Able Trade is a fully-equipped wood and metal shop designed to give artists, builders and creatives better access to facilities, tools, and most importantly other creatives. A variety of different tiered memberships are available to access all the amenities of an industrial shop without having to own it all yourself. At Able Trade, artists can:

Rent an artist studio and set up their woodworking or metalworking business on-site.

Have access to a fully-equipped professional woodshop

Have access to a fully-equipped metal shop

Rent by the hour their cyc wall photography studio

Teach or take a creative class

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a national arts education center on 14 acres in Gatlinburg, Tennessee whose mission is to enrich lives through arts and craft education. Arrowmont offers national residential workshops, community classes and programs, on and off-campus exhibitions, as well as artist-in-residency programs. They offer artists opportunities to:

Participate in art workshop and class opportunities to learn new skills.

Purchase and sell artwork in our retail and gallery spaces

Network, connect and socialize at exhibition openings.

Teach in our national and community art workshops.

Explore short-term artist residencies and/or studio rentals.

The mission of the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville is to serve and support a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable nonprofit organization. They offer artists access to:

Money - ACA has been designated as the region's only Local Arts Agency (authorized to make grants to artists and arts and culture organizations);

Opportunities - ACA offers exhibition and performance opportunities;

Space - ACA's Emporium Center offers studio and event space;

Information - ACA publishes extensive information about grants, competitions, and training;

Defense - ACA defends funding resources for artists and arts and culture organizations.

The Bottom is a nonprofit bookshop and community arts space where art and literature are utilized as tools of liberation. Their mission is to build community, celebrate culture, and engage the creativity of Black people through curated events, ongoing projects, shared resources and physical space. They offer:

A welcoming and Black-affirming space to create in.

Opportunities to meet, network with, and learn from other Black creatives or members of our community.

Free or low cost arts workshops, like their year-long Community Ceramics classes.

Programming that centers artistic, social and professional development for Black creatives and other marginalized communities.

An accessible space to exhibit, host events, promote businesses/organizations, and to vend or sell goods.

Dogwood Arts promotes and celebrates the art, culture and natural beauty of our region. ​Dogwood Arts has a 67-year history of arts advocacy, environmental stewardship, and economic impact in East Tennessee. With the financial support of corporate sponsors, grant funding, local government investment, and private donors, they produce 20 year-round events and programs that help make Knoxville a great place to live, work and play. Their support for artists includes:

Opportunities - they provide opportunities for artists to sell their work via markets, festivals, and large community events.

Exhibition Space - they host 8-10 exhibitions annually in their Old City gallery and feature work by over 200 local artists in the Curio at Maker Exchange.

Education/Development - their Emerging Maker program supports up-and-coming artists and makers through educational opportunities, equipment rentals, monetary support for local markets, and online promotion.

Connection/Community Involvement - they connect artists with (paid) opportunities like mural commissions, stipends, and artist awards.

Promotion - their exhibition spaces and programs are unique because they attract thousands of locals and visitors from across the country/world to see what all the Maker City has to offer.

Ijams Nature Center is a 318 acre non-profit organization in South Knoxville whose mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences. Ijams also offers many unique opportunities for local makers and creators. Currently, Ijams supports over 100+ makers each year from artists and crafters to authors, food vendors, performance artists, music, theatre, comedy and so much more. Some of the top things creators come to Ijams for are:

Monthly exhibition showcases in their Hallway Gallery

Vendor opportunities in the giftshop and annual Marketplace events

Creative workshop spaces

Performance venue opportunities for music, arts, comedy, food, fashion, and more

Collaborative partnerships

Inspirational background for permit programs and photography sessions

Knox Makers is an intentional maker community that creates together in a shared workshop. Their purpose is to find, grow, and celebrate the creative spirit latent in all humanity. They offer:

Instruction on tool use and technique

Community support and encouragement throughout their creative process

Access to specialized tools and equipment, such as a laser cutter or long-arm quilting machine

Access to physical space and fixtures suitable for building their project

A positive, inspiring social environment

Knox Media is a community-supported effort to connect people in Knoxville's ever-growing production industry. Anyone involved with the pre-production, production, or post-production process is welcome. They foster a supportive, educational environment for production professionals of all career stages, from seasoned leaders to those curious to get started. They meet on the third Thursday of every month for a social or educational event, focused on networking our community and circulating local industry happenings. Join the Knox Media Facebook group to keep up-to-date with events, freelance job opportunities, and Knoxville production news.

The Knoxville Black Business Directory is a Knoxville-based business directory that helps people connect with local businesses owned by African Americans.

