Expert in Creative Entrepreneurship in Art Education

Where will you be working?

Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU) has eight academies spread throughout the vibrant city center of Utrecht. With over 4,000 students, it is one of the largest art colleges in Europe. We offer more than 50 creative degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. This is where art, creativity, and innovation come together.

The Center for Education, Research, and Innovation (OOI) consists of three departments (Learning and Innovation, Quality and Internationalization, and Research Strengthening and Development). The OOI contributes to the development of flexible, innovative, and future-proof education. The department focuses on offering distinctive and future-proof education, and also supports practice-oriented research within HKU. 

You will be working in the Learning and Innovation department, which includes the HKU-X creative entrepreneurship community. There, you will join an enthusiastic and motivated team of education experts. Drawing on your area of expertise, you will contribute to strategic educational innovation within HKU. In recent years, HKU has invested in embedding creative entrepreneurship in its educational programs. Together with your colleagues, you will continue to build on and strengthen this theme in education. You will support and advise faculty members (and teams), develop learning activities and professional development programs, and help academic programs better equip students and creative professionals for a changing creative and cultural landscape. You will work on a project basis, sometimes closely with teaching and workshops, and at other times more on the policy side.

What will you be doing?

• You will initiate and oversee educational (innovation) projects, such as curriculum development, learning activities for students, or professional development programs for HKU staff;
  
• You will contribute your expertise on fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students and staff, including the ability to create various forms of value (economic, social, cultural, ecological), working in collectives and networks, and positioning one’s own practice within the field and beyond;
  
• Together with faculty members, you will design practical teaching methods and course modules on topics such as commissioning, collaboration within collectives, positioning, finance and business development, audience engagement and impact;
  
• You translate developments in the creative and cultural sector—such as new revenue models, policy developments, digitization, fair practice, and talent development or LLO—into educational programs, and help build existing and new lines of innovation within HKU;
  
• You will contribute to HKU’s educational policy and provide advice on its implementation, particularly with regard to entrepreneurship, professional practice, and lifelong learning;
  
• You foster dialogue on educational development and professional growth (talent development, lifelong learning), with a keen eye for the role of creators in the public and social spheres.

What are we looking for?

• A completed associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (such as art or design, cultural/arts policy, creative business, or a comparable program) and demonstrable experience running your own practice as a creator, entrepreneur, producer, or program developer;
  
• Familiar with higher education (including the arts) and educational theories; training in educational science or pedagogy is a plus.
  
• A broad perspective on entrepreneurship, with insight into the realities faced by self-employed professionals, collectives, hybrid careers, and new forms of value creation in the creative and cultural sectors;
  
• You excel at project work, have strong interpersonal and communication skills, and interact easily with students, faculty, management, and external partners.
  
• You work independently, but feel at home in multidisciplinary teams and creative ecosystems, and you enjoy helping to build an entrepreneurial community within and around HKU.

What do we have to offer?  

With us, you’ll work in an inspiring environment where creativity, technology, and innovation come together. The school year has dynamic peak periods when we all pull together, but this is balanced by a generous number of vacation days. You will receive a salary in accordance with the CAO-HBO scale 10 (€3,639.22 to €5,699.76) and attractive benefits, such as a year-end bonus, a museum year pass, a bicycle plan, and access to sports facilities.

Diversity and Inclusion

We believe it is important that everyone feels welcome and valued. We believe that diversity enhances creativity and strive to bring together the diverse perspectives and experiences from society within our organization. We actively take steps to promote diversity and inclusion and collaborate with organizations that support us in this effort. In addition, we organize (internal) events and gatherings during Keti Koti, International Women’s Day, and participate in Pride Utrecht.

Apply

You can apply via the“Apply” button on the HKU website. A cover letter is not required. However, we would like to receive your resume and answers to the questions below so that we can get a good idea of what you bring to the table. The application deadline for this position is March 24, 2026. Interviews will take place on April 7 between 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM. A potential follow-up interview is scheduled for April 17 between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. If you have any questions, please contact Margit Arts, Head of Learning and Innovation, at margit.arts@hku.nl.