Mara Joustra: 'It’s never too early to learn how to be an entrepreneur'

For many art students, the idea of running a business feels outside their comfort zone. They want to create, not deal with bookkeeping. But according to Mara Joustra, entrepreneurship is simply part of being an artist today. 'Statistics show that the vast majority of art graduates end up working as freelancers,' she explains. 'So it’s fantastic that students can already start practising this during their studies. In a safe environment, with guidance, while their programme continues as normal.'

That’s exactly what SLIEB offers. Instead of doing an internship at an external company, students effectively intern with themselves. They further develop their professional practice, write a business plan, complete assignments, and reflect on their growth as entrepreneurs. 'You’re literally given time to work on your own business, without putting your studies or student finance at risk,' Mara says. 'And the best part is: you don’t learn it from a textbook, you learn by doing.'

Learning across disciplines

What makes SLIEB unique, in her view, is the collaboration with students from other fields. 'You work alongside students from places like Saxion, where programmes are more business-oriented. And that’s exactly what makes it so educational. There’s so much you can learn from each other.'

That cross-pollination leads to unexpected insights. 'Take someone selling yoga mats with a clever business model. It’s obviously a very different product from your own artwork, but the business approach behind it is fascinating. Art students step outside their bubble. They learn to talk about value, target audiences and strategy. Things they’ll absolutely need later on.'

A safe space to experiment

Another major advantage of SLIEB is the safe learning environment. Students are free to experiment without having something at stake right away. Mara has seen this first-hand. 'Two students from my department completed SLIEB. What I noticed was that afterwards, they had a much clearer sense of where they stood in the professional field. They not only had more confidence in their abilities, but also a far better understanding of how they could sustain themselves after ArtEZ. They gained direction, without needing to have everything mapped out.'

Although SLIEB has a strong business focus, something many art students truly benefit from, Mara also sees room for growth. 'The programme is already quite comprehensive, but I’d love to see more attention for art-specific topics, such as pricing unique works. That’s something many artists struggle with, and this trajectory would be the perfect place to address it.'

An opportunity worth taking

For students who already have their own professional practice and are unsure whether SLIEB is right for them, Mara’s advice is clear: go for it. 'It’s an opportunity to discover what entrepreneurship really means, while still having the support and protection of your education. You learn to collaborate, network, take risks, and present yourself. And perhaps even more importantly: you get to know yourself as a maker.'

What is SLIEB?

Would you like to earn internship credits while working on your own business? The SLIEB scheme (Interning in Your Own Business) makes that possible. Working alongside other driven students and guided by experienced coaches, you structurally strengthen and professionalise your independent practice.

Interning in your own company prepares you for the cultural sector, gives you a head start in your artistic development, and connects you to a broad and relevant professional network. After completing SLIEB, there are even opportunities to continue with more advanced programmes.

For more information on SLIEB, contact projectmanager Andrew David: an.david@artez.nl.