Impactful creativity: The role of entrepreneurship Education in driving sustainable development in the cultural and creative industries

Abstract

The cultural and creative sector is one of the most dynamic sectors of the Portuguese economy, contributing to job creation, innovation, social development, preservation of cultural heritage, and the promotion of the country’s image across the globe. Entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) plays a crucial role in creating new opportunities for employment and revenue generation. Therefore, entrepreneurship education is receiving increasing attention as a means to contribute to the sustainable development of the cultural and creative sector. Underpinned on an Erasmus+ Project, FENICE ‘Fostering Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Cultural and Creative Industries through Interdisciplinary Education’, the present research contributes to the discussion on the main challenges of entrepreneurship education for the CCIs. Using a qualitative research design, this exploratory study employs a focus group with purposeful sampling as the research method. An online focus group was conducted in February 2023, with 11 participants identified as renowned professionals and experts in various cultural, artistic, and creative fields in Portugal. Preliminary results suggest that creatives are perceived, by nature, as entrepreneurial-oriented and often motivated by passion and a sense of mission. However, they also face a generalized lack of perspective on how products/services from the CCIs should be capitalized or how different monetization models may apply to them, especially when culture is perceived more as a symbolic than a capitalizable good. For many cultural and creative entrepreneurs, difficulties arise when understanding how business or project management tools can contribute to their professional growth within the CCIs.