite possibilities come to life!
HUB MONTREAL THANKS ITS 2025 EDITION PARTNERS
