Portland State and LAIKA announce partnership to create a more inclusive regional creative workforce

Portland State University and award-winning Portland-based animation studio LAIKA - known for groundbreaking Oscar®-nominated animated feature films such as Coraline, ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings - today announced an industry partnership to help develop and diversify the region's creative workforce.

"This partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to nurture the creative talent that will enhance Portland's vibrant arts and cultural landscape," said PSU President Ann Cudd. "We believe diversity of thought and experience is the spark of creativity and innovation. Like LAIKA, we know that it is creative thinkers and doers who will help drive our city's economy and shape its future."

Together PSU and LAIKA will launch a three-year pilot program to develop a cohort of LAIKA faculty fellows and student scholars from PSU's College of the Arts who will interact meaningfully with LAIKA creative talent to help prepare a diverse pool of career-ready graduates to support the region's creative industries.

"LAIKA is proud to partner with PSU," said LAIKA's Chief Marketing and Operations Officer David Burke. "Our community is passionate about advancing the animation medium, and we believe in the vital role of educating and inspiring the next generation of artists, creators, and scientists. By empowering emerging storytellers, we enrich the entire creative ecosystem. We're excited to provide mentorship and resources that will help these new voices thrive in the animation industry."

As part of the pilot program, LAIKA will provide funding to support three PSU faculty members' work, offer expertise around curriculum development, and collaborate on projects of shared interest. The fellows will be named in the spring 2025 academic term.

LAIKA will also provide scholarship support for six students a year with diverse lived experiences studying in areas with a creative industry alignment, including but not limited to film, visual arts, design and architecture. These scholars will have access to shared learning experiences and mentorship opportunities involving LAIKA's creative talent. The scholars will be named in the fall 2025 academic term.

"PSU's motto is 'let knowledge serve the city,' and university-industry partnerships are one important way we do that," said Leroy Bynum, Jr., dean of the PSU College of the Arts. "We are thrilled to partner with LAIKA not just to provide exceptional opportunities for individual students and faculty but also to deepen our understanding of the kinds of skills and experiences that will best serve our region's signature creative industries into the future."

LAIKA's partnership with Portland State expands upon the studio's ongoing relationships with other educational institutions. In 2021, LAIKA partnered with Bowie State University to build the first stop-motion animation studio at a historically Black college/university. Last spring, LAIKA also announced it would help Portland Community College develop coursework in animation and stop-motion filmmaking. More than half of PSU's incoming class are transfer students, with 40% coming from Portland Community College.

The partnership with Portland State underscores the university's position as the most diverse and innovative public art school in the region, and an important trainer of creative talent in multiple disciplines, including art, art history, design, music, film, theater and architecture. PSU educates more BIPOC arts students than any other 4-year university in the state.

The announcement comes during an exciting moment for the arts and creativity at PSU and in downtown Portland. In September, Portland State began construction on a new home for the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design. The new facility, expected to open in fall 2026, will allow PSU to strengthen programs and partnerships that respond to regional workforce needs and to enhance interdisciplinary learning and exploration.

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