WAAPA's Master of Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation combines advanced theory with hands-on practice.
WAAPA's purpose-built postgraduate courses help artists, producers and creative changemakers turn ideas into sustainable ventures through entrepreneurial learning, practical experience and industry connections.
Building a career in the creative industries often requires more than developing your craft. You may also need to find audiences, build partnerships, secure funding, respond to emerging technologies and create new opportunities.
The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University (ECU) has created an Australia-first suite of postgraduate courses for these realities. The Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master of Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation combine creative practice with entrepreneurship, innovation and industry engagement.
Purpose-built for artists, producers, creative technologists, arts leaders and social innovators, the courses can help you develop the skills, networks and confidence to take your ideas further.
Build a venture around your creative practice
Your own practice and ideas are central to the learning experience. You can explore, develop and test a creative venture such as a performance, event, digital experience, production company, cultural initiative or social enterprise.
The courses cover areas including entrepreneurial strategy, design thinking, commercialisation and cultural innovation. Advanced theory is combined with hands-on learning through industry collaborations, incubator-style activities and real-world projects.
WAAPA Course Coordinator Dr Jennifer Halton said creative practitioners need broad capabilities and a bold vision to create opportunities in a rapidly changing sector:
Australia's creative and cultural industries (CCIs) contribute more than $67 billion and 600,000 jobs to the economy and continue to evolve rapidly. CCIs are significant drivers of Australia's research and innovation ecosystem. WAAPA's new Masters program will empower the next generation of creative visionaries to play a vital role within this ecosystem, transforming emerging ideas into successful entrepreneurial projects and innovative ventures. Graduates of this program will shape and lead the Creative Industries of the future.
Choose the course that matches your goals
The three postgraduate options allow you to choose the depth of study that suits your experience, professional goals and creative concept.
Graduate Certificate in Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation: Explore and conceptualise a creative venture while building a foundation in entrepreneurial practice.
Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation: Develop and test your venture while extending your knowledge of strategy, innovation and sustainable practice.
- Master of Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation: Take your venture further through advanced learning, industry collaboration and a capstone project.
Across the suite, you can choose a specialist pathway in Creative Producing, Creative Technologies or Social Innovation. You can also begin with the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma and extend your studies as your goals develop.
Connect with the creative industries
Industry-led case studies, mentors, creative leaders and partner organisations provide insight into how ideas are developed and delivered beyond the classroom. These connections can help you test your thinking, understand different operating models and build relationships across the arts, cultural and innovation sectors.
Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) is one of ECU's industry partners. PICA Curator Georgia Hayward said:
Creative innovation is essential to shaping a future that is adaptable, inclusive and culturally vibrant. We need artists and creatives who can bring together imagination, critical thinking and practical action to develop new ways of responding to our increasingly complex social, cultural and economic conditions. Programs such as WAAPA's Master of Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation are vital because they equip cultural practitioners with the skills, networks and confidence to lead with creativity, transforming rich conceptual engagement into community impact.
Study at ECU City
The courses are delivered at ECU City, placing you in the heart of Perth's cultural, creative, technology and business precincts. You can connect with industry bodies and creative partners while applying your learning through industry-aligned projects.
Whether you want to launch a creative enterprise, strengthen your practice or lead innovation within an organisation, WAAPA's postgraduate suite can help you turn your next idea into action.
Discover how WAAPA's new postgraduate qualifications can help you develop the skills, networks and entrepreneurial mindset to shape the future of the creative industries.
Find out more: Master of Creative Arts Entrepreneurship and Cultural Innovation
