Certificate Cultural Entrepreneurship
This course is currently offered in collaboration with Creative Futures Academy (CFA). CFA is a ground-breaking partnership between: The National College of Art and Design, University College Dublin, and the Institute of Art, Design + Technology. Our tailored programmes and micro courses offer access to expertise and networks across the three leading creative institutions and our industry partners. Learn with us as we experiment, innovate and respond to change.
What is Cultural Entrepreneurship?
Our new course in Cultural Entrepreneurship offers you management tools and methods in developing strong conceptual projects and/or business ideas. It will help you to develop those ideas through ideation techniques, project and time management, and to pitch and prepare a concept for funding and/or investment.
The aim of this micro-credential is to enable learners, who are experienced in working in arts and creative and cultural sector, to develop entrepreneurial skills related to developing their business or project concept through a combination of ideation techniques from business entrepreneurship and techniques from creative sector.
What will I do on this course?
You will work on a creative business proposal or artistic funding proposal. Typical activities include:
- Mapping the sector. Introduction to creative ideation techniques (design thinking, brainstorming, mind mapping)
- Understanding the arts and cultural sectors, balancing creative and business tasks, tools and templates for project management
- Understanding public vs private potential of creative project/business.
- Understanding the legal implications of the proposal e.g. company, contract, public liability, employment law
- Finance: Creating project budget: accurate cost estimation, financial projections, resource allocation, cash flow management
- Develop the pitch – written proposal for funding application/investment, in person oral pitch.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment is 100% project based.
Written Proposal for a creative project/business
Project Overview
You are required to develop a written proposal for a new cultural creative business or event, where you must:
- investigate a funding opportunity related to your practice
- apply resource investigative skills to accurately project costs and resources related to your proposal
- demonstrate an understanding of the profile of your audience for your output
- demonstrate understanding of the financial and legal risks associated with your proposal
- clearly and convincingly articulate your project or business concept.
Presentation
You will ensure that your proposal is well-structured, easy to follow, and professionally presented.
Dates + Times
The course will run over 6 weeks from October to December 2026. Classes take place one evening online per week and one Saturday in person.
Exact dates and times will be posted here soon.
