A student presents her 3d model figurine concept to a panel of judges during the Arts Business Ideas Competition. Mimicking the look of her 3d model, she wears a pink ponytail wig and vibrant outfit.

Arts Entrepreneurship, Minor

Arts Entrepreneurship Minor

Create your sustainable arts career

This new Arts Entrepreneurship minor (ARENT) – with separate tracks for different A&A majors – is designed specifically for College of Arts and Architecture students. Core courses will teach you skills and know-how to create a sustainable arts career, and the efficient supporting course options (which can overlap with requirements in your major) enable you to tailor the minor exactly to your arts focus.

Why should arts majors care about entrepreneurship?

Learning the business side of the arts will empower you to create an exciting and fulfilling career in the arts based on who you are and what interests you, utilizing your natural talents and gifts. The Arts Entrepreneurship Minor is designed to help you create the future you want by empowering you with entrepreneurial knowledge and skill to help you make a living as an artist, or as someone who connects audiences to artists and their work.

Goal of Arts Entrepreneurship

Use arts products, services, and experiences to create, communicate, and deliver a variety of forms of value – such as aesthetic, social, and/or cultural – and capture value in the form of achieving an organizational mission and/or making a profit. Artists and designers can provide value to society through freelance, non-profit, for profit, leadership, and/or social entrepreneurship ventures.

High-Impact Opportunities

The Arts Entrepreneurship minor actively engages arts entrepreneurs and alumni to serve as tangible examples of success, role models, and mentors to students in the program. Each spring, students have the opportunity to enter the Arts Business Idea Competition – gain valuable experience pitching your arts business concept to a panel of judges. The competition offers cash prizes (think start-up funds...), and can expand your network of potential mentors and investors.

Which Type of Arts Entrepreneur are You?

  • Do you create/produce art – composer, painter, performer, etc. (Lifestyle Entrepreneur)
  • Maybe you support the production of art – by developing a product or service that aids creators/producers in their task (Lifestyle or Growth Entrepreneur)
  • Do you draw audiences to art and artists – by developing a product or service that connects audiences to art and artists (Lifestyle or Growth Entrepreneur)

Maybe you're more than one of these. One. All. In every case, the Arts Entrepreneurship minor will help you build a sustainable arts career.

Build a minor that is...

As unique as you are

The core of each 18-credit Arts Entrepreneurship minor track is a 3-credit course in Arts Enterprise Development, and a 3-credit Arts Entrepreneurship capstone research project. The remaining courses can be selected largely based on your specific interests and focus. Moreover, the additional and supporting courses are intended to double-count for minor and major degree requirements. The flexibility is a perfect fit for creative students in A&A, and the minor enhances the career opportunities of your major studies.

Arts Entrepreneurship Minor

Student thoughts...

Have Specific Questions?

Next Steps