Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship

I started with the programme Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship in 2011. It was the perfect master for me because of its international character (half of my classmates came from abroad) and the focus on entrepreneurship.

Besides the cultural sector I had an interest in researching the rise of the creative industries. This was also the area I graduated in, my Master thesis was about start-up incubation in the tech and creative industries. A subject that is still, and maybe even more, relevant today. I wrote my thesis in 5 months during my internship at Mediaguild, an incubator that was part of Waag Society.

After completing my Master, I worked as a consultant for many different companies in both the private and cultural sector, including the Rijksmuseum. I also founded a social enterprise that is aimed at teaching kids about entrepreneurship: Tom & Thomas. CEE definitely inspired me to start my own business.

At this moment I am about to embark on a new adventure in Rotterdam. I am actually going to work together with someone I met during my CEE research internship! We are founding a new company called the Prototype Hotel. Here we specialise in building innovative software in a matter of days instead of months.

Stumbling into the masters programme of Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship was like finding a needle in the haystack. With a bachelors in Journalism and masters in Communication from India and some experience interning with media, culture and information research centres, I was drawn towards the economic and business models of the cultural and creative industries. After hours of research on suitable study programmes abroad, I found that the masters at the Erasmus University would fit the bill.

A year down the line, first pursuing the pre-masters and now the masters, I can perhaps best describe my experience as the frog who got out of her well. Along with academic rigour, individual thinking and argumentation, practical application is highly encouraged.

Moreover, Rotterdam houses a vibrant international community and is a cauldron bubbling with various cultural activities, providing students like me with an apt environment to observe our study in practice. So where would I want to leapfrog from here? The course on international art markets had my interest piqued and in the future I would like to pursue a research on the same, with a focus on the Indian art market.

I started the master Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship because, after I had finished my studies at the Utrecht School of the Arts, I did not feel like entering the labour market and was looking for more deepening of my knowledge. Currently I am working at Douw&Koren Crowdfunding as Head of Special Projects. I am responsible for organizing Crowdfunding Day Europe, the largest crowdfunding conference in Europe. I also give workshops and presentations on crowdfunding to cultural institutions and non-profits.

The knowledge of money flows in the cultural sector and cultural policy that I have gained during my master makes that I easily connect with cultural institutions and am able to properly advise them on crowdfunding. In addition, the experience I gained as a student assistant of Prof. dr. Arjo Klamer by organizing the ACEI conference in Canada, proved to be a valuable basis for the many organizational challenges I face at Douw&Koren. Last but not least: during my masters programme I met many wonderful (international) people and made great friends - that's perhaps the most valuable of all.

Having completed my bachelor studies in International Business Administration and International Relations, as well as in Art History in my hometown Vienna, the master specialisation of Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship was to me the perfect study to connect with my interests and my prior education.

Practical application and contemporary outlook

Not only can I foster my understanding in contemporary arts and culture, but I also have the possibility to interconnect my knowledge in economics with a focus on the creative industries. Especially the practical application and contemporary outlook on this industry is a very interesting aspect of this study. Furthermore, I am looking forward to the third term, in which I can apply my acquired in-depth knowledge on real life cases and experience the societal impact cultural institutions have firsthand.

International environment

To me the Netherlands, particularly Rotterdam, is an ideal place to study the Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship, due to the international environment you live in, the active contemporary art scene and the diverse cohort you study with. It is not only during the courses you acquire important skills for the future, but you also learn salient insights from the students you study with, who derive from various and diverse backgrounds.

Cultural Industries

Principally, the course ‘Cultural Industries’ in term 1 brought me valuable expertise towards strategic thinking and problem solving with the help of case studies. This program strongly focuses on the economic approach on culture, without characterizing it as a mere economic product but rather integrating the importance of culture towards our society.

Struggles

As this study is actually completed within one year, some periods, especially the time frame towards the end of a block, can be rather stressful and demanding. However, good time management helps me to combat these periods.

Future Plans

As for my future plans, I am currently working at an art collective in the city of Rotterdam. And due to my background in art history, I am seeking to work in visual arts. For example, in a museum, a gallery, in art dealing or in a startup within this field.

Discovering & shaping my interest in the cultural sector

“As a student in the Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship Master’s degree programme I had many enriching and memorable experiences that I will cherish for a lifetime. The programme provided me with valuable knowledge on theory and research in cultural economics and cultural entrepreneurship and offered me the freedom to apply this knowledge to my areas of interest within the cultural sector. I particularly enjoyed learning about the societal impact of culture and exploring this in applied research during my academic experience. This also helped me discover my interest in the relationship between culture and regional development, and the facilitating role of public policy in the process. It is worth mentioning that the curriculum was highly demanding, making the programme challenging and intense at times. Nonetheless, there was much support available at all stages of the learning process. Apart from academic knowledge, all programme activities and assignments helped me grow on a personal level, by helping me develop valuable interpersonal skills, shaping my interests and by exposing me to a beautiful and diverse community of students and teachers.”

From music creation to implementing the Commission’s public policies

“Since finishing my studies in July 2021, I was fortunate to gain valuable work experience in both the public and the private sectors. Shortly after my graduation, I landed a full time position as an A&R for Global Records, the biggest independent music label in Romania. Here I contributed to the music creation and release processes by coordinating songwriting sessions according to the record label’s priorities, critically assessing and selecting music for releases. Being directly involved in the music making and release process was a unique and rewarding experience for me, and I was very happy to find that much of the knowledge and skills I gained during the master’s proved to be useful in my daily tasks, in particular with regards to strategy-making and critical analyses of potential releases.

More recently, I started a new position as a Blue Book trainee at the European Commission in Brussels, working for the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) towards implementing the Commission’s public policies relating to culture and education. I find this role incredibly rewarding and exciting as I get to contribute to the support of and to witness the progress of many initiatives that promote positive social development at European level through culture and education.

I owe my current role to my master’s experience, as it was through my studies that I discovered and developed a strong interest for the public cultural sector and a strong passion for facilitating positive societal impact through culture. The knowledge and skills I gained during my master’s studies motivated me to explore career opportunities in this direction and enabled me with the confidence to apply for this role.”

My advice

“If you are a current or prospective student for the Master’s programme in Cultural Economics & Entrepreneurship, I believe you chose or you are looking at a great place to cultivate your interest in the cultural sector. Take this as an opportunity to explore your career options in the cultural sector and to grow, both personally and professionally.“