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Develop your arts-based business idea

Uniarts Hub pre-incubator programme will help you get started in setting up a business and becoming an entrepreneur in the creative or arts industries.

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About the Uniarts Hub pre-incubator programme

Are you an artist or a creative professional, producer, or intermediary considering starting a business? Or do you have a working group in a similar situation? Do you want information about starting and running a company?

The pre-incubator is designed for you if you have a business idea or an early-stage concept and have not yet established a company. In the free 12-week programme, you will receive support to clarify, test, and develop your idea. The programme includes lectures, workshops, mentoring, and peer support.

Starting in the spring and autumn semesters, the programme provides participants with a comprehensive overview of entrepreneurship in the arts and creative sectors, introduces experts working in these fields, and enables networking among participants. Lecturers, workshop facilitators, and mentors are experienced professionals and experts from the arts and creative industries.

The programme is best suited for arts professionals who are already working in their field or are in the final stages of their studies. Previous studies at Uniarts Helsinki are not required. The programme lasts approximately 12 weeks and is free of charge.

Themes covered

  • Business planning
  • Establishing a company
  • Entrepreneurial identity
  • Customer experience
  • Brand
  • Sales and marketing
  • Product development
  • Copyright
  • Funding pathways
  • Pitching skills
  • Foresight

Schedule

  • Fall 2026 pre-incubator is 14.9.–4.12.2026.
  • On-site meetings on Tuesdays (Helsinki 16.00–18.00, Seinäjoki 14.00–16.00)
  • Online lectures (Zoom) on Thursdays 9.00–11.00
  • Mentoring for those who need it
  • Weekly assignments

In Helsinki, the language of instruction is English. In Seinäjoki, the on-site meetings are in Finnish and the online lectures in English. A minimum of 80% attendance is required. Towards the end of the programme, participants pitch their ideas to experts and an audience. In Helsinki student participants receive 8 ECTS credits from the program.

How to ap­ply

Helsinki: The application period for fall semester Uniarts Hub is open 4.–20.8.2026. Applications to the program are submitted through the Open University of the University of the Arts Helsinki registration system. Degree students of the University of the Arts Helsinki or those studying with a continuous right to study apply to the program in Peppi.

Seinäjoki: Applications for the autumn 2026 Uniarts Hub Seinäjoki programme are open 16.6.–20.8.2026 via an online application form. The link will be updated on this page. The Seinäjoki pre-incubator is implemented as part of the InnoUCS project, co-funded by the European Union. Read more about the project in Finnish.

More information

Riitta Huttunen
Lecturer, Open Campus University of the Arts Helsinki
riitta.huttunen@uniarts.fi 

Jyri Partanen 
Specialist, Open Campus University of the Arts Helsinki
jyri.partanen@uniarts.fi  

Seinäjoki implementation fall 2026 
Jenni Latva
Specialist, University of the Arts Helsinki, Seinäjoki Unit
jenni.latva@uniarts.fi

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