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Mountain Association

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You are here: Home / Training / Creative Economy Training

Creative Economy Training

Creative Economy Training

The Mountain Association works with partners to develop training for artists and creatives, unique small businesses and cultural heritage nonprofits, and local government staff to learn how to build their community’s creative economy.

We work with the AIR Institute and other regional partners, including the Small Business Development Center and the Kentucky Arts Council, to offer facilitator training so participants are prepared to then go out and donduct workshops in their hometowns. 

We train facilitators so they are prepared to present the following workshops:

Art Builds Business Builds Art (ABBA)

ABBA is a 1.5 hour workshop helps communities begin to organize around growing their creative economy.

Shift

The three-day “Shift” workshop is the next step in organizing to grow a community’s creative economy. In Shift workshops, facilitators guide workshop participants through the design thinking process and a business canvas to create a small scale project to address an issue in their community using arts or creativity. Projects must be locally implementable within a year and have a $10,000 or less budget.

For example, after a workshop in Letcher County, youth built a giant scrabble board on the lawn at the town’s outdoor music stage, and began planning a cooking competition in Whitesburg. 

Evolve

Evolve is a flexible, multi-month, business development program designed to transform passions, interests, and skills into a viable venture, project, or new life path. Cohorts of creative entrepreneurs learn practical business skills using design thinking, the AIR venture canvas, and Lean Startup principles.

Each participant prototypes their venture during the program and gets constant real world feedback from their potential markets – even in the first class. Throughout the program, participants build and refine their business plan in preparation for a final presentation that helps them gain support for their venture.

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To learn more about these trainings, contact Betsy Whaley at betsy@mtassociation.org

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For more than 40 years, we were known as the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED).

As we enter a new decade and a new look, we have become the Mountain Association. This change underscores our commitment to a new beginning that is more inclusive and welcoming to the people and communities we serve.

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BEREA
(859) 986-2373
433 Chestnut Street
Berea, KY 40403

Meetings by appointment only

info@mtassociation.org

We are happy to make any
accommodation to better serve you.
Inquire via phone or email.
If hearing or speech impaired,
please dial 7-1-1 for relay
services prior to calling.

 

HAZARD
(606) 439-0170
420 Main St
Hazard, KY 41701

PRESTONSBURG
(606) 264-5910
268 E Friend St, Ste 101
Prestonsburg, KY 41653

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