Artistic education as a source of innovation and knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship

This paper explores how artistic education may become a source of knowledge-intensive innovative entrepreneurship (KIE) in the fashion industry. Through an exploratory case study of the Swedish School of Textiles at the University of Borås, Sweden, we examine the varieties of knowledge developed by fashion design students at BA and MA levels, in order to analyse how they relate to artistic innovation and KIE. We systematically analyse programme syllabi and course curricula over time, contrasting these findings with interviews with alumni and academically responsible individuals at the higher education institution. Our findings show that the students develop artistic creativity by acquiring aesthetic knowledge, and that the knowledge development, as taught throughout the education, is aimed for artistic exploration. This exploration is further enhanced through scientific and technological knowledge, acquired through the tight links to research throughout the education. We argue that fashion design students thereby develop varieties of knowledge for artistic exploration and consequent artistic innovation. As such, they can play a crucial role, post-graduation, for the rise of KIE in the fashion industry, if complemented by varieties of knowledge related to market and business.