Leadership in the Creative Industries: Addressing an Uncertain Future

Daniel Walzer
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Abstract

In recent years, the rise of the gig economy has brought a host of freelance opportunities for people working in creative arts professions, including music, entertainment, and media. Freelance professionals generate piecemeal income from several vocations. The freelance market’s competitive nature requires recent graduates to cultivate a host of skills beyond their creative specializations. Equally concerning is the precarious state of the arts and entertainment sectors amid global health and financial collapse. In such uncertainty, the timing is right to consider how educators best prepare students to succeed in the coming years. This article argues for a shift in pedagogical mindset from an entirely skill-based model to a more holistic approach drawing on leadership across four areas: creativity, sustainability, vision, and community. The article puts forward a new theory, Creative Industry Leadership, to encourage a cooperative and holistic teaching and learning framework in the creative industries.

Keywords: creative industry, leadership, creative arts, sustainability, higher education

Walzer, Daniel. “Leadership in the Creative Industries: Addressing an Uncertain Future." Journal of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association 20, no. 1 (2020): 147-172. https://doi.org/10.25101/20.5

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