Artpreneurship research

Unlocking solutions beyond linear thinking.

Artpreneurship brings together art, business and research to challenge conventions and shape the future. It fosters collaboration to create new models of value, impact, and cultural transformation.

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What is artpreneurship?

At its core, Artpreneurship challenges the traditional divide between creative professionals and businesses — demonstrating that artistic expertise, emotional intelligence, and radical creativity are not just beneficial, but essential for navigating complexity, uncertainty, and systemic change.

For artists, Artpreneurship provides perspectives that enable them to sustain their work, scale their impact, and engage in meaningful cross-sector collaborations while maintaining artistic integrity.

For businesses, it introduces artistic methodologies in an era where traditional, linear approaches may no longer be sufficient. Artpreneurs can challenge conventions, introduce new ways of thinking, and unlock fresh perspectives.

The Creative Advantage: Artistic Creativity, Leadership and Organizational Renewal

Aalto Artpreneurship Research Group, together with the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and the Finnish Cultural Foundation, invites business leaders, researchers and artists to explore the role of artistic creativity in leadership, imagination and organizational renewal in an invitation-only event on September 10, 2026 at Aalto University.

The forum brings together internationally recognized speakers,
pioneering company cases and carefully curated conversations
exploring the role of artistic thinking and artistic expertise in leadership, organizational renewal and human imagination in an increasingly optimized world.

Special Issue on Artpreneurship

A new peer-reviewed thematic issue on Artpreneurship was published in Research in Arts and Education in June 2026. The issue features articles related to the Luova Lämpiö co-research project and beyond, inviting readers to join the discussion on what artpreneurship is and how it can be perceived through different approaches.

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Thomas Girst on Beauty, Freedom,
and the Arts & Business alliance

At Aalto University, Dr. Thomas Girst, Global Head of Cultural Engagement at BMW, invited us to see art in business not as surface ornament but as a source of beauty, meaning, and long memory. His keynote traced the detours where imagination flourishes, reminding us that leadership is less about efficiency and more about creating encounters that endure.

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Ben Hartley on Making Perspective a
Tool for Transformation

Ben Hartley, CEO of Silkroad, challenged business leaders at Aalto University to recognize artists as partners in transformation, not decoration. By placing perspective at the center, his talk revealed how artists expand what is possible—turning ambiguity into strategy and opening futures that optimization alone cannot reach.

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Embrace new perspectives

As part of the Artpreneurship research project, we curate and produce thought-provoking talks and podcasts where leading experts delve into the power of creative thinking and practices. Through inspiring conversations, we uncover how artistic creativity and practices can help us embrace uncertainty, fuel innovation, and shape a more sustainable, resilient, and visionary future. Join us in reimagining the role of creativity in business, society, and beyond!

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Explore our latest insights

September 5, 2026

Publication: Thematic Issue on Artpreneurship

A peer-reviewed thematic issue on Artpreneurship was published in Research in Arts and Education in June 2026.

September 5, 2026

News: VOPUS project receives EU Horizon funding

The EU Horizon-funded VOPUS project explores the future of virtual culture.

November 27, 2025

Artpreneurship seminar: Creativity is a strategic asset for companies

Aalto University / Artpreneurship
P.O. Box 11000 (Otakaari 1, Room A 110)
FI-00076 AALTO

Contact information

artpreneurship@aalto.fi

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