Passion as Cultural Catalyst: How Artistic Orientation Translates into Entrepreneurial Intention in Indonesia’s Creative Economy

As the global creative economy expands, understanding the psychological drivers of entrepreneurial intention among artistically inclined individuals is critical for cultural entrepreneurship theory. This study investigates artistic orientation’s role in shaping entrepreneurial intention among undergraduate students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where Javanese aesthetic values infuse creative identity with symbolic capital. Drawing on Regulatory Focus Theory, the research proposes that entrepreneurial passion mediates the relationship between artistic orientation and entrepreneurial intention, while entrepreneurial self-efficacy moderates this indirect effect. Using a survey of 302 students and analyses via hierarchical regression and bootstrapping techniques (SPSS PROCESS Macro Model 4 and Model 14), results suggest full mediation: artistic orientation predicts entrepreneurial intention primarily through entrepreneurial passion, with the direct path becoming statistically non-significant. Contrary to expectations, entrepreneurial self-efficacy does not moderate the indirect effect, suggesting that emotional drive derived from creative identity may operate independently of perceived competence. This null moderation indicates that passion derived from culturally embedded identity functions as a sufficient motivator in contexts where symbolic capital substitutes for calculative self-appraisal. These findings contribute to theory by suggesting that artistic orientation may be understood as culturally embedded symbolic capital that fuels venture creation through passion-mediated pathways, extending cultural entrepreneurship theory beyond Western, opportunity-driven paradigms.