Dr. Funda Lena
Cultural Economist / Entrepreneur / Artist
Cultural Economist / Entrepreneur / Artist
An architect of a free creative economy in which artists manage their own careers.
Highlights
- A Boğaziçi University graduate with distinction, Dr. Funda Lena blends her economist background with hands-on experience as a musician and producer in the music industry.
- As founder of platforms that shape the sector—ARTENPRENEUR and Sisters Music Chain—she is a pioneer in building sustainable business models for artists.
- Her consecutive appearances on Fast Company’s Female Founders 100 list and selection for EY’s Entrepreneurial Winning Women program affirm her impact and global vision in the creative industries.
About
Academic Background
Dr. Funda Lena, who completed her doctorate in Communication Sciences with first-class honors, is one of Türkiye’s leading experts in cultural economics and policy. With long years of teaching experience at Istanbul Bilgi University and her academic work “Diversity in Türkiye’s Music Industry,” she has built the sector’s theoretical foundation. Strategic roles at institutions such as TOBB Creative Industries Council and MSG deepen her trainings with current sectoral data and policy analysis.
Teaching Vision
Dr. Funda Lena approaches art not only as a creative process but as a professional entrepreneurship ecosystem. In her trainings, she combines rational economic data with the spirit of art to give artists and culture professionals the competence to “become managers of their own careers.” With a leadership approach focused on social impact, centered on solidarity, and aimed at making a difference, she equips students not only with technical knowledge but also with a vision to transform the sector.
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Funda Lena completed her undergraduate (second in class) and master’s (first in class) degrees at Boğaziçi University’s Economics Department with two awards. During her master’s, she served as a research assistant in the same department. After five years as a singer, songwriter, and producer in the music industry, she graduated first in her class from Istanbul Bilgi University’s Communication Sciences Doctorate program. During her doctoral studies, she focused on Arts and Cultural Management and specialized in cultural economics and cultural policy. Her book “Diversity in Türkiye’s Music Industry” was published in 2017. Between 2015 and 2022, she taught various courses in Istanbul Bilgi University’s Arts and Cultural Management Department. She founded KREKSA Cultural Arts Research in 2015, Lena & Mama Publishing in 2018, the communication and collaboration platform Kültür AĞI for artists and culture professionals in 2020, the ARTENPRENEUR Entrepreneurship Training for Artists portal in 2022, and Sisters Music Chain—a solidarity, advocacy, education, and co-creation platform for women musicians—in 2023. She conducts research projects with major public institutions, NGOs, and private organizations in culture and arts. She is a member of TOBB Türkiye Creative Industries Council and Chair of its Education Integration Committee. She is a member of the MSG Supervisory Board. In 2019, she received the Lions Türkiye Impactful Woman Entrepreneur award; in 2024, she received a special jury award at the Women-Friendly Brands Platform Awareness Awards. She appeared on Fast Company magazine’s Female Founders 100 list in 2023, 2024, and 2025. In 2024, she was among the ten women entrepreneurs selected from Türkiye for the Global EY (Ernst & Young) Entrepreneurial Winning Women program.
This résumé is not merely a biography; it is the manifesto of why the ARTENPRENEUR brand exists, why it is trustworthy, and why it is a ‘Door Opener.’ The curatorial power that brings together all instructors on the platform and the ‘former musician’ identity that speaks the artist’s language bring this vision to life.
Learn from their programme: For Independent Musicians: An Introduction to the Music Industry
Go to CourseCourses by this instructor
For Independent Musicians: An Introduction to the Music Industry
Dr. Funda Lena· Expert instructor
An educational programme tailored for independent musicians who are new to the music industry, as well as those who have been active in the sector but want to strengthen their knowledge of marketing and branding. In this course, you will learn about the key players in the music industry, understand how the economic transformation of recent years affects independent musicians, and gain practical insights into marketing your music.
Personal Branding 101 for Artists
Dr. Funda Lena· Expert instructor
A comprehensive guide for professionals across creative disciplines, from musicians and visual artists to writers and performance artists. In this course, you will learn how to position yourself effectively in the competitive art world, build an authentic personal narrative, and take strategic steps toward creating a lasting digital presence. As the architect of your own brand, you will develop the skills to present your art not merely as a product, but as a distinctive and meaningful experience.
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