About Us

Our History

Since 2014, Create Appalachia has worked hand-in-hand with the East Tennessee State University (ETSU), the cities of Johnson City and Kingsport, TN, Sync Space, and others to promote economic development through the arts by service on committees, delivery of arts entrepreneurship workshops, hosting listening sessions, gathering data for the Americans for the Arts “Arts & Economic Prosperity 5” study, and creating arts programming for local festivals.

In October, 2019, ETSU and Create Appalachia (CA) were awarded an Appalachia Regional Commission (ARC) POWER grant of $728,000 and a TN Digital Communities grant of $30,000 to establish the Create Appalachia Arts & Technology Center (the CAAT), a micro-enterprise incubator and professional development center in Johnson City, TN. In 2020, we received an additional $15,000 from South Arts.

By providing access to affordable co-working and business incubation space, professional development and entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and technical resources, we hope to mitigate the “brain drain” caused by the large number of skilled graduates that are currently leaving the region upon graduation due to the lack of highly-paid, skilled jobs.

We plan to incubate not only businesses,
but a thriving digital arts industry.

What We Offer

Our Footprint

The Create Appalachia Center for Arts & Technology serves the following counties in Northeast Tennessee, and in the adjacent states of North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky:

• Tennessee
Cocke, Hancock, Carter, Claiborne, Grainger, Greene, Hamblin, Jefferson, Johnson, Unicoi, Hawkins, Sullivan, Washington

• North Carolina
Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Yancy, Avery, Madison.

• Virginia
Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Wise, Grayson, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, Alleghany, Smyth, Washington.

• Kentucky
Bell, Harlan, Letcher

Testimonials

After attending our Small Business Resources Class:
Honestly, I didn’t know that I needed this class as much as I did.

Thoroughly enjoyed the "Branding Yourself as a Creative" session. Comfortable meeting space also. Very happy to learn this is part of a series and definitely intend to continue.