To graduate all MA AME students must complete a capstone requirement and must take a year-long capstone course constituted by the Capstone Prep course and the Entrepreneurial Incubator. Students receive both credits for this course in the spring term upon successful completion of the capstone. This year-long experience gives students the opportunity to draw on the knowledge they have gained in the MA AME program and to demonstrate their skills as socially engaged, independent creative producers. In particular, students will complete the process of envisioning, developing, pitching, and prototyping an entrepreneurial project (i.e. an independently produced performance or a small enterprise) aimed at advancing their career goals. The executed project (even if at a workshop or prototyping phase) must engage one or more targeted communities (i.e. particular members of the public) and must be produced independently. In addition to sessions with the program director, who serves as faculty for this course, students are expected to identify a small network of individuals (i.e. similar to an advisory board) that they can contact for guidance or mentorship throughout the planning and implementation process. Because the aim of the course is to support the student in executing the capstone the majority of the student’s time should be spent working on the project itself. The sessions are intended to be check-in opportunities aimed at ensuring students are staying on track with their individual goals/timelines and providing an opportunity to solicit feedback and assistance. This course meets irregularly. In addition to the meeting times listed below, students will also be expected to schedule individual meetings with Pablo Helguera at times TBD. Additionally, the course will culminate with oral defenses, which will take place during the first week of May, 2025.