Arts entrepreneurship education in Portugal, Italy, and Denmark

: a systematic mapping of higher education curricula

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the current landscape of Arts Entrepreneurship Education (AEE) in Portugal, Italy, and Denmark from multiple perspectives, mapping where, how, and under which circumstances first- and second-cycle students in arts and cultural disciplines gain access to such training, while accounting for the different contexts of each studied country. The mapping resulted in an inventory of 140 course units (59 in Portugal, 53 in Italy, and 28 in Denmark) across 74 higher education institutions (23 in Portugal, 41 in Italy, and 10 in Denmark) offered during the 2024-2025 academic year. Additionally, this study assessed the most frequently covered arts entrepreneurial competencies within mapped course units and examined the pedagogical patterns observed in AEE curricula teaching through the lens of the Learning Spaces model (Kolb & Kolb, 2005), analyzing its alignment with how artists typically learn. These analyses drew from the mapping data and were further enriched by evidence from 36 survey participant responses and 10 semi-structured interviews conducted with reviewed higher education institutions faculty members. The findings demonstrate that, despite current efforts, AEE curricula account for less than 5.7% of the total workload in artistic degree programs in Portugal, less than 4.8% in Italy, and less than 10.1% in Denmark within the investigated higher education institutions. The study concludes that there is room for expanding AEE curricula implementation efforts for Bachelor's and Master's programs in arts and cultural disciplines across all three contexts. Collaborative partnership models involving a tri-force alliance where higher education institutions, State, and industry stakeholders working jointly, as exemplified in this dissertation, may be instrumental in addressing the challenge of better equipping students for post-graduation challenges.

Date of Award	17 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Luís Teixeira (Supervisor)