Cultural entrepreneurship is an emerging area of practice and theory. Underlying the growing interest in cultural entrepreneurship is the understanding that sustainable change can only be developed when innovations are crafted from endemic cultural knowledge and traditions.

CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE +
INNOVATION +
MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
-------------------------
= CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The people developing these innovations and bringing them to markets are cultural entrepreneurs, individuals passionate about their cultural heritage and determined to bring this cultural wealth to broad audiences. Cultural entrepreneurs are resourceful visionaries, generating revenues from culturally embedded knowledge systems and activities; their innovative applications of traditions to markets result in economically sustainable cultural enterprises. Although they may work in the American Southwest, Africa, India, China or Great Britain, successful cultural entrepreneurs :

• Are visionary leaders who have passion for creating cultural enterprises,
• Leverage “cultural capital” through innovation, thus furthering cultural values, traditions, knowledge, and local livelihoods,
• Create a “whole cloth” of cultural diversity and sustainability, weaving together economic, social, environmental, and cultural values,
• Remain mission driven and market-focused, creating both financial wealth and cultural value,
• Drive the creation of new cultural markets and industries.
Cultural entrepreneurs are change agents who leverage cultural knowledge and innovation to create thriving economic systems.
The Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship is an international community dedicated to the development of successful cultural entrepreneurs. The Center provides cultural entrepreneurs with (1) knowledge, (2) technical assistance, (3) market links and information, and (4) access to financial capital necessary to the success of their venture.