Entrepreneurship in Arts and Creative Industries
Today, an increasing number of experts agree that one of the most essential skills for the future - and for successful employment - is creativity. Exploring the creative industries is an excellent way to develop this skill. These industries form a rapidly growing and dynamic sector.
In our course, we will delve into the unique features of their work, visit innovative museums, creative spaces, and galleries, and discover how festivals, the film industry, and many other cultural initiatives operate.
This creativity-centred course includes inspiring walks, visits to remarkable places, and engaging creative assignments.
General information
| Course dates | 3 August - 9 August, 2026 (one-week course) |
|---|---|
| Course fee | 500 EUR |
| Course format | summer course |
| Study field | Innovation management, Entrepreneurship |
| Focus area | Innovation management, Arts and Creative Industries |
| Language | English |
| Study group | bachelor's, master's, PhD students and lifelong learners |
| Assessment / ECTS | Pass/Fail (3 ECTS) |
| Location | University of Tartu Delta Centre, Estonian National Museum (ERM), Aparaaditehas, Elektriteater independent arthouse cinema, Tartu Art Museum Optional alternatives: TYPA Printing and Paper Art Centre, Kogo Gallery, Tartu Art House, Supilinn district |
| Course leader and lecturer | Iuliia Trabskaia Associate Professor of Delta Management School, Director of Innovation and Technological Management Masters' Programme |
Course description
The course provides an understanding of entrepreneurship features in the field of art and creative industries. The course provides an overview of the Estonian art and creative industries, enabling one to understand the characteristics of the market, ecosystem, and organisations. The course is built on a close relationship with the industry. Museums, representatives of creative entrepreneurship, will be involved in the course. Experts from these organisations will act as customers, giving students tasks that will be embodied in the real work of these organisations. Representatives of art and creative industry organisations will also act as guest speakers, talking about entrepreneurship and management, drawing on examples from their cases.
As a result, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to engage in entrepreneurial activities in the arts and creative industries.
Study information
A. Knowledge
The participants get:
- an understanding of specific features and challenges of arts and creative industries entrepreneurship, the ecosystem of creative industries, funding opportunities, business models in the sphere, innovations, and consumer behaviour;
- an understanding of the process of starting a new venture in creative industries, entrepreneurship in arts and creative industries;
- an understanding of how to deal with creative projects' stakeholders;
- an understanding of how to consider risks within the project planning.
B. Special skills and competences
The participants will be able to:
- create a strategy and a business model for a new venture in the arts and creative industries;
- analyse consumer behaviour in arts and creative industries and elaborate data-driven decisions;
- use digital tools for marketing strategy planning.
C. Key skills and competences
The participants can:
- analyse and shape entrepreneurial process, strategy and business models for companies in arts and culture;
- manage creative teams to lead innovation in the arts and creative industries.
NB! This is a preliminary programme. The final schedule will be sent to the participants two weeks before the course starts.
Friday, 31 July arrival day
Day 1: Saturday, 1 August
Creative Industries Ecosystem and Entrepreneurship Foundations
Location: University of Tartu Delta Centre
Topics:
Understanding the creative industries landscape in Estonia
Entrepreneurial logic in arts and culture
Funding, business models, and innovation dynamics
Introduction to the semester project and client organisation (museum/gallery)
Activities:
Team formation
Mapping the Tartu creative ecosystem
Guest talk: local creative entrepreneurs (e.g., Tartu Artists’ Union / TYPA printing and Paper Art Centre)
Day 2: Sunday, 2 August: free day
Day 3: Monday, 3 August
Museums as Cultural and Entrepreneurial Platforms
Location: Estonian National Museum (ERM), Tartu
ERM is one of the most technologically advanced museums in Northern Europe, making it an ideal location for field research.
Topics:
Museum innovation: storytelling, visitor experience, digitalisation
Revenue models in cultural institutions
Designing value propositions for cultural audiences
Activities:
Field observation inside ERM
Interview with the museum curator or development manager
Workshop: improving ERM’s audience engagement / digital touchpoints
Day 4: Tuesday, 4 August
Day 5: Wednesday, 5 August
Creative Hubs, Galleries and Design Entrepreneurship
Location: Aparaaditehas, Tartu
Aparaaditehas (The Widget Factory) is the beating heart of modern creativity in Tartu.
Topics:
How creative clusters operate
From artist-run spaces to hybrid business models
Design, media, fashion, craft entrepreneurship
Activities:
Meeting with resident studios (e.g., Kogo Gallery, TYPA, Camera Obscura Studio)
Gallery walk and design market analysis
Workshop: generating a business model for a creative startup
Day 6: Thursday, 6 August
Day 7: Friday, 7 August
Digital Marketing and Audience Development in Arts
Location: Elektriteater, Tartu
Elektriteater is an independent arthouse cinema, a popular cultural hotspot for arthouse film, events, and creative communities.
Topics:
Digital campaigns in cultural and creative sectors
Audience segmentation and analytics
How cultural organisations use data for decision-making
Branding and communication in the arts
Activities:
Case study: promoting an event or exhibition at Elektriteater
Developing a digital marketing strategy prototype
Guest speaker: cinema or event manager on audience development
Day 8: Saturday, 8 August
Day 9: Sunday, 9 August
Final Presentations: Creative Venture Pitch Day
Location: Tartu Art Museum
Topics:
Finalising concepts, market analysis, risk planning
Stakeholder management in cultural projects
Leading creative teams toward innovation
Activities:
Final pitch to industry partners: ERM, Aparaaditehas studios, Elektriteater
Feedback from practitioners
Course wrap-up and certificates
Course registration info
- Application period: 20 March – 20 April
- Notification of acceptance: accepted participants will be informed after the application period, by 30 April at the latest
- Deadline for paying the course fee: 31 May
- UniTartu Summer School in Tartu: 27 July – 7 August
Only fully completed applications, including all required annexes, received by the deadline (20 April) will be considered for selection. Applicants must submit the following:
- Online application form
(application period: 20 March–20 April 2026) - Motivation letter (maximum 1 page), explaining:
- your motivation to participate,
- your expectations for the programme,
- how the summer course relates to your studies and interests,
- how you plan to use the knowledge and experience gained in the future
- Transcript of academic records
- Copy of your passport
- Proof of the application fee payment (25 EUR)
The participants of the UniTartu Summer School courses are required to pay:
- The application fee of 25 EUR must be paid by the application deadline (20 April) at the latest.
The application fee is non-refundable. - The course fee is 500 EUR.
Includes: Study materials, academic work with lecturers, Certificate of completion, and cultural events in the evenings
Not included: meals, transportation and accommodation
Please note that the course fee is payable only after you have been accepted into the course. Once accepted, you will receive a confirmation of acceptance together with an invoice. The course fee can only be paid based on the invoice issued to you.
By paying the application fee, course fee and cultural events fee, you accept the terms and conditions information document. You are required to tick the box in the credit card payment form to confirm you have read and agree to terms and conditions. If you choose to pay by bank transfer, you will be informed of the same conditions.
Please note that by paying the fees, you are considered to have accepted the Terms and Conditions.
Future study options
