En_MOOC - Governance and Mentorship

Governance and Mentorship

for Young Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurs

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Introduction

This MOOC provides mentors with structured guidance, tools, and strategies to support young cultural and creative entrepreneurs from marginalized backgrounds. The course draws on models from France, Italy, Spain, and the USA to help mentors address governance, visibility, project management and networking for mentees from underrepresented communities.

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What's the plan?

Understanding the Role of a Mentor in Cultural & Creative Industries

Tools for Mentoring Creative and Cultural Young Entrepreneurs

Becoming a Sustainable and Reflective Mentor

Mentorship as Peer Learning and Co-Creation

The Role of Mentorship in Creative Entrepreneurship

The well known : SMART goals, SWOT analysis, and GROW model

Building Supportive Networks and Long-Term Impact

Exploring the needs of young emerging artists/entrepreneurs in CCI

Personal branding and project development

And after? Extended mentorship

Creative entrepreneurship for under-resourced communities

Building Trust and Inclusive Relationships

Get some more

Leadership and project management tools

Experts

Understanding power dynamics, intersectionality, and cultural humility

Downloadable

Translocal, Hybrid & Digital Mentoring Strategies

Online Sources

Psychological safety in creative spaces

Tools and platforms for remote mentorship

Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts

Understanding the Role of a Mentor in Cultural & Creative Industries

Exploring the needs of young emerging artists/entrepreneurs in CCI

Definition of mentorship and its specificities in the cultural and creative industries

Definition of mentorship and its specificities in the C&C industries

Mentorship in the cultural and creative industries is a multifaceted process that extends beyond traditional one-on-one knowledge transfer. It encompasses elements of care, reciprocity, professional development, and cultural sustainability.

Artistic choices and visions

Mentorship as a craft

Mentorship as informal network

Balancing Artistic Integrity and Economic Realities

Finding the purpose and the metrics

Conveying the value of mentoring

Emotional and Professional Investment in Mentorship

The “career” and “achievements” stereotype

Angels of cultural startups

Experience sharing

Mentorship in the Creative Economy Framework According to the UNCTAD’s Creative Economy Outlook 2024, the creative economy is deeply intertwined with mentorship through its emphasis on knowledge-based activities, innovation, and intellectual capital. Creative industries, ranging from music to film and publishing, benefit from mentorship programs that nurture talent and integrate new creatives into industry networks.

Challenges and Inclusivity in Mentorship Despite its benefits, mentorship in cultural and creative industries is not always accessible to all. Socioeconomic disparities, gender inequalities, and lack of structured mentorship programs often create barriers for marginalized communities, particularly in developing regions.

Mentorship in cultural and creative industries goes beyond a traditional teacher-student relationship. It is a distributed practice of care, a reciprocal learning process, and a strategic career-development tool that helps sustain creative economies. While it plays a crucial role in fostering talent and industry integration, there is a growing need for inclusive mentorship models to ensure that diverse voices can thrive within the sector.

Exploring the needs of young emerging artists/entrepreneurs in CCI

Specificities of young entrepreneurs from alternative and marginalized cultures

Creative and Cultural Industries Ecosystems

Creative and Cultural Industries Ecosystems

Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) function within interconnected ecosystems that span both formal institutions and informal, community-based networks. Formal structures include public funding bodies, educational institutions, and cultural policy frameworks, while informal ecosystems consist of grassroots collectives, peer networks, DIY spaces, and digital communities. Young artists and entrepreneurs often move fluidly between these spaces, relying on hybrid strategies to build visibility, secure income, and sustain creativity.

These ecosystems are shaped by socio-political dynamics, market access, and the presence—or absence—of mentorship structures. As highlighted in the Clive Davis Institute's Core Curriculum, understanding the broader context of the music and creative industries is essential for empowering newcomers. Additionally, the UN Creative Industry Report stresses the importance of recognizing both global industry standards and localized, culturally specific practices. Mentors play a key role in helping emerging creatives navigate this complexity, acting as guides through institutional structures while also validating non-institutional pathways.

Key Concepts

Mentorship Defined

CCI Ecosystems

The Role of the Mentor

Diversity of Experience

Specificities of young entrepreneurs from alternative and marginalized cultures

Young entrepreneurs from marginalized and alternative cultural backgrounds often face structural and cultural barriers that shape their creative trajectories. These may include limited access to institutional support, cultural funding, or traditional mentorship networks. Instead, they frequently rely on community-driven models, digital platforms, and DIY approaches to develop and share their work. Their projects are often deeply rooted in identity, resistance, and local storytelling, reflecting unique lived experiences and cultural values.

In these contexts, creators may navigate the dual challenge of preserving cultural heritage while striving for innovation and contemporary relevance. Others may find strength and visibility by developing inclusive, value-driven practices outside of traditional industry pathways. Mentors working with such entrepreneurs must adopt empathetic, adaptive approaches that honor difference, validate informal expertise, and support creative autonomy. This includes acknowledging non-institutional forms of knowledge and creating space for cultural and artistic expressions that do not conform to dominant norms. Mentors working with such entrepreneurs must adopt empathetic, adaptive approaches that honor difference, validate informal expertise, and support creative autonomy.

Experience sharing

Building Trust and Inclusive Relationships

Understanding power dynamics, intersectionality, and cultural humility

Effective mentors apply these concepts by checking their assumptions, asking open questions, and embracing discomfort as part of growth. These skills build trust, expand understanding, and empower creative mentees to thrive within their full complexity.

