HandMade in America to offer entrepreneurship training for craft artists

Press Release

HandMade in America

Asheville, NC – HandMade in America (HIA) is proud to partner with the NC REAL Institute, Asheville Area Arts Council (AAAC), and The Support Center’s Women’s Business Center of Western NC to offer Creative Industry Management Curriculum: Craft, a new entrepreneurship training course for craft artists. The course will utilize NC REAL’s unique teaching method called Action Learning, coupled with student interaction meant to engage creative individuals. The high-energy, highly interactive process involves activities with movement, brainstorming, team building, collaboration, quick timelines, problem solving, and perspective shifting.

Creative Industry Management, Curriculum: Craft is scheduled to start Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at HandMade in America, 125 S. Lexington Avenue Ste. 101, Asheville, NC 28801. It will be augmented by technical assistance, workshops, and one-on-one mentoring throughout the year. This 8-week course will be made available for $500.00 ($63 per week). Scholarships will be available for qualifying participants, thanks to support from the Asheville Area Arts Council, the Windgate Charitable Foundation, and the City of Asheville. NOTE: Enrollment is limited.

This unique 8-week curriculum will guide the participant through the process of business planning and will cover the essentials of the craft artisan’s business model. Participants will emerge from the course with a business plan specifically tailored for the economic success of their own creative product and will receive one free hour of technical assistance from the Asheville Area Arts Council or participating partners. The Support Center’s Women’s Business Center of Western NC is partnering on this event and will provide resources and technical assistance as needed.

Tonya Snider, NC REAL Associate for WNC, will be teaching the course. The NC REAL institute teaches the unique facilitation technique, created by NC REAL, known as Action Learning. The NC REAL mission is to develop entrepreneurial talent through action learning and to foster the creation of sustainable enterprises throughout NC, with special
emphasis on rural communities.

To register contact Mica Mead, Operations Manager for the AAAC at mica@ashevillearts.com or (828) 258-0710. For more information about the training course contact Kitty Love, Executive Director for the AAAC at kitty@ashevillearts.com.

About HandMade in America
HandMade in America grows economies through craft and creative placemaking, transforming both individuals and communities through entrepreneurship and economic development. HandMade in America has a 19-year tradition for pioneering innovative ways to empower the people and towns of Western North Carolina through programs that educate and facilitate the needs of creative entrepreneurs and communities. Additional information is available online at handmadeinamerica.org or by calling 828-252-0121.

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About Carrie Eidson
Multimedia journalist and Green Scene editor at Mountain Xpress. Part-time Twitterer @mxenv but also reachable at ceidson@mountainx.com. Follow me @carrieeidson

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