BIRMINGHAM, AL – Create Birmingham is launching a robust slate of technical assistance programs for creative entrepreneurs this fall, supporting ventures across creative commercial and nonprofit sectors.
“Our range of programming is designed to meet people wherever they are in their journeys and help them get to where they want to go. Whether you are a small business owner, a nonprofit, an artist, or a creative with an idea you’d like to make a reality, there is a place you can plug in with us to help you move forward,” said Jessica Moody, Create Birmingham’s Director of Programs and Operations.
Programs will be available virtually and in person, with a wide scheduling variety, and at no cost or with low tuition fees. Offered by Create Birmingham since 2014, the flagship 10-week CO.STARTERS entrepreneurial course will launch its 32nd Birmingham cohort, facilitated by Autumn Sanders of Quire Consulting, on Monday, September 12, and its first-ever Bessemer cohort on Tuesday, September 13, from 6-9 pm at each location.
Bessemer CO.STARTERS facilitator Viola Ratcliffe says, “I am so excited to have CO.STARTERS come to Bessemer and to be a part of this cohort. As the interim director of Bib & Tucker Sew-Op, I’ve worked with Create Birmingham for several years and their impact on the Birmingham business and creative community has been profound. I’m looking forward to learning more about the amazing entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators making their mark on the city and surrounding areas.”
The calendar also includes the free webinar and virtual workshop series The Business of Creating, designed specifically for artists and arts and culture organizations. Each month, guest experts will share their insights on crafting successful grant applications. This fall’s sessions will feature Nikki Estes, South Arts Director of Presenting & Touring; Graydon Rust, Alabama Humanities Alliance Grants Director; and Autumn Sanders, Quire Consulting Founder & CEO. The first session will be Wednesday, September 7 from 12-1 pm.
In addition, the organization is excited to announce the return of Create Consults, a professional assistance program, first piloted with a BOLD grant from the City of Birmingham, that provides $1,200 towards consultations for local ventures with experts recruited by Create Birmingham. Consultants assist business owners with legal, marketing, accounting, human resources, strategic planning, and more, tailoring services to the needs of individual business owners. Applications for this opportunity are open until Wednesday, September 14, with consulting sessions running through Wednesday, December 14.
Other offerings include Get Started and Roadmap, 90-minute workshops designed to help creative entrepreneurs with ideation and goal setting as they move forward in their ventures. Finally, Create Birmingham will continue to offer its virtual Create Foundations. These self-paced sessions walk entrepreneurs through the CO.STARTERS canvas and provide accessible business tools and language to build understanding and success.
Create Birmingham’s mission is to invest in economic development in the nonprofit and commercial creative sectors. For more information, For more information on our creative entrepreneurship programs, visit www.createbirmingham.org/programs/ or send an email to hello@createbirmingham.org.
