Faculty of ArtFrom our November 2023 newsletter
On October 24, Arts Amplifier asked a panel of four Vancouver-based entrepreneurs with UBC Arts graduate degrees whether they considered themselves entrepreneurs. They answered “no.”
Over the course of the hour, panelists deconstructed the word “entrepreneur” and its freighted associations with capitalist systems, colonialism, and old narratives of the lone explorer intrepidly staking a claim in a competitive market. But rather than tossing out entrepreneurship altogether, they suggested ways that a humanities degree could help change the narrative.
Moderated by Andrea Lloyd from entrepreneurship@UBC, the panel thoughtfully reflected on using entrepreneurship as a tool for good and carving out a meaningful pathway after the Arts graduate degree.
Topics included:
- The freighted meaning of the word “entrepreneur”
- Entrepreneurship and self-employment as “co-creative,” “collaborative,” and “relational”
- How to launch a social enterprise
- The power of narrative to frame our career path
- The advantage of values-aligned, small-scale impact in self-employment
- How self-employment might help PhDs draw on their unique skills and interests
If you’re interested in learning more about entrepreneurship at Arts Amplifier, join our mailing list for upcoming opportunities.
Join us on December 12 for our info session on our upcoming Amplify Your Product and Service workshop series!