Original WJHL Article and Interview:
https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/create-appalachia-consolidates-to-downtown-kingsport-location/
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — After two years of operating a Johnson City location, Create Appalachia is consolidating all of its day-to-day operations to downtown Kingsport at 225 West Center Street.
Create Appalachia, a non-profit founded in 2014, works to create opportunities for creative entrepreneurs in the region, such as digital makers, filmmakers, photographers, game designers and more.
Executive Director Katie Hoffman said the move comes from wanting to focus more on programming rather than operations.
“One of my personal big hopes and my big pushes for this coming year is to take some of our programming out to rural areas,” Hoffman said. “We’ve got some laptops we want to take our game design and animation classes out to rural schools, rural areas. We want to take our professional development programs out to rural schools in rural areas.”
Hoffman said now that Create Appalachia does not have to focus as much on running multiple facilities, more time can be dedicated to the non-profit’s programs.
“Really what we’re doing is making a strategic move,” Hoffman said. “They have some other things that they want to do with the building, and we want to consolidate it in one space.”
The City of Kingsport renewed Create Appalachia’s lease at 225 West Center Street for the next two years.
“One thing I really would like to make sure we include is how grateful we are to the City of Kingsport. They have been incredibly supportive,” Hoffman said.
