The “Entrepreneurial Mindset” in Creative and Performing Arts Higher Education in Australia

Authors

  • Vikki Pollard Holmesglen Institute
  • Emily Wilson University of Melbourne

Abstract

Creative and performing arts schools are increasingly facing the challenge of developing curricula to address an employability agenda in higher education. Arts entrepreneurship education is thought to address this need because it supports the unique nature of the work circumstances of creative and performing arts graduates. As an emerging area of research, arts entrepreneurship education faces the challenge of not only being relevant and important to creative and performing arts education but of being robust enough to contribute to a “paradigm shift” (Beckman, 2011, p. 29). With this in mind, this article attempts to clarify a recurring theme of arts entrepreneurship education, this being the development of an “entrepreneurial mindset.” We argue that if an entrepreneurial mindset is to be considered an essential aspect of arts entrepreneurship education, educators need to have a good understanding of what it means and how it might be taught. We examine data from four interviews with arts educators who have responsibility for teaching arts entrepreneurship in creative and performing arts schools. Their experiences enable us to clarify the meaning of an “entrepreneurial mindset” in a creative and performing arts context in higher education and to make suggestions about teaching and learning.

Author Biography

Vikki Pollard, Holmesglen Institute

I am a Curriculum Consultant on the Built Environment Degree Progammes at Holmesglen Institute. I am also teaching on the Programme and at Monash University. 

I have worked in the higher education sector in curriculum development and as a lecturer. I have developed curriculum in MBA, Creative Industries, professional learning and sessional teachers. I co-ordinated the development of a Masters of Creative Industries for Melbourne Polytechnic that was successfully accredited by TEQSA. The focus of the course was developing business and employability skills as a creative artist. I developed a unique pedagogy for the course. This has been published. 

My research interest is reflective practice whilst on placement/internship, creativity and employment and pedagogical theory.

I am currently researching construction education.

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Published

2014-01-01

How to Cite

Pollard, V., & Wilson, E. (2014). The “Entrepreneurial Mindset” in Creative and Performing Arts Higher Education in Australia. Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts, 3(1), 3–22. Retrieved from https://www.artivate.org/index.php/artivate/article/view/19

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Articles