Zoom Photo Festival Saguenay Strategic Vision for Eco-Responsibility

The Zoom Photo Festival (ZPF) is a cultural event held every fall in the City of Saguenay, Quebec. It has existed since 2010 thanks to the perseverance of volunteers and the commitment of institutional partners. It features approximately twenty simultaneous, multi-site thematic photojournalism exhibitions: regional museums, educational institutions (CEGEPs and universities), and public spaces (pedestrian bridges, shopping malls, municipal libraries, and cultural centers). These exhibitions, accessible for nearly a month, include a professional week where guest photographers and the public interact during conferences and round tables, which are broadcast online, fostering networking and raising awareness of societal issues. This program also includes portfolio readings and a two-day masterclass, entitled “Sharing Knowledge,” for Quebec CEGEP students in photography programs.

This strategic vision for eco-responsibility takes into account the previous context, where host partners generally have eco-responsibility strategies and related equipment, particularly those offered by the City of Saguenay. The ZPF therefore complies with this vision while adopting measures or actions specific to its activities. These are organized around seven main categories or variables: communication, local purchasing and equipment sharing, documentation and promotional material, travel and transportation, waste management, food and refreshments, and social inclusion practices.

COMMUNICATION

  • Adoption by the ZPF Board of Directors of the identified eco-responsibility measures
  • Identification of a person responsible for implementing these measures
  • Communication of the measures to partners, guests, and festival-goers
  • Publication on the ZPF website of the measures included in this document

LOCAL PURCHASING AND EQUIPMENT SHARING

  • Printing of photos from local suppliers
  • Sharing of equipment with other festivals
  • Sharing of equipment with partners
  • Reuse of webcast equipment from year to year
  • Use of shuttles (vans) offered by regional car companies
  • Purchase of local beers during the festival opening

DOCUMENTATION AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

  • Limit the use of paper and promotional material by using social networks and internet communication 
  • Limit photo printing to 15 photos per exhibition, in a 22 x 32-inch format
  • Limit the number of prints of the magazine or exhibition catalog
  • Print daily passports on a recyclable medium, such as synaps.
  • Print the festival program and magazine on Canadian recycled paper, double-sided
  • Reuse promotional fabric flags to indicate the entrances to exhibition venues outside
  • Sell derivative products manufactured according to ecological and fair criteria

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION

  • Interregional carpooling by grouping international arrivals and departures of guests under the same time slot
  • Encourage public transportation or carpooling for festival-goers
  • Shuttle for participants between exhibition venues located in various boroughs

WASTE MANAGEMENT

  • Promote the global 5R strategy internally and with our partners: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and return to the earth
  • Promote the institutions’ existing recycling and recovery areas to festival-goers
  • Provide recycling bins for beer cans during public activities
  • Use the same photo frames from year to year
  • Recycle photos printed on foam board
  • Recycle vinyl banners into shopping bags, made by a local company and sold in health food stores
  • Identify partners’ recycling and recovery areas for visitors during activities

FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS

  • Encourage the use of reusable water bottles
  • Use recyclable glasses during activities
  • Encourage the use of reusable utensils and tableware during meals at activity sites
  • Offer a healthy, locally prepared menu during the days all together

SOCIAL INCLUSION PRACTICES

  • Encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities (e.g., integrated workstations in companies), if present at partners’ premises, during the installation and dismantling of exhibitions
  • Encourage The inclusion of people with reduced mobility through the provision of adequate facilities (parking, restrooms, ramps) at ZPF partners.

By Christiane Gagnon. 09/25/2025
Ph.D.en aménagement 

Unanimously adopted by the board of directors of Groupe Photo Media International.

Michel Tremblay, CEO