Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs
Mass Cultural Council is excited to spotlight a new Arts Entrepreneurship course available on MITx, offering artists and creatives a professional development opportunity to help them build financially sustainable careers while staying true to their creative vision.
This course was funded, in part, through a $60,000 grant to MIT Sloan School of Management, one of the world’s top-ranked business schools, from Mass Cultural Council.
MITx is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) online learning initiative, delivering courses created by MIT faculty to learners around the world through digital platforms.
This free course features 12 modules and practical exercises designed to equip artists with business skills, and to advance their ability to strategically and sustainably generate revenue through their creative work.
Class begins on March 25, 2026 and runs through June 25, 2026.
Participants will learn best practices in:
Additional topics include:
Coursework is instructor-paced, meaning students will experience guided learning with a set schedule and specific due dates for assignments and exams. It is estimated that students will devote 12 weeks, 10-20 hours per week, to successfully complete the course.
There is no registration fee or tuition cost; however, participants may pay a nominal fee to obtain a certificate of completion.
The MITx Arts Entrepreneurship course was developed by Jenny Larios Berlin, Lecturer at MIT Sloan and Entrepreneur in Residence at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship; and Ben Shields, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan. 4:3 Collective, founded in Massachusetts by Bryan Sih and Yahna Harris, provided creative direction.
While people living anywhere in the world can enroll in an MITx course, Mass Cultural Council is excited to encourage Massachusetts artists and creative individuals to consider taking part this learning opportunity. Those wishing to learn more are encouraged to register for a March 20 info session hosted by the Agency, featuring the course instructors.
Info Session Recording