The mission of the directory is to help black businesses grow and prosper. The Knoxville Black Business Directory assists artists though:

Business visibility

Connection to the black business community

Connection to the local entrepreneur ecosystem

Business training

Connection with business lending sources

The Knoxville Chamber is an economic prosperity organization located in Knoxville, TN. The organization is committed to its mission of driving regional economic prosperity. Its five-year strategic vision, Path to Prosperity, prioritizes the creation of a vibrant, innovative economic ecosystem for the entire Knoxville region that considers today’s realities while contemplating tomorrow’s aspirations.

Knoxville Community Media is a 501(c)(3) Public-Access Television Station that offers a free platform for local educators, artists, activists, and individuals to share their beliefs, values, and dreams with others. They offer everyone in Knoxville the opportunity to learn and use their equipment to express themselves on their television channel and through their internet streaming platforms. All services are offered to the public for less than other providers with scholarships available. These services include:

Industry-standard video recording equipment creatives may use to express themselves and create content

Workshops on video production basics (scholarships available)

Documentary mentorships

Zine workshops

The Knoxville Entrepreneur Center is a non-profit business accelerator whose purpose is changing lives through entrepreneurship. Their mission is to create a thriving entrepreneurial community that is accessible, diverse, and sustainable, with a vision of becoming the most founder-friendly city in America. Their support for creatives includes:

Access to business education and resources for growth, no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey

Mentor opportunities from accounting and legal to marketing and HR (among many others)

Connections/networking with other entrepreneur makers in similar circumstances (such as monthly e-commerce meetups or Women in Entrepreneurship)

Connections to leaders and decision makers in the community

Let Her Speak is on a mission to elevate women's wealth, power, and influence in business and beyond. Their support includes:

Personal finance and investing education

Connections and support from women in the community

Leadership development support

Opportunities to share their stories and work

Personal growth workshops around imposter syndrome, strengths, and leaving a legacy

The Maker City is the greater Knoxville-area community of makers, artists, creatives, and small-scale manufacturers and supporting entities. Led by the appointed Mayor’s Maker Council, The Maker City creates collaborative partnerships, programming, and opportunities in support of Knoxville’s maker community.

Community - Every TMC hosted event provides an opportunity to network, make connections, and meet other makers as well as professionals relevant to growing along your maker journey.

Opportunities - Through the TMC newsletter and social media, keep up with TMC programming as well as community events, markets, and application deadlines.

Promotion - Through Individual Maker Directory Listings, seasonal gift guides, holiday marketplace auction, regular segments on WATE Maker Monday, monthly articles in Knox News and the Visit Knoxville blog, as well as additional articles and segments in other locations throughout the year - all available for free to Directory members.

Education - Through classes, events, and online resources, TMC provides education on all aspects of maker business, from accounting to social media to markets, and more.

Council - The Mayor's Maker Council identifies maker initiatives valuable to our community and works to support them, as well as address government policies and regulatory issues that impact maker businesses.

The Maker Exchange is a new place to discover Knoxville's artists and makers alongside creative spaces to shop, dine, drink, and gather on World's Fair Park. Dogwood Arts curates, promotes, and sells the work of more than 200 artists in the Curio at Maker Exchange. The Maker Exchange offers artists opportunities to:

Sell Their Work - Dogwood Arts curates local maker work for sale in the Curio at Maker Exchange. Work is sold on consignment and there are currently over 200 makers represented in the space.

Get Inspired - Find inspiration and connect with other makers! Come back often for their dynamic schedule of presentations, performances and meet-ups in one of our events spaces. Or, reserve a space for your own occasion!

Education/Development - Attend an event at Maker Exchange — they host monthly maker workshops and large annual events like the Maker City Summit!

Promotion - Maker Exchange is nestled in between the Downtown Marriott and Tennessean Hotels — which means the artwork on display is seen by thousands of visitors from across the country/world on a daily basis.

Work Space - Maker Exchange includes a restaurant (the Tavern), coffee shop, tables/couches to work on your laptop, and comfortable spaces to catch up with friends!

Mighty Mud is a locally-owned and artist-operated Maker Space. Mighty Mud is the place to go in Knoxville for all of your ceramic supply needs. They also offer a wide variety of art classes and workshops, provide artist studios to local artists, and sell finished artwork in their gallery.