Cultural humility is key: mentors don’t assume, they listen. It's about asking open questions, honoring lived knowledge, and learning together with your mentee.

Intersectionality refers to the overlapping nature of social identities. A disabled, queer artist of color may face layered exclusions that require nuanced support.

Power in mentoring is shaped by race, gender, language, class, and more. Mentors must critically reflect on how these dynamics influence relationships.

CULTURAL HUMILITY

INTERSECTIONALITY

POWER

Mini self-check

Psychological safety in creative spaces

Creating psychological safety is foundational to successful mentorship, particularly within the fluid and often vulnerable world of creative expression. Psychological safety refers to an environment where individuals feel respected, heard, and free to express ideas or concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. For young creators, especially those from marginalized or alternative backgrounds, such safety can be the difference between creative confidence and chronic self-censorship.

Emotional safety can counteract systemic exclusions and support long-term personal and artistic growth. Psychological safety also requires mentors to reflect on their own biases and communication habits. The mentor's role here is not to "fix" but to hold space—ensuring mentees feel trusted, valued, and encouraged as they navigate both creative risks and career uncertainties.

Inclusive Mentorship in Action

Mentorship should support each mentee’s full complexity. This means:

actively listening

respecting emotional boundaries

affirming lived experiences

supporting mentees through failure and experimentation

Checking your communication habits

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Tools for Mentoring Creative and Cultural Young Entrepreneurs

The Well-Known

Helping mentees define their visions and structure their paths forward is a key aspect of mentorship. In this sequence, you will explore three popular strategic planning tools adapted for the creative and cultural sector: SMART goals, SWOT analysis, and the GROW model. These tools, drawn from Bobby Borg's "Music Marketing for the DIY Musician" and Ari Herstand’s "How to Make It in the New Music Business," provide clear frameworks for transforming abstract dreams into actionable plans.

SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

SMART Goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound

GROW Model Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward

Personal branding and project development

Project development is the structural companion to personal branding. Whether launching an album, performance, or campaign, mentees need to articulate their goals, audience, timelines, and resources. Drawing from Borg’s and Herstand’s practical guides, mentors can support mentees in organizing their ideas into compelling project pitches and action plans. Mentorship in this space includes guiding mentees through portfolio development, funding research, community engagement strategies, and alignment with values.

Branding is especially important for creators from marginalized communities who may be navigating misrepresentation or underrepresentation in mainstream culture. Mentors can help mentees develop authentic narratives that resist stereotypes and build visibility in empowering ways.

In today’s creative economy, emerging artists must often become their own advocates, marketers, and brand architects. Personal branding goes beyond logos or color palettes—it’s about cultivating a coherent narrative that communicates an artist’s values, voice, and vision. As a mentor, supporting this process involves helping mentees clarify what sets them apart, how they wish to be perceived, and which platforms best reflect their artistic identity.

By connecting branding with project development, mentors help mentees build both identity and impact.

Practical tools

Interview

Creative entrepreneurship for under-resourced communities

EMPOWERING CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS WITH PURPOSE

THRIVING AT THE MARGINS

Creative entrepreneurship in under-resourced communities often means navigating a landscape marked by:

Mentors can help mentees:• Articulate their unique value • Reach untapped audiences • Develop projects grounded in local relevance and resilience

Limited Infrastructure

Financial Constraints

Yet these communities-rural, racialized, queer, linguistically minoritized -are building resilient creative ecosystems. They rely on:

Practical mentorship includes:• Finding micro-grants, crowdfuding tools, in-kind exchanges • Encouraging hybrid models that mix cultural authenticity with strategic innovation

Community Solidarity

Informal Networks

Creative entrepreneurs from marginalized backgrounds don't just need capital-they need care, curiosity, and co.strategy.

Mentors are key in supporting emerging artists as they build visibility, legitimacy, and sustainable practices.

Practical tools

Interview

Leadership and project management tools

While many artistic training programs now include basic economics, there's still a significant gap in leadership an management skills among creative entrepreneurs.

From Surface skills to Deeper strategy

Deeper strategy includes:Leading a collaborative or cross-cultural creative teamManaging ambiguity, precarity, and emotional labor Making inclusive, ethical decisions that reflect identity and values Navigating alternative or hybrid business models Using tools like design thinking and prototyping for iterative development Aligning project goals with long-term artistic vision and community impact

Deeper Strategy

Surface Skills

Surface skills include:Budgeting and financial planning Using spreadsheets and project management tools Building a website or social media presence Writing grant applications or business pitches Understanding basic copyright and licensing

Technical or operational abilities

Transformational capacities

From Idea to Action – Using Design Thinking in Cultural Projects

Prototyping lets you test and refine ideas early through experiments, mockups, or simulations. It's not about perfection-it's about:

This applies not only to apps or products, but also to:

Music collectives

Seeing ideas come to life

Theatre projects

Catching what doesn’t work

Cultural spaces

Getting feedback before you invest too much

Advocacy campaigns

IDEA

FEEDBACK

LAUNCH

PROTOTYPE

Translocal, Hybrid & Digital Mentoring Strategies

Tools and platforms for remote mentorship

In today’s translocal creative ecosystem, mentorship often takes place across geographic, cultural, and temporal boundaries. Remote tools are essential—not just for communication, but also for co-creation, accountability, and accessibility.

