Center for Arts Entrepreneurship
Center
The Northern Colorado Center for Arts Entrepreneurship connects the UNC College of Performing and Visual Arts with the local arts community. We support students, alumni and local artist-entrepreneurs and create opportunities for career readiness, hands-on learning and real-world experience. Our goal is to grow a strong and connected arts scene by helping artists build their careers, explore new ideas and share their work. Through innovation and collaboration, we support the next generation of creative leaders in northern Colorado.
We also support the Arts Entrepreneurship Certificate for undergrad students.
Next Steps
Questions about how to take your creative ideas to the next level? Need help refining and organizing your portfolio? Want some feedback on your marketing and promotional materials? We are open to all PVA students every week for free feedback and help on any of these items and more.
Our Mission and Vision
Supported by the UNC College of Performing and Visual Arts, the purpose of the NOCO Center for Arts Entrepreneurship is to strengthen the connection between the Northern Colorado arts community and the university. The NOCO Center for Arts Entrepreneurship values innovative ideas, the advancement of knowledge and creative energy for all Artist-Entrepreneurs. The CfAE nurtures the arts entrepreneurship culture of the University of Northern Colorado and furthers learning for both active students and alumni.
The NOCO CfAE’s impact expands UNC’s reputation for artistic and academic excellence by realizing a connected NOCO arts community, inspiring new creative questions and explorations, and advancing the careers of students, alumni and community artist-entrepreneurs.
Our Values
- Energizing creative, innovative thinking.
- Fostering connections, networks and community building.
- Nurturing sustainable, fulfilling arts careers for the 21st century’s creative economies by amplifying artists’ identities, motivations, strengths and skillsets.
- Cultivating effective arts advocacy and community leadership and exploring new paradigms to sustain a competitive edge in a rap.
Upcoming Events
Arts Entrepreneurship Bites
September 8 & 29, November 3 & 17
12:20-1:10 p.m.
Crabbe Hall 203
Fuel your body and your career! Join fellow performing and visual arts students for Arts Entrepreneurship Bites—a dynamic mix of lunchtime talks, creative roundtables and real-world advice from artists and innovators who’ve turned their passion into profession. Whether you’re dreaming up your next big project or figuring out how to fund it, these sessions offer practical tools, fresh perspectives and plenty of inspiration (plus food!).
(For UNC PVA students)
Arts Entrepreneurship Foundry
October 18, 2025
10-4 p.m.
Campus Commons
The foundry is a free series of arts entrepreneurship workshops and talks led by our faculty and staff on portfolio building, resume and cover letter writing, branding, self-promotion and marketing, contracts and more!
(Free and open to the public)
AI in the Arts Symposium
February 23, 2026
11:05 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Campus Commons Performance Hall
The AI in the Arts Symposium brings together artists, technologists, scholars and industry leaders to explore the evolving intersections between creativity and generative AI. We’ll examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping artistic practice and careers across the arts!
(Free and open to the public)
Our Team
Sarah Off
Associate Professor of Violin & Music Business, Center for Arts Entrepreneurship Director
Rand Harmon
Associate Professor of Theatre Studies & Arts Entrepreneurship