Submitted by Spaceworks Tacoma
Spaceworks invites creatives* who have a plan for a creative/innovative business that benefits Tacoma’s community and are seeking to develop a thriving business to apply to participate in its 2016 Creative Enterprise Program. Applications are available at www.SpaceworksTacoma.com.
Spaceworks’ Creative Enterprise Program provides relevant and meaningful business training and peer-to-peer support to the participants to systematically grow Tacoma’s creative class and generate destination quality activity that will engage and transform our community. Affordable space is also provided, dependent on availability, to serve as a training ground to test new ideas, products and services with a safety net of technical assistance and mentorship.
Selected participants will start Spaceworks’ Creative Enterprise Training in January 2016 and pitch a full business plan for review in May 2016. Spaceworks staff will help to launch these businesses to the streets of Tacoma throughout 2016.
*Artists, designers, crafters, techies, makers, foodies, consultants, organizations, community groups and other entrepreneurs working in any creative field (for-profit or non-profit).
Interested applicants must complete an online application by Monday, December 7, 2015, 5pm PST to be considered. The application involves submitting the following items: a project proposal (answers to 12 questions), work samples with descriptions, a resume, and a budget.
In the last 5 years, Spaceworks has assisted 66 Tacoma businesses in bringing their visions to life.
Examples of Creative Enterprises include:
- Retail space for hand-made items (i.e. jewelry, fashion, art, etc.)
- example: Do The Extraordinary www.DoTheExtraordinary.com – Property partner: UW Tacoma
- Services (i.e. art or dance classes, design advice, etc.)
- example: Fabitat www.fab-5.org – Property partner: Marie T. Wilson Trust
- Merchandising a creative product
- example: Grit City Grindhouse www.gritcitygrindhouse.com – Property partner: Bristol Equities
- Art galleries / museums
- example: Moss & Mineral www.mossandmineral.com
- Creative home-based businesses testing their product in a retail environment
- example: The T-shirt Men Company www.thetshirtmen.com – Property partner: Paul Okner
- Office space (individual or co-working) for creative businesses such as a digital media company or photographer with a digital darkroom
- example: Turtledust Media www.turtledustmedia.com – Property partner: Seven Seventeen Investors
- Long-term artist studio space/sole proprietor artist
- example: Nature City Photography www.naturecityphotography.com – Prop. partner: DCL Management
- Artisanal food businesses
- example: Tease Chocolates www.teasechocolates.com
“Spaceworks’ support of small businesses helps grow Tacoma’s economy. The innovative entrepreneurs accepted into the program help create a unique Tacoma that you won’t find anywhere else,” says David Schroedel, the Chamber’s Metropolitan Development Director. “I’m excited to see what great ideas are out there in our community.”
This year’s selection process will be very competitive. 12 proposals will be selected during the panel process. Spaceworks encourages interested applicants to attend an upcoming Information Session and/or schedule a one-on-one consultation with Spaceworks staff. The Information Sessions and “Office Hours” for potential applicants will present ways to build a strong application and provide feedback to applicant’s proposals. Visit www.spaceworkstacoma.com/events/ for the schedule and a link to sign up for office hours.