Tools and platforms for remote mentorship

Accessibility, Etiquette & Equity

Technology brings incredible possibilities but also new barriers: 🌐 Unequal access to internet and devices 🧠 Digital literacy differences 🗣️ Language limitations

Tip Box Co-select platforms with your menteeDefine digital boundaries (timing, tone, availability)Discuss expectations up front

Which digital boundaries would you co-create? Weekly check-in time No messages after 8pm Voice memos OK instead of typing

Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts

Understanding the Landscape

Mentorship that spans cultural and linguistic differences requires intentional sensitivity and openness. Multilingual and multicultural contexts bring rich diversity to the mentoring process, but also present unique challenges that mentors must be prepared to address with care and awareness. In these contexts, mentors need to consider not just the words being spoken, but also the cultural norms, values, and communication styles that shape how those words are interpreted. Language barriers may affect clarity and confidence, especially for mentees working in a second or third language. Mentors should strive for clarity, patience, and validation, using inclusive language, checking for understanding, and encouraging expression in whichever languages mentees are most comfortable.

"He said that if culture were a house, then language would be the key to the front door—and to every room inside." Khaled Hosseini - And the mountains echoed

Tips

Interview

Culturally Responsive Mentorship

Culturally responsive mentorship means understanding how identity, heritage, and social context inform a mentee’s goals and decision-making processes. For example, the "Euskal Kantagintza" project illustrates how language and music serve as both a medium of self-expression and cultural resilience within Basque communities. Similarly, international initiatives such as the Clive Davis Institute's Berlin program highlight the value of mentorship across cultural borders where aesthetic traditions and professional expectations may differ. Mentors should explore the mentee’s local scene, values, and networks, and learn from them. This includes recognizing power imbalances in global North/South or dominant/minority language dynamics, and co-creating mentorship strategies that affirm local knowledge and practices.

Key Insights Cultural identity shapes creative goals Language influences confidence Listening = learning Mentor Practices Explore mentee’s local culture & networks Ask open questions about communication styles Avoid assumptions about professionalism

Interview

Becoming a Sustainable and Reflective Mentor

Mentorship as Peer Learning and Co-Creation

“Mentorship is not a transmission—it’s a dialogue.”

Mentorship is increasingly recognized not as a top-down transmission of knowledge but as a process of mutual growth. In creative and cultural sectors, where learning is often experiential, nonlinear, and deeply personal, mentorship works best when approached as a two-way exchange. Rather than positioning the mentor as an expert with all the answers, this model encourages a collaborative approach—one that involves reflecting alongside the mentee and learning from their evolving insights. This is especially relevant in today’s dynamic creative fields, where younger generations often take the lead in areas such as digital innovation, social justice frameworks, and grassroots mobilization.

Interview

Peer learning emerges when mentors remain open to feedback, share their own learning edges, and recognize the expertise of their mentees. Co-creation extends this further—inviting joint ideation, shared authorship of creative projects, and collective problem-solving. Whether through co-writing a grant application, co-hosting a workshop, or co-developing a brand identity, the emphasis is placed on shared ownership and trust. Mentors grounded in peer learning and co-creation help dismantle hierarchical norms and foster inclusive, dialogical learning environments. This aligns with values of equity, respect, and reciprocity, and empowers both mentor and mentee to take creative risks together and evolve their practices with humility and curiosity.

Building Supportive Networks and Long-Term Impact

While one-on-one mentorship can be deeply transformative, its long-term impact often lies in the networks and communities it helps generate. Mentors play a key role in cultivating support structures that extend beyond individual relationships—structures that foster knowledge-sharing, emotional resilience, and collective growth.

These networks may look like:

• Online peer groups

• Intergenerational collectives

• Regional or identity-based alliances

Suggest residency programs, festivals, collaborative spaces

What can mentor do ?

New affinity groups, shared toolkits, mutual aid circles

What can mentees co-create?

Mentorship → Network → Collective Projects → Cultural Change

Ripple effect?

And after? Extended mentorship

Maintaining Momentum

The end of a mentorship program is just the beginning. Continued growth often relies on staying connected—whether through informal peer groups, alumni collectives, or community-based initiatives. These networks offer ongoing feedback, shared resources, and emotional support. Mentees are encouraged to nurture these connections intentionally and see themselves as co-builders of resilient, creative ecosystems.

From Mentee to Peer or Mentor

Extended mentorship also means transformation. As mentees gain experience and confidence, they often become mentors themselves—whether formally or through peer exchange. This shift reinforces mutual learning, flattens hierarchies, and strengthens community leadership. Reverse mentoring, co-mentoring, and intergenerational practices can foster a more inclusive, collaborative creative culture.

Sustaining Projects and Visibility

Creative projects don’t end when a grant or mentorship program does. Artists need strategies to keep their work visible and evolving—through storytelling, archiving, and strategic communication. Sustained visibility can come from festivals, partnerships, or media features. Keeping a dynamic portfolio, reaching out to new audiences, and planning for continuity are key to staying present and relevant.

Project Commitments

For organizations, extended mentorship means going beyond one-off support. It includes follow-ups, invitations to future events, co-creation opportunities, and advisory roles for former mentees. Embedding continuity into the project’s design from the start—through open communication, flexible structures, and intentional care—strengthens long-term creative ecosystems and trust.

