This study will explore the determinants of entrepreneurial performance, of enterprises and solo-entrepreneurs, in the creative industries, distinguishing potentially important performance drivers at the level of the individual, enterprise and environment. We focus on three performance outcomes: growth, innovativeness and profitability. Our proposed research project will be very multi-disciplinary in nature, given the wide variety of literatures dealing with the issue of business strategy and performance, integrating insights from Business (e.g., innovation strategy), Economics (e.g., market competition), Psychology (e.g., leadership personality), Public Administration (e.g., red tape) and Sociology (e.g., network features), with special attention for entrepreneurial ambition and collaboration. From a Business perspective, we take contingency theory as the vehicle to develop a comprehensive model of the behaviour and performance of creative entrepreneurs and enterprises. In so doing, the proposed research seeks to assess which bundles of performance drivers are key under what types of circumstances. This multi-disciplinary theoretical perspective will materialize in a multi-dimensional contingency fit concept, which can be estimated by applying a combination of advanced statistical analyses. The research will be developed, executed and disseminated in the context of a consortium of collaborators from the creative industries, and will be financially supported by FNV KIEM. We focus on traditional arts and new applied creative professions, as well as on collaboration with traditional industries. Interviews and case studies will be combined with panel surveys and action research. Unique qualitative and quantitative data will be collected in two regions: Greater Amsterdam and Brabant.