EdTech, ArtTech partnership helps artists become successful entrepreneurs

While most educational programs are slashing the arts, a unique EdTech – ArtTech collaboration is allowing artists to flourish by combining business and entrepreneurial training with financial support.

Through a new partnership with award-winning arts incubator, art students at Ubiquity University will be equipped with the business know-how to differentiate themselves in the industry, through a curriculum based on topics such as PR and marketing, accountancy, business strategy, brand ID, and global arts markets, among many others.

The incubator, Debut Contemporary, will establish a School of Entrepreneurial Art at Ubiquity University, providing mentorship and financial support to help students successfully enter the arts market.

The Ubiquity University and Debut Contemporary partnership helps artists to create successful business models, so they may spend all their energy on what they really love doing.

“Art students might be very proficient artistically, but they need training in how to market themselves,” said Jim Garrison, President of Ubiquity University.

What Garrison said is a real problem facing artists worldwide. While sites like Etsy, Zazzle, and ArtFire have made it easier for artists to upload and display their work online, their work does not always reach their intended audiences. This has to do with the sheer number of so-called “starving artists” that don’t know how to market their work.

According to Carrie Brummer, Founder of Artist Strong, “Few artists are able to make a living from their art without making marketing an active part of their day. Few artists can hire out someone to do the marketing for them either. So, if you want to make money from your art, you must market.”

There are a lot of great artists out there that go unnoticed because of this. While artists often work part-time jobs to support their craft, many may say this isn’t ideal.

With a focus on branding, visibility, coaching and networking workshops, the Debut Contemporary incubator helps talented and ambitious artists turn their art practices into viable businesses.

“We’re so pleased that an academic institution like Ubiquity University recognizes the impact that companies like Debut Contemporary have on artists,” said Samir Ceric, Founder and CEO of Debut Contemporary. “This type of entrepreneurial support and training represents a new frontier for ArtTech-EdTech collaboration. We’re excited to help students garner their own, strong presence in the arts industry by introducing the notion of business systems and processes, to form a solid foundation behind an artistic enterprise.”