REACH Link

REACH Experts

Flo Gil de Muro Combustible

Jean-Louis Puyo Combustible

Jacques Chabrillat Combustible

Indiana Debacq Combustible

Carine Puyo Combustible

Marco Bocola Vectorealism

Eleonora Ricca Vectorealism

Marc Plotkin Clive Davis Institute

Jeff Peretz Clive Davis Institute

Errol Koloskine Clive Davis Institute

JD Samson Clive Davis Institute

Brianne Hayes Clive Davis Institute

Nick Sansano Clive Davis Institute

Bobby Wooten Clive Davis Institute

Alan Billi Usopop

Areta Senosiain Musika Bulegoa

Arkaitz Villar Musika Bulegoa

Mike Errico Clive Davis Institute

Downloadable

All the materials included in this presentation are freely available for download and use. We kindly ask that you credit the REACH project when using them. Enjoy!

Reading

Card Files - Practice!

The Status and Working Conditions of Artists and Cultural and Creative Professionals OMC (Open Method Coordination) group of Member States’ experts

Mentoring - Individual support. Story of supporting an artistic project

Mentoring - Individual support. Preliminary interview. Needs assessment

Creative Economy Outlook 2024 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report team

Becoming a cultural entrepreneur in a linguistic minority context: a practice perspective Joëlle Bissonnette (fr)

Tools

Table - Project Definition and Management

Passing It On Walter W. Powell

Table - Cash Flow Plan & Forecast Budget

Table - Task allocation within the team

Mentoring While Black: A Testimony Alford A. Young

Finding a Mentor and Being a Mentor László Bruszt

Mentoring as a Distributed Practice of Care: A Conversation Silvia Gherardi, Michela Cozza, Laura Lucia Parolin

Keep Your Mentee Disappointed Gil Eyal

Sources

All the videos and useful links included in this MOOC are in this page. Enjoy!

Videos (In order of appearance in the MOOC)

Links

REACH Presentation

Tips from the R.E.A.C.H. Project Experts

MOOC - Cultural & Creative entrepreneurship

Carine Puyo – Shaping a Strong Narrative

MOOC - Making a Symposium

MOOCs - The complete Tool Box

Carine Puyo – Alternative Resources, Entrepreneurial Mindsets & Collective Dynamics

Mike Errico on Collaborations & International Residencies

What Is a SMAC? François Maton Introduces Atabal Biarritz

Atabal: A SMAC Open to the World

Alan Billi on Retro Mentoring and Leadership in the REACH Project

R.E.A.C.H residency : Reflections from the coordinators

Cécile Laporte: From Mentee to Mentor

Nicholas Sansano

Nick began his professional career in earnest at Greene Street Recording in NYC, recording and mixing for a variety of seminal Hip Hop and Alternative Music artists - including Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Rob Base, and Run DMC. His work in early Hip Hop attracted the attention of Sonic Youth, with whom he would co-produce and record the albums "Daydream Nation" and "Goo," two critically acclaimed and historic alternative music releases.

Sonic Youth's "Daydream Nation" and Public Enemy’s "It Takes a Nation of Millions" and "Fear of Black Planet" were selected for inclusion in the US Library of Congress Archive of Culturally Significant American Recordings. Nick's genre-crossing work has taken him around the world, producing music in Australia, New Zealand, and all throughout Europe. In France, he found success producing multi-platinum recordings for the groups IAM, Zebda and Noir Desir – blending French pop genres with musicians from North Africa, Spain, and the Middle East. His francophone work has earned three Victoire De La Music Awards from the French Recording Academy.In all, Nick has been awarded over 17 Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Record awards worldwide. Despite the commercial success, it is his work outside the mainstream with artists such as Le Tigre, Galactic, Peter Mulvey, The Grassy Knoll, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Pop Group, and Mbongeni Ngema that defines who he is as a musician, recordist, and producer. He remains an active performer with his experimental group, The Bronze Fondue.

Marc Plotkin

Marc Plotkin is an American Songwriting Award-Winning Artist, a Grammy Shortlisted Producer, a Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top 25 Entrepreneur, and a Professor at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. As a songwriter, singer, saxophonist, guitarist, producer, and engineer, Marc has had the pleasure of making music both in the studio and onstage with Jon Batiste, Sufjan Stevens, Ra Ra Riot, Panama Wedding, Pete Francis of Dispatch, Hiromi, Peter Himmelman, and many others.

Marc co-founded “DecisionDesk,” the first multimedia-enabled online application for colleges. He next founded “Wifi Music School,” an online marketplace for private music lessons via Skype with some of the top musicians and educators in the world, also acquired by Flint Hills Music.Marc is currently the founder and CEO of Beast Music A.I., a system he developed that completely reimagines traditional music marketing. Marc joined NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in 2016 and teaches courses that blend music creation with entrepreneurship and business. He regularly hosts a conversation series that has brought some of the most influential names in music, technology, and business to his students.

Jean-Louis Puyo

Polymorphic artist, Jean-Louis has led the group Bubblies since 1991, conceived award-winning hearing risk prevention projects and pioneered the musical USB key in 2006. As a relay and advisor to numerous artists, he deploys his skills in project management strategy and team management. He is familiar with issues in the phonographic industry as well as those of developing artists.

