Creative minds that reside on LSU’s campus have a new organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating their work.
While LSU is constantly focused on athletic and agricultural achievements, a group of LSU students eager to highlight the creative talent on campus formed the art collective, Project Innovate Studios. Founded and directed by construction management sophomore, Zahir Muhammad, the team is determined to make a creative impact on LSU’s campus that will remain long after they graduate.
“I feel like we have a lot of creativity at LSU, but we don’t have an organization that binds it all together,” Muhammad said.
“LSU has done a good job at housing creatives, giving us a space to meet and connect, which is essential to be able to develop ideas into something tangible. But I think it can do a bit better in terms of giving a platform to portray creativity on a wider scale.”
Muhammad and four other initial committee members formed Project Innovate Studios to become the space and blueprint that inspires creatives at LSU.
“We want them to see Project Innovate Studios as a tangible option that students can be a part of for years to come,” Muhammad expressed.
On Friday, the committee held a photoshoot that will serve as the face of Project Innovate Studios. The shoot will be released as a magazine during the first week of February, in preparation for the Project Innovate Fashion Experience that will take place on March 27.
“The Fashion Experience is really going to be the big boom of this all,” Muhammad said. “The point of it being called an experience and not a show is because art can be portrayed in a variety of ways. Whether that’s through music, clothes or poetry, we want to make it an experience and not necessarily a traditional fashion show.”
There are currently 14 committee members, 12 of which are current or past LSU students.
“Our committee members come from different backgrounds,” Muhammad said. “We all have individual styles, but we are one community. We wanted to portray that in today’s shoot.”
Kennedy Cook, a nursing major, was one of the founding members of Project Innovate Studios.
“Zahir and I are both sophomores, so it’s really empowering being younger than others and taking on this incredible task,” Cook said.
“It’s been amazing learning from everyone on the committee and seeing all the creativity LSU students have to offer.”
Ugo Njoku, a psychology and sociology senior, and Project Innovate committee member, is also ready to inspire younger LSU students—something he feels he missed out on.
“When I first got to LSU, the creative bubble that there is now didn’t exist,” he reflected. “Which is why I’m so delighted to have Project Innovate Studios and The Social Boot. I always say we are on this earth for two reasons: To create and To experience. So it’s great to see my motivation in life come to fruition.”
The first set of limited tickets for the Project Innovate Fashion Experience will be released at the end of next week at a discounted price. The large-ticket drop will coincide with the magazine release date during the first week of February. VIP tickets will be available for purchase.
The Project Innovate Fashion Experience will be on March 27 at Digital FX Studios on Perkins Road. Doors open 5 p.m.
Follow Project Innovate Studios on Instagram: @projectinnovatestudios

Gallery • 2 Photos

Matthew Perschall

LSU sophomore construction management major and director of Project Innovate Studios Zahir Muhammad directs the posing for the photoshoot on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, at Achroma Studio at 1509 Government Street in Baton Rouge, La.