Welcome to the Entrepreneurship Center for Music (ECM) at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music!
The ECM is a national leader in musicians’ professional development. As one of the first such programs in the country, the ECM advances the college’s universal musician vision by equipping music students with the skills and tools they need to create sustainable careers in the arts.
With the arts business undergoing enormous changes in how content is produced, distributed and consumed, ECM programming goes beyond the traditional career skills taught at some music schools: At the ECM, students are encouraged to develop entrepreneurial skills to explore the vast opportunities inherent in a changing marketplace and develop plans to implement career-enhancing ventures across the artistic spectrum.
According to the Association of University Startup Manager Inc. (AUTM), CU Boulder is the fifth-best university system in the United States for startup creation.
What is the student experience like?
From Erika Gossett, who earned a BM in flute performance (’23)—as well as a BA in media studies, a minor in business and a Music Entrepreneurship Certificate—thus exemplifying the College of Music’s universal musician vision:
The Music Entrepreneurship Certificate really helped to help me to think more analytically and in a different way than I'm used to. I feel like a lot of musicians are really focused on the creative side of things, and pursuing a business minor and the entrepreneurship certificate definitely helped me to think entrepreneurially, find my footing and discover a new career path. The most valuable thing I learned is how to work with a team.