Cultural Entrepreneurship: How are intentions to be a cultural entrepreneur formed?

Cultural enterprises are gaining significance due to their contribution to economic development and their ability to create thriving communities. Traditional approaches based on public sector-and donor-supported financing of cultural enterprises are challenged in current economic times. Most cultural enterprises can be characterized as project-based small and micro entrepreneurial ventures. As a result, not only is entrepreneurship for cultural industries important, but also the need has increased in the past few decades. Thus far, systematic research has revealed little about the factors which motivate individuals to become cultural entrepreneurs. This research leverages prior knowledge about the motivations and intentions of commercial entrepreneurs, as well as our understanding of what is special about cultural entrepreneurs, in order to identify the possible factors which determine cultural entrepreneurial trials. In particular, research proposes that the activation of cultural self-identity, greater risk-taking propensity in the cultural domain, and cognitive ambidexterity can be used to predict an individual’s likelihood of becoming a cultural entrepreneur. In addition, based on the theory of trying, both the frequency and timing of trying may help to predict future acts of trying. This research provides a conceptual framework and propositions for further exploration.