This is huge news in terms of supporting our local “creative class” – the people that so many other people say are the reason they visit Asheville. Artists need support. This new center will give it to them.
Press release here:
Arts 2 People, an Asheville-based non-profit devoted to promoting the role of the arts as an integral part of our culture , announces the institution of an Artist Resource Center (ARC). The ARC will provide programmatic assistance to art-centric entrepreneurs invested in diversifying their business management skills and enhance their ability to benefit from the current revitalization and economic development in downtown Asheville. The Artist Resource Center will teach artists the business skills necessary to make their creative endeavors economically viable and sustainable.
Essentially a career center where artist entrepreneurs can hone business management and other practical skills, the ARC will feature workshops and classes specifically geared toward fostering the growth of local creative professionals. In an economic environment where it is often difficult for small business owners to invest in the equipment needed to evolve, the ARC will provide access to the equipment, training, and support that they require to make the next step.
“The ARC will be of pivotal importance for Asheville’s aspiring creative professionals and the local economy”, says Kitty Love, Executive Director of Arts2People. Asheville thrives off of its art scene,and the ARC offers tools to help facilitate and nurture artists in business. This will create a symbiotic relationship between cultural creatives and the greater community.”
Course offerings at the ARC will include classes on grant-writing, web marketing, bookkeeping with an extensive curriculum designed to give students a strategic approach to launching a productive career. Access to state-of-the-art equipment, software, and peripherals will be available to members and students to utilize for the promotion and development of their businesses. While classes and equipment are essential tools, the ARC also provides a means for artists to connect with a supportive network of peers, one of the most essential yet overlooked pathways to success.
As the Center grows, ARC will develop an online search engine interface providing the community at large digital access to a plethora of resources including: means for creative professionals to link to resources and each other, a virtual marketplace where artists can broker their work, creative services, or studio spaces, as well as listings of available resources for production. The potential of this comprehensive database will continue to unfold as the ARC’s impact on the community deems its necessity. As artists gain success through the ARC’s programming, Arts 2 People will continue to grow the program to match the needs of the community.
“If our local artist-entrepreneurs manage to build businesses and take advantage of the opportunities that exist here, it will benefit everyone as it solidifies economic success and increases the culture of creativity we already enjoy,” says Love. “What the ARC means for the economy of Asheville, a city with a brisk tourist economy based in no small part on its thriving arts scene, should not be underestimated”.
In collaboration with the YMI Cultural Center, Arts 2 People will house the ARC in one of the historic auxilliary storefronts on Market St. In an effort to work in unison with the Downtown Master Plan Strategy 1 Initiatives that call for the “cultivation of strong links between the cultural district and the Eagle/Market St. district”, Arts 2 People is pleased to have the opportunity to support and facilitate this economically strategic investment for the future of all of Downtown Asheville and the amazing creatives that make this city unique. The target launch date for the ARC is set for mid-February and Arts2People is currently seeking Instructors to fulfill all curriculum coursework. For more information, or to submit a class proposal form, please visit arts2people.org or email kitty@arts2people.org.