Ownership, Failure, and Experience: Goals and Evaluation Metrics of University-Based Arts Venture Incubators

Abstract

This article expands on a paper originally presented at the annual conference of USASBE in 2013.1 It is a narrative qualitative study of four university-based arts venture incubators, one of which is headed by the author. Its purpose is to describe in narrative form the goals of such programs and the means by which university-based arts venture incubators measure their success. There is scant research on small business incubator evaluation and even less on arts venture incubator evaluation. The article looks at four university-based arts venture incubators to identify key issues of evaluation and similarities and differences across program types.