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R A P I D R I V E R A R T S & C U L T U R E M A G A Z I N E
fine art news
Arts 2 People Announces the Opening of
The Artist
Resource Center
A
rts 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
BY KITTY LOVE
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 artistentrepreneurs
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 Performance Center, planned for
nearby, is supportive and will be an active
partner of the ARC. 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
A career center where artist
entrepreneurs can hone business
management skills.
proposal form, please visit arts2people.org or
email kitty@arts2people.org.
for more information visit
www.arts2people.org
Artists Wanted for 2011
Bele Chere Festival
The City of Asheville Parks,
Recreation and Cultural Arts Department
is now accepting applications
for arts and crafts exhibitors in all
mediums for the 33rd annual Bele
Chere Festival being held Friday, July
29 through Sunday, July 31, 2011. All
applications must be postmarked by
Friday, March 4, 2011. In addition
to the application form, artists must
submit photographs of their work and
the appropriate application fee.
All applications received will be
juried by a panel of local arts professionals.
More than 100 quality
handmade artists will be accepted and
eligible for awards.
Applications and additional
information are available at www.
belecherefestival.com or by contacting
Kristin Perez at (828) 259-5773
or kperez@ashevillenc.gov. For more
information call (828) 259-5800 or
visit www.belecherefestival.com.
Going Beyond Racism
Through Understanding & Respect
Join us for compelling dialogue,
community building, and a call to action.
NEXT NINE WEEK SESSION
Mondays from 7-9 pm at MAHEC, 501 Biltmore Avenue
January 24 - March 21, 2011
Register online at www.buildingbridges-asheville.org
For more information call 828-777-4585
Vol. 14, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2011 31