Arrowmont is not known as a business in East Tennessee. It is an ARTS center. Not including Liza Zenni on this committee is stupid. What about the Foothills Craft Guild and their members who study at Arrowmont and share their skills in Knoxville?

The South Knoxville waterfront area would be a fabulous place for Arrowmont but if Knoxville doesn't prove it celebrates its local arts and artists, I wouldn't blame them for selecting elsewhere. Artists like to find synergy in their environment and share energy with their colleagues. This committee can't sell what's best about Knoxville's artistic community.

If this is just a business deal, it won't work. Come one Knoxville, do this right.

Forward thinking folks would recognize that Knox County owns 378 acres at Midway Road, which is one interstate exit down from the tourism capital of East Tennessee and near the historic French Broad River. In fact, this type of tourism was suggested by the Ochs Report, which was pretty much dismissed by MPC - I guess because the "right" people didn't pay for it. With Rhonda Rice of TDC and Knoxville Chamber fame as the chair of this committee, I am pretty certain that Midway will NOT be discussed as an option.

maybe this all-star cast will locate a vacant strip shopping center on broadway ...

old Anderson Elementary is a good sized structure in a quiet area.

This weekend I talked with someone who suggested old Rule High School as a great location for Arrowmont also.

Folks are failing to realize that when we talk about Arrowmont we are talking about a jewel of the south. It is not just a place to create. The current setting over in Gatlinburg inspires the artists that come to learn new techniques and share their talents.

Old schools and abandoned strip malls are what I expect this task force to suggest because I don't see any place in Knoxville that can capture the soul of Arrowmont.

Camp Montvale in Blount County would have been ideal.
Greeneville's small town charm might work.
Asheville, home to the Southern Highlands Guild most certainly would work well.

Rule High School?
Aye, caramba!

With this crowd they'd probably find some what to shove it downtown, assess the CBID members to cover the costs, waive all taxes and recoupment costs from Arrowmont, providing one maybe two full time jobs with little or no benefits. Don't see much artistic development growth in or around Arrowmont now.

Looks like a nice idea in concept, but I'd rather have Jim Gray's studios and his gallery over Arrowmont any day of the week.

The arts are incredibly important in defining everything. The economic impact is rarely direct but significant nonetheless. What do you remember about any historical culture? It's almost always the art...not who made the most money. Ask yourself whether people would be lured to visit Knoxville to wander through an art district or to view the Pilot Oil headquarters?

If I could afford to do it I would put Arrowmont here in Whites Creek gorge with its own natural area.

I'd toss all of the people from government or not for profit off the committee and let the people who are trying to actually generate a profit and alivelihood in the community try and relocate a not for profit to the community. You'll get a better result every time.

The only way I can compare my feelings on this is to ask you UT football fans how you would feel if UT tore down Neyland and moved the whole program to Chattanooga or Nashville.

As much as I hate Gatlinburg, the SETTING of Arrowmont on its more than 14 acres in the middle of that mess is nothing short of a cathedral for craftsmen and artists.

There is at least 30,000 square feet of various classrooms, galleries and the library. Then there is the on site lodging. And gardens.

I wish we knew just what Arrowmont is considering with the 'move' out of Gatlinburg.

As was noted in the original post, and as Midori pointed out, Arrowmont had a preliminary process during which they narrowed the field to two locations. Knoxville was fortunate enought to remain in consideration. Arrowmont is a very important, incredibly well-regarded institution. They would be a great asset to our community.

THE PROPERTY ONCE OCCUPIED BY SWAN'S BAKERY ON MAGNOLIA AVENUE IS AVALIBLE. I CAN'T RECALL THE EXACT SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THAT PROPERTY BUT IT MIGHT MEET THE NEEDS OF ARROWMONT. THE BAKERY OCCUPIES ONE CITY SQUARE BLOCK OF LAND. WHEN THE MAGNOLIA AVENUE RESTORATION PLAN BECOMES A REALITY IT WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THAT AREA OF THE CITY AND ARROWMONT WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.

THERE IS PLENTY OF MEDIUM PRICED HOUSING AVAILABLE WITHIN THE PARKRIDGE HISTORIC DISTRICT (WHICH IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BAKERY) FOR "STARVING ARTIST" TO RENT OR PURCHASE. IT WOULD BE A REAL SHOT IN THE ARM FOR THAT COMMUNITY AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. THIS LOCATION WOULD PUT THEM WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN ALSO.

THE SHOPPING CENTER DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BAKERY WOULD PROVIDE VARIOUS ARTIST WITH AFFORDABLE RETAIL SPACE IN WHICH TO SELL THEIR GOODS.

In a past life I was the handyman at an artists retreat slash art center in North Georgia. The number one aspect that resident artists and students look for is a change in their personal setting that allows them to focus and hopefully create. Where ever Arrowmont lands I would hope that this remains paramount in the experience. My experience with not for profits is that this can be a real opportunity for them to think big and solidify their situation going forward. Rarely do they think big enough but this could be the moment.

Marble Springs
Convention Center
Worlds Fair Park
Vestal on cleaned up superfund site

It would be best to stay at its current location but if it has to move then Knoxville should welcome it.

What about the old penal farm across the river from Ijams?

Or else somewhere around Ijams?

Arrowmont names task force to explore options

(link...)

Officials with the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, which is considering a move to Knoxville or Greeneville, Tenn., have appointed a task force to explore the school's options. Arrowmont is also considering staying in the Gatlinburg area.

According to a news release, the task force will be made up of Arromont Board of Governors members and senior staffers from the school. Bill May, a glass artist from Sevier County and a member of the Board of Governors, will chair the committee. Other Governors who are serving include:

-- Bob Alcorn, a Knoxville architect;
-- independent art curator and writer Susan Knowles, of Nashville;
-- University of Tennessee-Knoxville art faculty member Marcia Goldenstein; and
-- Jim Samples, president of HGTV.

The task force will also include five members of the school's senior staff:

-- executive director David Willard;
-- director of programs Bill Griffith
-- director of finance Julia Clinton;
-- director of development and communications Dick Baker;
-- and director of facilities Steve Reilly.

The release said the task force is scheduled to present its findings and recommendations to the mid-May meeting of the Board of Governors.

Update:
While the task force includes members from Knoxville, that doesn't necessarily mean Knoxville is a lock to be Arrowmont's next home.

The task force is made up of school staffers and members of Arrowmont's Board of Governors, and Dick Baker said Arrowmont has no board members from Greeneville. Asked if the Knoxville presence on the task force indicates that the city is in the driver's seat, Baker said "Absolutely not...They were selected based on their area of expertise and who was in the geographic region of the communities that we're looking at."