VCUarts Center for the Creative Economy

The VCUarts Center for the Creative Economy promotes the Creative Economy as a post-disciplinary, collaborative force that disrupts status quo in order to drive innovation and new business models around the world

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development defines the Creative Economy as a network of Creative Industries that center their activity on producing creative assets, potentially generating economic growth and development. This is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy, fostering income generation, job creation and export earnings while promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.

The Creative Industries:

are the cycles of creation, production and distribution of goods and services that use creativity and intellectual capital as primary inputs;
constitute a set of knowledge-based activities, focused on but not limited to arts, potentially generating revenues from trade and intellectual property rights;
comprise tangible products and intangible intellectual or artistic services with creative content, economic value and market objectives;
stand at the crossroads of the artisan, services and industrial sectors; and
constitute a new dynamic sector in world trade.

The CCE operates three programs, each providing an experiential learning environment that expands the scope of any specific creative discipline.

Collectively, the CCE and its programs provide students opportunities to:

collaborate with one another and learn from diverse disciplines, experiences, and perspectives
navigate their education in an entrepreneurial way
translate their entrepreneurial mindset to a new world of work, where they can apply their talents, skills and passions in unexpected places

1) Creative Entrepreneurship

The Creative Entrepreneurship Program consists of four courses that provide the groundwork for the practice of entrepreneurship, emphasizing creative and design methodologies. Undergraduate majors may enroll in any of these courses independently, or apply for admission into the undergraduate certificate program in Venture Creation for a deeper grounding in entrepreneurship and business development. [Click to read complete profile]

2) Design Operations (Des Ops)

Design Operations is a post-disciplinary, variable-credit, internship program that provides students with opportunities in hands-on, innovative problem-solving. Students develop career skills and create value in existing organizations and professions through the completion of research-intensive, industry-focused projects. Emphasis is on the collaborative development and commercial application of products that focus on emerging technologies. [Click to read complete profile]

3) Advanced Media Production Technology (AMPT)

The Certificate Program in Advanced Media Production Technology is designed to connect graduates with employment opportunities in the expansive field of digital media production. AMPT is a hands-on, project-based program that brings disciplined craftsmanship together with innovative technology to help students define and drive dialogue on the future of sound, sight and motion design. Students are encouraged to approach the development of digital media with a cross-disciplinary, entrepreneurial spirit and to apply information and communications technology in novel ways. [Click to read complete profile]