A PICTURE OF CREATIVE ENTRPRENEURSHIP: VISUAL

This paper discusses the current paradigm shift in entrepreneurial education within Higher Education set in context against the need to service the skill shortages of creative graduates and in relation to the demands of the current Government agenda for the future growth of the Creative Industries, which are seen as key drivers in the economic development of the UK. A new style of creative entrepreneurial culture is being embedded into design education by the introduction of creative enterprise education programmes that are tailor made to serve the newly termed ‘creative entrepreneur’. Although further research and longitudinal studies overtime are required to gauge their effectiveness, research into the identification of good practice would appear to point at a subversion of the more traditional theoretical application of business management education as the emergence of teaching and delivery methods become more empathic to the creative mindset and relevant to their individual business start-up objectives. Termed as the ‘missing middle ’ by Leadbetter and Oakley (1999), policy makers fail to comprehend the characteristics of creative business owners. Historically part of