Tool Sheet – “Cash Flow Plan & Forecast Budget”

Tool Sheet – “Task allocation within the team”

This tool is designed to help cultural & creative entrepreneurs manage their projects with clarity, flexibility & anticipation. It consists of two complementary tabs, each responding to a distinct purpose.Tab 1 – Simplified Cash Flow Plan & Forecast Budget

• List your incomes & expenses by line
• Spread them across 12 months
• Monitor cumulative balances
• Adjust your plans to stay financially balanced

Tab 2: Institutional Forecast Budget (France exemple)

• Structured by standard accounting codes
• Matches funders’ expectations
• Annual or project-based projection
• A clear translation of your cash flow into budget form

This tool allows teams to clearly visualize how missions are distributed among employees and volunteers—both in the present, and as a projection for the future.Tab 1 – Missions & Team Each row corresponds to a core mission relevant to the organization’s activity (accounting, grant writing, pedagogy, logistics, etc.). Each column represents a team member—volunteers (named A, B, C…) and employees (J, K, L…).Tab 2: Visual rating system

• Each person’s level of involvement in a task is indicated using crosses:
• ✖ One cross = minor or occasional contribution
• ✖✖ Two crosses = regular but shared responsibility
• ✖✖✖ Three crosses = primary responsibility for the task

Alan Billi on Retro Mentoring and Leadership in the REACH Project

Musician, artist, producer, Alan Billi reflects on his experience and evolving roles within the REACH project, where he supported young creative and cultural entrepreneurs across Europe. In this interview, he shares insights into: • his personal involvement in the project over time, • how retro mentoring—a horizontal and reciprocal mentorship approach—helped early participants take on leadership roles and express their own expertise, • and the broader impact this approach had on Youth actors, Mentors, and participants alike.

Indiana Debacq

Indiana, with a background in Economics and a Master’s in International Negotiation focused on the Arab world, has worked several years on EU-funded projects promoting microenterprise and cultural development in Cairo, Egypt. An experienced translator for international organizations, she joined Combustible in April 2022, bringing her expertise in economic and cultural initiatives.

Angels of cultural startup

Considering the similarities between the cultural entrepreneurship arena and the startup ecosystem, we can envision mentors playing a role similar to that of 'angel investors.' These mentors not only provide valuable guidance and support but also invest time and resources into nurturing the growth and development of creative talent. By offering expertise, networking opportunities, and strategic advice, they help young creatives navigate the complexities of their industries and achieve sustainable success.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis helps mentees assess their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats in both internal and external environments. A creative entrepreneur might discover that their strength lies in visual storytelling but that limited technical skills in audio production are a weakness. Opportunities could include collaborations with local collectives, while threats might involve unstable income or platform algorithms.

The “career” and “achievements” stereotype

One of initial challenges in mentoring young cultural creatives is the lack of a formalized timeframe, unlike in university or school settings. The rhetoric of "not giving up" can sometimes lead to a multi-year or even multi-decade process. The mentor's role is to help set a realistic timeframe for actions and remain present and supportive throughout the process. Another challenge is to identify a model career path in the arts. Unlike many other sectors and professions that have a clear trajectory for professional development, the arts are often influenced by the stereotype of achieving significant success early in one's career. A mentor's primary task should be to broaden the mentee's perspective on this potential stereotype, illustrating various career path possibilities and leveraging their personal network to introduce individuals with diverse achievements.

Convey the value of mentoring

When asking creatives and cultural entrepreneurs about their needs to boost their projects, mentoring is rarely mentioned. Yet, it is one of the most commonly offered services in startup incubators and accelerators. In the economic field, the value of a senior mentor or an advisory board is not only appreciated but often required by financial investors. When it comes to creativity and innovation, there's a tendency to focus on young disruptors who achieve success by speaking a language that resonates with the youth. However, this perception is not entirely accurate. Every process, especially a professional one, benefits from guidance and the expertise of seasoned professionals.

Marco Bocola

Marco embarked on his career in Milan’s creative industry in his early twenties, with a strong inclination towards copywriting and digital content creation. Driven by his innate curiosity and a genuine desire to explore diverse fields, he actively sought opportunities to contribute to various creative business ventures. This included his involvement in a software startup in the Republic of Moldova and his participation in a sociological research project investigating the history of made in Italy design. He holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Studies and Management from the Catholic University of Milan, providing him with a strong foundation in business and organizational dynamics.

Eleonora Ricca

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design. Co-founded Vectorealism in 2009, driven by a deep passion for creating and making things real, with the goal of providing everyone the opportunity to make things and access cutting-edge technologies. Currently, she teaches laser cutting at SIAM and Innovation in Materials and Technology at Domus Academy. When her head is not immersed in the laser cuter her other hyperfixation is dogs and looking at peculiar animals and memes on the internet.

Bobby Wooten

Bobby Wooten III is a composer/producer/instrumentalist raised in Chicago, IL. He credits his family’s gospel Wooten Choral Ensemble as his main influence & inspiration. Bobby has written/produced/recorded with David Byrne, Carly Rae Jepsen, Post Malone, Jennifer Lopez, Mac Miller, Jennifer Hudson, Rick Ross, Machine Gun Kelly, Jake Troth, among others. Commercial production credits include Empire TV series, Google, Adidas, Lebron James, ESPN, among others. Bobby composed & produced the score for the 2023 film "Rare Objects." Broadway credits include Moulin Rouge! & the Grammy/Emmy-nominated & Tony-winning production of David Byrne's American Utopia, the latter filmed by Spike Lee. In 2020, Bobby launched the internet series "America, Learn Your History." In two minute episodes, he retells history as seen through a minority lens –– Revisiting stories that have been misunderstood, misled, or lied upon in American education.

