Cities x Design spoke with Nick and Alison of Young Monster design in Chattanooga, TN about their experience of transforming an idea and passion for making posters into a full blown business. This is a great story of creative entrepreneurship and the sheer will to survive.
CreateHere in Chattanooga
Helen Johnson and Josh McManus of CreateHere in Chattanooga, TN, talk with Cities x Design about nurturing the creative economy in their city. Their discussion touches on the innovative non-profit model of their organization, how they meet staffing challenges and the advantages of being privately funded.
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga is a small town hidden at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. This former river commerce hub has, like many other places, experienced the negative impact of de-industrialization and is today looking at creative solutions to boost its image. The opening of Volkswagen’s $1 billion manufacturing plant in 2011, should help with Chattanooga’s population growth and economic vitality.
Designer collectives such as Young Monster work on the promotion of music bands and feed the local creative scene that is slowly taking shape. Thanks to the support of Create Here, many creative enterprises find the support to launch their businesses and contribute to the city’s social and cultural life. Their fellowship program entitled Lead Here encourages young people to take action in their own community.
Knoxville/Chattanooga City Profile
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Keywords – Roots, Folk, Comfy, Food, No-hype
Population:
Settled:
Nicknames: Scenic City (official), River City
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- Chattanooga Choo Choo
- Tennessee Aquarium
- Hunter Museum of American Art
- Chattanooga Market
- Sunsphere (World Fair 1982)
Design / Craft businesses
- Yeehaw Industries (Knoxville)
- Young Monster (Chattanooga)
Creative initiatives
- Create Here (Chattanooga)
Local businesses
- Mag Pies Cupcakes (Knoxville)
- Litton Burgers (Knoxville)
- Rhythm & Brews (Chattanooga)
Institutions / Organizations
- Museum of Appalachia (Knoxville)
- Hunter Museum of American Art (Chattanooga)
Art and Design Schools
- UT Knoxville – School of Architecture and Design
- UT Chattanooga – Art Dept
To speak at the 
