Center for Creative Entrepreneurship

04/28/2025

The Creative Tech Meetup returns to 2112 this Wednesday, presented by Dell for Startups. This is your chance to make yourself known, connect with colleagues, and welcome newcomers to the field or to Chicago. We’ll spotlight audience members working in creative tech, open the conversation for a pulse check on the scene, and leave plenty of time to connect one on one.

Spotlight companies include:
-Crowd Compass
-Pixquid
-Soundspace
-FanPad
-Voyre
-Downwrite
-Artist AI

These creative tech meetups are an ideal place to seek out co-founders, developers, investors, advisers, and general community support. The meetup is co-hosted by 2112, Center for Creative Entrepreneurship, Shure, TechNexus, The Desire Company, and Music Tectonics.

Register at 2112inc.com/events

11/27/2024

Job highlights this week, from mHUB Chicago, Univision, Columbia College Chicago, Squarespace.

Digital Marketing Manager
mHub: https://www.mhubchicago.com/careers/digital-marketing-manager-2024

Promotions Assistant-Seasonal
Univision: https://univision.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Chicago-IL/Promotions-Assistant-Seasonal_R016828?source=linkedin

Teaching Artist
Columbia College Chicago: https://colum.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2400007M&src=LinkedIn

Software Backend Engineer - Java
Squarespace: https://www.squarespace.com/careers/jobs/6436392?utm_medium=jobpost&utm_source=creativeguild

11/22/2024

Job highlights this week, from Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Columbia College Chicago, Northwestern University, StackAdapt.

Production Manager
Harris Theater: https://workforcenow.cloud.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=12fc1440-69e8-415b-9f73-4457c9e10ae3&ccId=19000101_000001&type=JS&lang=en_US&jobId=124772

Accompanist
Columbia College Chicago: https://colum.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2100003W&src=LinkedIn

Lighting & Sound Technician
Northwestern University: https://careers.northwestern.edu/psc/hr857prd_er/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=51122&PostingSeq=1

Manager - Creative Services
StackAdapt: https://www.workingnomads.com/remote-creative-jobs?job=manager-creative-services-stackadapt-590723

11/21/2024

“Create like nobody is watching! Consistently, with joy and cost efficient. “ Says Calid Bowen, who gave us an accurate and expansive monetization strategy presentation In last week’s workshop, with specific examples from personal experience. Understanding the state of music business is crucial in order to be a good entrepreneur and administrator of your business. And we continue to make sense of it together! The South Loop edition was hosted by OAD Productions.
The Music Bloom series is a monthly professional development session for entrepreneurs in music. The program travels to a different neighborhood each month and partners with local businesses and communities. This year's Music Bloom is supported by Navy Pier!

Please stay tuned for the next program in your neighborhood, and let's grow together!

11/21/2024

11/15/2024

Did you know that the tickets bought in advance are cheaper? Tickets bought in advance help us tremendously with monitoring capacity and attendance. Tickets bought at the door will be $15.

Get that cheap ticket for Saturday’s workshop with Calid Bowen on revenue streams for musicians, at Overflow Coffee

The Music Bloom is a professional development series produced by CCE and sponsored by

See event details here: Music Bloom South Loop

11/14/2024

Meet our venue!

Overflow Coffee is a space to prosper—to foster hope, creativity, and community. A space where belonging is felt from the first greeting to the last sip. Originally, the building was a landmark recording studio called Vee-Jay Studios which produced the likes of the Beatles, Little Richard, the Four Seasons and many other influential artists. Overflow understands the impact of Veejay studios and pays homage to its history on a new level. They take pride in their artistic roots and embrace them with open mics, after hour jazz nights, and galleries to promote up and coming Chicago artists.

Join us at Overflow Coffee in South Loop, to learn, hear performances and network! The coffee bar will be open during the event, with freshly baked pastries, and hand-brewed coffees.

The Music Bloom Series 2024 a music professional development series produced by CCE and supported by Navy Pier.

$10 advance tickets, $15 at the door. Event details here: Music Bloom South Loop

11/13/2024

Meet our Artist!

Jae Via is a neo-soul and R&B artist from the south suburbs of Chicago. She has been writing music since she was 10, now 23, and started releasing music in 2021. She has performed around the city and suburbs of Chicago throughout the last few years and prides herself in her songwriting. She grasps inspiration from artists like Jill Scott and Angie Stone, and strives to keep an original sound. Her music has a lot of emotion and people that listen to her music can feel that. Her guitarist, Manny, is also from the south suburbs. They have been performing together for the last two years.

Join us at Overflow Coffee in South Loop, to learn, hear performances and network!

The Music Bloom Series 2024 is produced by CCE and supported by Navy Pier.

$10 advance tickets, $15 at the door. See event details here: Music Bloom South Loop

11/12/2024

Can I quit my day job to be a musician?
This is a questions we all had and some of us still do!

The short answer is yes, you can! The musicians’ revenue sources will vary depending on the genre, but there are seveal income streams which overlap, including music sales, merchandising, and live performances. But it's surprising to see how accessible the opportunities to make money in music are, while also being incredibly complicated to navigate!

Juggling multiple sources of income can be difficult, both logistically and mentally, bot you are not alone in this! This Saturday you have the opportunity to attend the workshop with our mentor Calid Bowen on Monetization Strategies, best practices and where to start. Ask your questions after, and participate in our networking part of the event!

Saturday, November 16, Overflow Coffee.
$10 advance tickets, $15 at the door. Free for CCE Members.

See event details here: Music Bloom South Loop

11/09/2024

Join the workshop!

Monetization Strategies for Artists Workshop with Calid Bowen.

There are more ways to make money in music than ever before, but it’s hard to know where to start. Creative entrepreneur and teaching artist Calid B shares some strategies that musicians are using to monetize their music.

Calid B. is a Chicago based producer,emcee, DJ, and professor at Columbia College. Calid’s instructional areas are Business of Music, Applied Marketing for Music Business, Digital Marketing Strategies, and Entrepreneurship. Inspired by his upbringing as a first-generation African, he created a sound called Afrobang—a unique fusion of hip hop, trap beats, and African rhythms. Afrobang bridges the cultures of the African diaspora and Black America. Since 2016, Calid has built a global community through music releases, a weekly radio show, and merchandise that is shifting culture.

Join us at Overflow Coffee in South Loop, to learn, hear performances and network, and prepare your questions for Calid!

The Music Bloom Series 2024 is produced by CCE and supported by Navy Pier.

$10 advance tickets, $15 at the door. Link to tickets below