Atabal: A SMAC Open to the World

How does a local music venue like Atabal connect with a European initiative like REACH? In this interview, François Maton, director of the SMAC Atabal in Biarritz, reflects on how the project’s values—youth empowerment, inclusion, and artistic mobility—align closely with the mission of the venue. He also shares how international collaborations have transformed Atabal’s practices, expanded its network, and enriched its cultural vision.

François Maton, director of the SMAC Atabal in Biarritz, introduces himself and explains what a SMAC – Scène de Musiques Actuelles (Contemporary Music Venue) – is.What role do these structures play in the French music ecosystem? Why are they essential for the development of artists and local territories?

Mike Errico on Collaborations & International Residencies

For songwriter, educator, and creative mentor Mike Errico, international collaboration isn't just an opportunity, it's a transformative tool. In this interview, he reflects on his experience within the REACH project, particularly during the international residency and colloquium held in Biarritz.

Tool Sheet – “Define Your Project and Translate It into Management Tools”

This tool supports you in structuring your cultural & creative project through three complementary stages: strategy, organization, and management. 1. Define Your Project (Tab 1) This is where you lay the foundations of your project: objectives, values, target audiences, geographical scope, and types of actions. At the bottom of the table, you break down each area of activity into concrete actions, with quantified data, clearly defined targets, and allocated resources. This creates a real bridge between strategic vision and operational planning.

2. Organize Tasks and Roles (Tab 2) Based on your activity areas, this table helps you build a clear organizational chart. For each activity, you specify who does what: functions, missions, and the status of each team member (employee, volunteer, service provider, etc.). The goal is to clarify roles and anticipate the human resource needs of the project. 3. Analytical Distribution of Working Time (Tab 3) This final tab introduces an initial approach to analytical management. Each activity is assigned an analytical code, and you allocate employee working time accordingly. It’s a key tool for tracking workload, preparing budgets, and structuring internal reporting.

Musika Bulegoa is an association that collaborates with public entities to support the Basque music sector.We specialize in organizing training sessions, leading workshops, promoting awareness projects, providing consulting & support for entrepreneurs, advocating for diversity, organizing LGTBIQ+ conferences, supporting internationalization, and more.

Carine Puyo – Shaping a Strong Narrative

How can young artists build a personal narrative that is both authentic and strategically effective? Carine Puyo shares her experience supporting emerging artists as they develop a coherent and compelling identity—one that blends sincerity, creativity, and professional clarity.

Experience from Musika Bulegoa

Musika Bulegoa focuse on promoting and enhancing local music, aiming to unite music industry sectors, establish a quality brand for Basque music, and drive industry-wide initiatives. Promoted by the Association of Musical Offices of the Basque Country (EHMBE) and including various music associations, it is an open initiative supported by the Basque Government. Furthermore, the audio file discusses HOTS&HITZ: Music, Equality and LGTBIQ+ Days, an event organized by Musika Bulegoa to increase visibility and facilitate discussion around LGTBIQ+ issues within the music scene, addressing challenges such as limited representation and lack of dedicated spaces for the community's artists despite the region's progressive stance. The event seeks to provide a platform for LGTBIQ+ artists, attract industry attention, and foster collaboration among various stakeholders.

Balancing Artistic Integrity and Economic Realities

Another important aspect to consider when mentoring in the cultural sector is the unique nature of this industry, where many conventional business rules do not apply, often due to ethical or ideological reasons. The concept of 'art for art's sake' remains prevalent among cultural operators, who often prefer to keep their practice separate from business matters to maintain its purity. In such cases, mentorship is crucial, as it helps young people balance their books and consider the risks and economic consequences of their choices.

Carine Puyo

Carine, co-founder and manager of the association Combustible since 2005, is an expert in structuring participatory projects in the cultural and social economy sectors, providing support to entrepreneurs in art, socio-cultural, digital, and sports initiatives. With a strong background in cultural project development and sociology, she also works as a consultant and brings two decades of experience as a musician in the DIY music scene, offering deep insights into contemporary music and live performance.

Combustible - Biarritz

Combustible is a laboratory for innovative cultural initiatives, backed by over two decades of experience in live performance, artistic creation, networking, and cultural & digital mediation. We provide consulting & training, as well as co-production and production support for young cultural & creative entrepreneurs, particularly those emerging from underground and D.I.Y. cultures.

Errol Kolosine

Errol Kolosine is a music industry executive, producer, and educator with a career spanning decades in music business, artist management, soundtracks, and new media. He joined Caroline / Astralwerks in New York, where he spent 14 years, rising to General Manager in 1999. Under his leadership, the label became a powerhouse, working with top-selling and Grammy-winning artists such as The Chemical Brothers, Air, Beth Orton, Fatboy Slim, Brian Eno, Sia, Hot Chip, and Royksopp.

Kolosine also made a mark in soundtracks and licensing, serving as Music Supervisor or Executive Producer on films like Being John Malkovich, V for Vendetta, and Rango, as well as video games and TV shows like SSX-3 and Heroes. He received a Grammy nomination as Executive Producer for the Six Feet Under soundtrack.After leaving Astralwerks, he founded Modern Frequencies, a platform for artist advocacy, management, and consulting, working with The Chemical Brothers and various labels, soundtracks, and tech companies.Currently, Kolosine is an Associate Arts Professor and Business Area Head at the NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, where he develops innovative courses like "3D Printing & The Music Industry" and "Music, Science & Futurism in the 21st Century", mentoring the next generation of music industry professionals.

SMART Goals

SMART Goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of saying “I want to release more music,” a mentee might set a SMART goal like: “Release a 3-track EP independently by November 30th and promote it using a social media countdown campaign.”

