Lifelong Learning Methods in the Creative Industries

New professional openings and forms of work at different interfaces of individuals, communities, and organizations create a need for a new kind of multidisciplinary expertise. It is becoming increasingly important to grow skills and networks in new areas and to co-operate.

Future Artpreneurship project will map the current state of competence, and the creative industries’ future needs. The objective is to generate change for the creative industries to enhance the sector's talent and skills as part of a vibrant and multidisciplinary society.

The project will result in an education model that improves training relevance for the creative industry in master's studies and adult education — supporting lifelong learning for entrepreneurial skills. The co-creation of the concept takes place during 2021—2022, and the project ends in December 2022. You can read about the conclusions here.

The project is supported by Saastamoinen Foundation and Nordplus Horizontal.

Future Artpreneurship project is a collaboration project between a wide and international group of expert partners

The operative project teams are

  • Aalto University Executive Education
  • Aalto University
  • Pentagon Design
  • Pentagon Insight

The steering groups and advisors are

  • The Nationalmuseum of Sweden
  • KAAPELI
  • Tallinn Music Week
  • TAKU ry

Saastamoinen Foundation and Nordplus Horizontal has made the project possible.

Saastamoinen Foundation
Nordplus logo

Are you creative fields professional interested in sharing your experiences or bringing your insight to the project? Feel free to contact us.

Eeva Klemi,
Project Manager, Future Artpreneurship, Aalto EE
eeva.klemi@aaltoee.fi

M.A. Nana Salin,
Director,
Aalto EE
nana.salin@aaltoee.fi

Architect, MSc. Johannes Kaira,
University Teacher, Aalto Ventures Program
johannes.kaira@aalto.fi

Dr. Anniina Suominen, 
Taidepedagogiikan professori/Associate Professor of Art Pedagogy,
Aalto ARTS
anniina.suominen@aalto.fi

Project Conclusion

The Future Artpreneurship project task was to develop learning solutions for learners at all professional levels, with Nordic and Baltic dimension. Through learning development Aalto EE and Aalto University wants to strengthen the creative industries through diversity in the workforce, fostering new approaches to networking and management, attention to emerging business skills, and a consistent focus on sustainable economic activity. Furthermore, task is to ena-ble new employment opportunities and social inclusion for creative sector professionals in a vibrant, increasingly multicultural, and globally connected society.

Five Key needs discovered that are unmet:

Translating & communicating skills:

  • Willingness & abilities in marketing
  • Own competencies communicated in a way relevant to others
  • Mentoring & other psychological support

Varied demands of collaboration:

  • Management & leadership of self & others
  • Team-building
  • Networking within & across fields
  • Novel solutions to expand markets

“The right” economic skillset

  • Familiarity with the wide array of business models
  • Business operations on a day-to-day level
  • Own skills vs. collaboration / purchasing

Preparation for working life realities

  • Lifewide Learning: bringing together people at various stages
  • Identifying relevant skills at different stages of the learner’s path
  • Demystifying working life requirements & opportunities

Up-to-date in constant change

  • Ability to observe & interpret changing operating environments & actors
  • Future-oriented skills: conceptual thinking, future studies, innovating

Future topics for learning solutions

  • Course on business thinking & methodology for all students
  • Shortcuts for learning: Small-scale offering in life wide learning opportunities
  • Mentoring & personal guidance, bringing together people across the life wide learning spectrum
  • Process thinking, creative & business development processes, bridging the gap

Nordic and Baltic Future Artpreneurship Seminar: The Future Skills in the Creative Sector

Seminar was held on Friday January 27, 2023 at Aalto Töölö in Helsinki.

New professional openings, possibilities, and forms of work are generated at different interfaces of individuals, communities, and organizations. These create a need for a new kind of multidisciplinary expertise in the creative sector. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to grow new skills, competencies, and networks in diverse, rapidly developing areas and to form new cooperations.

The seminar will discuss the project's findings, identified future skills, and learning solutions for the creative sector.

Program of the seminar 

10:00-10:05 Welcome words
Nana Salin, Director, Alternative Funding, Aalto University Executive Education

10:05-10:45 Nordics in the world: What are the Nordics – a group of countries or rather a state of mind? 
Tobias Grut, Brand Manager, Nordic Council of Ministries

10:45-11:45 Art, life and entrepreneurship? Different perceptions of Future Artpreneneurship
Tuomas Auvinen, Dean, Aalto Arts

11:45-12:30 Lunch break

12:30-13:30 Role of design and creative thinking in developing innovation
Tatiana Schofield, Head of Knowledge Exchange, Royal College of Art

13:30-14:15 Conclusion of competence needs in Future Artpreneurship
Tatu Malmström, CEO, Pentagon Insight 

14:15-14:30 Afternoon coffee break

14:30-15:45 Nordic and Baltic, conclusions and research data on education and competence development in the creative sector
Dr Anniina Suominen, Associate Professor of Art Pedagogy, Aalto Arts
Johannes Kaira, University Teacher, Aalto Ventures Program

15:45-16:00 Next steps for Future Artpreneurship

Read more about the findings and solutions