Oak Hill Audio produces music and records and edits audio for artists, entrepreneurs, podcasts, and theater. They also create custom music and theme songs. Their mission is to inspire joy, connection, hope, and progress through creativity and collaboration. They offer:

Music Production - recording, mixing, mastering

Song Arrangement/Consultation - figuring out what the song needs, help with structure, timing, key, and instrumentation

Connection and Recording with Studio Musicians - best for solo artists who want their recorded songs to have a full-band sound

Podcast Production - recording, editing

Custom Music - unique theme songs or motifs for creative endeavors such as theater, commercials and podcasts

Open Arts Knoxville is a grassroots arts collective dedicated to cultivating outreach, education, and exhibition opportunities in Knoxville, TN. OAK works to:

Amplify the creative works of emerging and professional artists

Curate gatherings that connect the grassroots arts community

Stimulate conversation and impact through circular leadership

Identify gaps in the local arts scene to improve artists' livelihood

Nurture a low-stakes and trusting space for artists

Pathway Lending’s mission is to provide lending solutions and educational services that support the development, growth, and preservation of underserved small businesses, affordable housing, and sustainable communities. A creative could come to Pathway for:

Capital for their business

Financial services support to help work through their financials to grow their business and/or receive a loan

To work with a trusted advisor that could mentor them in their business for sustainability.

Receive technical assistance to their business and capital opportunities.

Pitchwire is an audio and marketing collective, and boutique music catalog that services tv, film, podcasting and advertisement. They offer:

Music composition and production for TV, film, advertisement

Sound design and podcast production

Mixing and mastering

Voice over

Marketing and public relations

Real Good Kitchen is a shared commercial kitchen. Their ission is to increase food access, strengthen communities, and build equity through food entrepreneurship education, capacity building, and access to capital. In addition, RGF’s Food Business Incubator Program (launching January 2024) provides access to commercial kitchen space and entrepreneurial support and resources to underserved food entrepreneurs in the East Knoxville neighborhood and beyond.

They offer support on:

Starting and growing a food business

Pricing food products and building cost-effective infrastructure

Understanding permitting, compliance, and regulations

Scaling your product

Networking opportunities and community connection for food businesses

The Roots Growth and Development Center serves Black-owned small business startups through economic development. Their goal is to exceed the wealth gap and help provide a better quality of life among the clients that they serve. They provide educational resources such as but not limited to, business structure, branding, logo, web development, marketing, and social and financial capital.

The Growth and Development center also provides private offices and shared coworking space to small business owners. Community members can use the shared space to host workshops, seminars, host board/staff meetings, etc. Their space helps lessen the burden of small businesses by creating a platform where they can share operational resources, such as administrative assistants, printing services, and other overhead expenses. They support entrepreneurs through:

Business mentorship

Assistance with starting a business

Business networking events

Financial capital

Social capital

SCORE Knoxville is a group of ~35 business professionals with experience and knowledge that helps small businesses and non-profits from IDEAs to Success at no cost. They help with decisions like:

How do I start my business?

How do i get funds to start my business?

What business structure would be best for my business (sole proprietor, Inc., LLC)?

What are the best ways to advertise/market my business?

With a creative community of juried members spanning over nine states, the Southern Highland Craft Guild fosters opportunities for makers to build, market, and maintain their creative livelihood through continuing education, retail outlets, and mentorship. They are invested in helping members achieve their goals and providing them with the resources to refine and sell their craft.

Tennessee Craft is a non-profit statewide resource for artists, businesses and the public to connect, form lasting relationships and identify opportunities to celebrate and preserve hand-made fine craft and the artists who create it. At Tennessee Craft, creatives can expect:

Established tradition

Community

Strong Relationships

Mentorship

Visibility

Tennessee Small Business Development Center’s mission is to provide clients with high-quality consulting and training to start, grow, and sustain their business. They strive to be a comprehensive source to deliver to the most innovative client-focused business solutions for their clients at no cost to them. At TSBDC, entrepreneurs can expect:

Business planning/business plan development

Technical assistance/research

Financial projection assistance

Sources of capital/becoming bank-ready

Educational classes for specific topics (marketing, cybersecurity, tax planning, banking, etc.)

Knoxville Art Center, located at 1127 N. Broadway

Community Connection – Run by the City of Knoxville Park & Rec Department, KAC is a community driven space for Knoxville area residents to create in.

Variety – We offer new programs every session alongside some of our favorites, there is something for everyone

Education – A place to come to learn something new, or refresh skills in a safe, inclusive, encouraging environment.

Teaching Opportunities – we are always looking for instructors to share their knowledge with our participants

For everyone!- it is never too early or too late to nurture a creative spark and we make sure that we offer classes for all ages!