Flo Gil de Muro

Flo Gil de Muro, with a background in gender studies and sociology of health , has been deeply involved in LGBTQIA+ cultural activism, including organizing queer film and music festivals and working in community health for marginalized communities. Since joining Combustible in January 2024, Flo has focused on producing open educational resources and documenting methodologies for international projects, building on extensive experience in advocacy, education, and creative projects like music and podcast production.

Carine Puyo – Alternative Resources, Entrepreneurial Mindsets & Collective Dynamics

How can we support young creative entrepreneurs from under-resourced backgrounds in mobilizing alternative resources ?In this interview, Carine Puyo shares her approach to mentorship—focusing on empowerment, creative agency, and the balance between personal realities and collective artistic goals.

Brianne Hayes

Brianne has been with The Clive Davis Institute since its very early days in 2005. She began her time at CDI as the first Administrative Aide of the department, and as the department expanded, she became the first Administrative Coordinator. Now, in her role as Administrative Director, she is integral to the big picture planning and development for the Institute and oversees all day-to-day administrative activities, including managing the annual budget, advising and assisting students with issues, leading the admissions process, and scheduling courses and hiring faculty, etc. You name it!

Emotional and Professional Investment in Mentorship

Mentorship in creative industries also involves an emotional investment, where mentees construct an image of their mentors as possessing superior expertise. This dynamic can resemble an apprenticeship model, where skills, knowledge, and industry insights are transmitted through close professional relationships. The process is as much about guidance as it is about allowing mentees to experience and learn through controlled challenges and disappointments, fostering resilience and independence.

Jacques Chabrillat

Jacques Chabrillat, Ph.D. graduate in management sciences, is an expert in financial and budgetary engineering who directs pedagogical activities at AGECIF, collaborates with government agencies on training and consultancy, supports Le Moulin in Marseille, and sits on the board of the Eurockéennes festival.

Vectorealism - Milan

Vectorealism is a design and prototyping studio specializing in digital fabrication, and a pioneer of the Makers movement in Italy. Our work focuses on digital fabrication services, research, and training, with three main areas of activity: a FabLab in Milan, an online digital fabrication service, and a creative studio offering design consulting.

Mentorship as informal network

In academia and creative fields, mentorship is not merely an individual-to-individual relationship but often involves a network of support. This approach emphasizes collective growth, cooperation, and knowledge-sharing within a community of practice. It challenges the traditional hierarchical model of mentorship and instead fosters an environment where learning is mutual and dynamic. Within the cultural sector, mentorship often takes the form of informal networks where experienced professionals guide emerging artists and cultural entrepreneurs. In some cases, providing mentorship—particularly free mentorship—can be linked to traditions of community support .

The REACH Project

The cultural and creative industries have been radically transformed by digital technology, reshaping production and distribution models. In contemporary music, traditional structures—producers, distributors, and specialized media—have been replaced by digital platforms, algorithms, and influencers, fostering an economy driven by attention rather than creation. Independent artists and those from minority cultures must now develop entrepreneurial skills, navigate globalized environments, and craft new governance strategies. Despite these challenges, they remain key players in cultural innovation.

The REACH project addresses these challenges by: ✔ Supporting specialized mentors to guide young creators. ✔ Developing an international network to support cultural entrepreneurship. ✔ Organizing symposiums and a conference to share expertise and strengthen collaborations. ✔ Producing accessible resources to ensure the long-term impact of the project. The goal is to provide young cultural entrepreneurs with tailored tools to navigate this new ecosystem and foster inclusive and sustainable creativity.

Artistic choices and visions

Creatives often have deeply personal and distinctive visions, making it crucial for mentors to provide guidance without stifling originality. Balancing constructive feedback with encouragement requires a nuanced approach, as overly prescriptive advice can hinder the mentee's creative expression. Furthermore, mentors must stay attuned to evolving trends and cultural sensitivities within the arts, ensuring their guidance remains relevant and supportive of the mentee's individual style. This delicate dance between nurturing talent and fostering independence is central to effective mentoring in the creative industry.

Mentorship as a craft

In the practice of design, the concept of "handing down a trade" is both common and well-recognized, especially in the fields of craftsmanship. For example, in the Italian context, since the Renaissance model of the "bottega"—a workshop where masters trained apprentices—Italy's renowned artisanal knowledge has been passed down through generations via a form of mentoring. This model has not only shaped the artisanal world but has also influenced Italy's industrialization process, epitomized by the "industrial districts” economic model—a close network of small, often very small, companies that collaborate within the manufacturing sector. This model also encourages a high rate of new businesses being established by former apprentices, further contributing to the economic dynamism and innovation within these districts and to the globally recognized excellence of made-in-Italy.

Mentors must

Use inclusive languageBe patient with clarity & expression Validate creativity in any language Co-learn, not just “teach”

Mike Errico

New York-based recording artist, writer, and professor Mike Errico has built his name on the strength of critically acclaimed releases and extensive composition for film and TV. He has taught songwriting at universities including Yale, Wesleyan, and the New School, and was nominated for 2019’s David Payne-Carter Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is the author of Music, Lyrics, and Life: A Field Guide for the Advancing Songwriter, which is required reading in arts programs across the country.

