Continuing to Create: 2021 Programs

We are committed to emboldening our city’s entrepreneurial spirits, supporting the invaluable work of our nonprofit sector, amplifying Birmingham’s creative voices, and providing opportunities for our constituents.
It’s a new year and as we look forward with hope, we would be remiss not to look back on the last year and the lessons we learned. As we collectively shifted, we also stayed focused on serving our creative community amidst the changing tides.
We continued our commitment to emboldening our city’s entrepreneurial spirits, supporting the invaluable work of our nonprofit sector, amplifying Birmingham’s creative voices, and providing opportunities for our constituents.

We also introduced our new online Create Market, hosted our first-ever virtual CO.STARTERS cohorts, and added new Recovery Bootcamps, expanded Office Hours, and weekly Coffee with Jessica strategy sessions.

The mantra for 2020 was “We are in this together,” and we aren’t about to jump ship in 2021. Our small but mighty staff remains dedicated to championing a creative Birmingham through the programs we take pride in providing. We hope you’ll take some time this year to learn more about our programs, take advantage of them, and help spread the word!

CO.STARTERS is an action-driven, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded people. Led by a facilitator who is an experienced entrepreneur, you’ll identify your assumptions about why and how your venture will work and then talk to customers to validate your ideas. You’ll leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate your model, and repeat the process with your next great idea. Participants receive one-on-one mentoring, membership in the alumni network, and access to the CO.STARTERS Graduate Resources.

Are you an artist, entrepreneur, or nonprofit looking to grow your resources, expand your network, launch a new project, or enhance an existing one? Create Birmingham’s Office Hours give you the opportunity for a 45-minute consultation with our staff. Whether you are early stage, mid-career, or established, we are here to help answer your questions and offer actionable tips and practical advice in person. Held on Thursdays, Office Hours are available by reservation on a first-come, first-served basis each month. You are welcome to submit questions or share information about your work in advance to help us make the most of our time together.

Birmingham has a culturally rich history and a wealth of creative talent. We believe in the power of storytelling and how it can connect, inspire, motivate, and create a movement. In a world abuzz with endless content, we want to be torchbearers for good news and give a platform to the creatives who are moving our city forward with their passion. Our ongoing series of interviews highlights the people whose work enriches our community and celebrates the endeavors that are part of our collective legacy.

This online marketplace features the products, talents, and services of the graduates of our CO.STARTERS program. With traditional markets, pop-up events, and other brick & mortar options closed or operating at limited capacity due to COVID-19, we want to offer an easy way for customers to support their favorite local ventures and discover new ones right in their own neighborhoods. The best part is that you can shop Create Market knowing that, as a service of Create Birmingham, 100% of the proceeds from your purchases go directly to the vendors.

Film Birmingham is a one-stop-shop for creators of film and media projects, showcasing the impressive diversity of locations and talent that our region has to offer. As the local film office, we help filmmakers efficiently meet their production needs and tackle their production challenges. We connect them with the abundance of local film and media talent in our area, assist with public and private location logistics, and facilitate municipal cooperation in the region.