Create Appalachia is launching a new Creative Entrepreneur Bootcamp this spring aimed at helping artists and makers develop the business skills needed to sustain their creative work.

The program, organized around the nonprofit’s mission of connecting art and entrepreneurship, will begin March 1 and run across three Sunday sessions. Organizers say the bootcamp is designed to fill a gap many creatives face after formal arts training.

Barbara Raymond, vice president of the board at Create Appalachia, said the idea stems from the experience of the organization’s founder, who struggled to navigate the business side of a creative career after earning a fine arts degree.

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Create Appalachia

“Well, actually, it’s part of our founder’s mission,” Raymond said. “She graduated from college with a fine arts degree and very quickly discovered that they had not prepared her for the business world.”

According to Raymond, issues such as securing funding, understanding copyright law and using written contracts became major challenges early on. Those experiences led to the nonprofit’s tagline “where art means business,” and shaped the curriculum for the new bootcamp.

“Their whole goal was to bring creatives together and give them the skills they need to be successful from a business perspective,” Raymond said. “They already have the talent, they’ve got the creative part, but sometimes what they struggle with is pitching their products, understanding how to market things and knowing where social media fits.”

The bootcamp typically exists as a six-week course but has been redesigned into a condensed format with sessions scheduled for March 1, March 15 and March 29. Participants will cover two chapters of coursework each Sunday, with optional “office hours” held during off weeks for collaboration, questions or pitch practice.

Organizers say the course blends traditional business principles with real-world scenarios that creatives face, including commission-based work and unpredictable sales outcomes at markets or exhibitions.

“I can tell you that based on what I saw, this is a mini-MBA that people can complete in a very short time,” Raymond said. “But more importantly, we are customizing this material to fit what creatives actually experience.”

The program is open to a wide range of creators from visual artists and musicians to chefs, bakers and textile makers. Raymond said the goal is to strengthen both individual businesses and the regional economy.

“Our intense hope is that by giving these creatives better business skills and technical skills, they’ll be more financially successful,” she said. “And a vibrant creative community financially adds to the economy.”

The first cohort is partially funded through a Tennessee Arts Commission grant, allowing Tennessee residents to enroll for $150, while out-of-state participants will pay $250. Raymond said the grant effectively provides a $100 discount for local creatives.

The bootcamp will conclude with a public pitch night, where participants present their business ideas to potential investors and customers. Organizers are currently seeking sponsors to support the event.

Create Appalachia plans to offer the program three or four times each year if the inaugural cohort proves successful.

Those interested in registering or learning more can contact Raymond at barbara@createappalachia.org or by phone at 423-440-0128.

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