Alan Billi

Alan is a multi-instrumentalist known for his work as a musician and producer with the bands Orbel, The Rodeo Idiot Engine and VENIL, as well with his solo project PALECOAL, who just released a first LP, blending alternative Hip-Hop with Industrial and Post-Digital soundscapes. He's also part of the Basque collective Usopop which organizes shows, festivals and releases records for some of the most innovative Basque artists.

Jeff Peretz

Multi-instrumentalist/producer Jeff Peretz is an Associate Arts professor, the Music Director, and the coordinator of the Musicianship & Songwriting area at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Jeff has recorded and/or performed with Mark Ronson, Lana Del Ray, Jay-Z, Rock Wilder, Daniel Merriweather, Corrine Baily Rea, Tim Robbins and Stanley Clarke. He is the founder and principle composer for Abu Gara. His books include Zen and the Art of Guitar, Guitar Atlas: Cuba, and Guitar Atlas: The Middle East and he recently contributed the musical analysis to the NYTimes best seller: Dilla Time.

The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm. As “America’s Pop Musicologist, he has written music for television, film and stage and as Michael J Fox's personal guitar coach for the past 12 years, he has prepared, arranged and successfully directed Michael's performances with such artists as The Who, Chris Martin, and the Roots for the MJFox Foundation's annual benefit "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cure.” He has been a faculty member of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music since 2006 and a full-time faculty member since 2013. Jeff has taught at The New School University, and Marymount Manhattan College. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Third Street Music Settlement School in lower Manhattan and a member of the Les Paul Advisory Council

GROW Model

The GROW Model (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward) is a coaching framework that encourages mentees to identify their desired outcomes, assess their current situation, brainstorm possible strategies, and commit to specific steps. This model is especially useful for dialogue-based mentoring where mentors guide reflection rather than direct advice-giving.

Arkaitz Villar

Since 2019, Arkaitz has been working as a Project Manager at the Euskal Herriko Musika Bulego Elkartea association. His responsibilities include promoting Basque music at various international professional fairs, managing the communications team, and organizing and hosting key events such as Kluster and DA! Pro. Arkaitz is also deeply involved in supporting young Basque artists in the music sector by providing them with essential tools and resources to develop their projects and gain access to relevant professional platforms. In parallel, he coordinates the activities of BASQUE. MUSIC., an initiative dedicated to the promotion of Basque music. Arkaitz’s expertise in the Basque music industry stems from his experience as a radio host for EITB, where he ran a program until 2020 focusing on the professional music sector in the Basque Country, covering all aspects of the industry—from musicians to festivals.

Experience from Vectorealism

In the practice of Vectorealism, it is quite common for partners to mentor students nearing the end of their art or design courses as they seek orientation. For example, in Milano, we observe that the range of course offerings is both broad and comprehensive. Moreover, the quality of the final projects required as a final course project is so high that some schools even organize public exhibitions for their students. In such cases, mentorship primarily focuses on helping students find a specialization or a niche market to launch their careers—while ensuring that their diverse talents and skills, acquired or expressed during their education, are not overlooked. For instance, in FabLabs, it is common to mentor graphic designers with coding abilities, scenographers with photography skills, or architects who wish to experiment with electronics. The key role of mentors is to assist in designing a long-term and strategic vision for every project or professional move.

JD Samson

Since the early 2000s as a member of the feminist electro-pop band Le Tigre, Samson has gone on to work in almost every medium. A formidable songwriter, producer, visual artist and internationally renowned DJ, Samson has amassed a body of work that not only spans a variety of fields—everything from pop music and fine art to curatorial work, political activism, and fashion—but has also helped galvanize NYC’s LGBT community. She has been photographed and featured everywhere from Interview to Vogue Homme and has written for the likes of the Huffington Post and Creative Review. A valiant supporter of LGBT issues, Samson has provided a glowing example for the lesbian and gender-queer communities.

Samson also began writing and producing for other artists, including Christina Aguilera, Cobra Starship and Pussy Riot, co-writing the song "Don't Cry Genocide" for their appearance on House of Cards. For Samson, who is equally at home writing music for major label artists and playing music at a queer house party in a Bushwick basement, the ability to follow her artistic impulses has proven to be a recipe for both success and a happy life. In addition to her own creative endeavors, Samson co-founded and co-runs Atlas Chair, a record label aimed at serving as an incubator for emerging artists helping to develop the burgeoning careers of artists such as Baby Alpaca, Claude Violante and Avan Lava.

Finding the purpose and the metrics

Cultural sectors have traditionally struggled to establish measurable and tangible goals for success and impact. Although various frameworks have emerged over the past few decades to standardize and formalize the outcomes of cultural initiatives, they still fall short compared to the performance indicators used in other business sectors. For instance, while a tech company might rely on KPIs like user engagement and revenue growth, cultural initiatives often grapple with more subjective measures of success, such as community engagement and cultural enrichment. This disparity can pose significant challenges for less experienced entrepreneurs, underscoring a crucial area for mentorship practices.

Clive Davis Institute New York

The Clive Davis Institute is a department of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, globally renowned for its excellence in artistic studies. Our mission is to equip students with the necessary skills—entrepreneurial, creative, and intellectual—to foster the emergence of visionary cultural entrepreneurs in the ever-evolving global music industry.

Areta Senosiain

After completing violin and orchestra studies, she continued exploring new styles and formats, delving into the string quartet and a band with which she currently offers numerous concerts throughout Euskal Herria, called Ibil Bedi. A few years ago she discovered cultural management and after completing a master's degree, she delved into the Musika Bulegoa project, with the hope of continuing to work in the music sector from another point of view.