• Try “portfolio”, “ink”, “branding” or a code like “PRS 101”.

CBEDepartment

Creative Business and Entrepreneurship

The business side most art schools skip: finding and keeping clients, pricing and proposals, project management, copyright and licensing basics (educational, not legal advice), selling work online, marketing and long-term career planning.

Courses, in suggested order

These courses are being written now. Each opens for enrolment when it’s finished — the outlines below are the proposed curriculum.

  1. CBE 101

    Freelancing Fundamentals

    Set up a freelance creative practice: business basics, records, taxes and GST/HST in Canada, simple agreements, invoicing and a sustainable workload.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation14 lessons · ~10 hPlanned
  2. CBE 105

    Finding Graphic Design Clients

    Decide who you design for, where those clients look for designers, and how to become easy to find and easy to hire.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation9 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  3. CBE 110

    Finding Creative Opportunities

    Find and apply for calls for art, juried shows, grants, residencies, markets and commissions, and track every application in one place.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  4. CBE 115

    Copyright for Visual Artists

    Understand copyright and moral rights for visual work in Canada, with international comparisons: ownership, duration, registration, fair dealing and using others' work.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  5. CBE 120

    Professional Client Communication

    Communicate with clients clearly from first enquiry to final delivery: discovery calls, emails, presenting work, handling feedback and difficult conversations.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation11 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  6. CBE 201

    Pricing Creative Services

    Build a pricing method you can explain: costs and minimums, time-based and project pricing, usage, rush fees, deposits and how sales tax fits on a quote.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate12 lessons · ~10 hIn development
  7. CBE 205

    Creative Proposal Writing

    Write proposals that win the right projects: understanding the brief, scope, deliverables, timeline, usage terms, fees and clear next steps.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  8. CBE 210

    Client Research and Outreach

    Research specific prospective clients, write personalised outreach that respects their time, and follow up with a simple, honest system.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  9. CBE 215

    Creative Project Management

    Plan and run creative projects from kickoff to delivery: briefs, schedules, approvals, revisions, files and post-project reviews.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate10 lessons · ~10 hPlanned
  10. CBE 220

    Understanding Commercial Licensing

    Learn how artists license work for commercial use: licence types, scope, territory, duration, exclusivity, fees, royalties and reading licence terms.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate11 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  11. CBE 225

    Protecting Artwork Online

    Reduce the risk of misuse when you share work online, and respond calmly when it happens: watermarks, metadata, image monitoring, notices and copyright-aware platform reports.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  12. CBE 230

    Marketing for Independent Artists

    Plan honest, sustainable marketing for your art: audience, message, channels, launches, email, collaborations and measuring what works.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate9 lessons · ~10 hPlanned
  13. CBE 235

    Selling Art Online

    Choose how to sell originals, prints and products online, price artwork, write listings, ship safely and understand consumer protection and sales tax basics.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Intermediate10 lessons · ~10 hPlanned
  14. CBE 310

    Building an Online Art Shop

    Plan, build and launch your own online shop: platform choice, product catalogue, payments, tax settings, policies, privacy, accessibility and launch checks.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Advanced14 lessons · ~14 hPlanned