ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines a conceptual framework for an exploration of identity, social dynamics and the cultural policy context for cultural entrepreneurship. It suggests that it is only through a close analysis of the lived experience, located in a specific milieu that author gain insights into the nature of cultural entrepreneurship. The chapter begins with a framework to investigate the lived experience of individual actors and how they negotiate their professional selves and working practices. It presents a brief outline of enterprise policies in the United Kingdom with specific reference to New Labour's cultural policies. The chapter introduces the Birmingham, its policies and a sample of cultural entrepreneurs located in the city. It also presents the case study to offer in-depth insights of the impact of policies and local structures as the context for an understanding of the lived experience of cultural entrepreneurship.
