Arrow Creative, a non-profit organization, makes art accessible to inspire the creative spirit in all Memphians. We are a premier source of creative entrepreneur enrichment, arts education, and art immersion for the entire community. We are an organization unique to our community, given that we bridge two audiences --- creative entrepreneurs and consumers. 

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Arrow’s trajectory began in 2012, with the launch of Memphis Fashion Week to provide an outlet to showcase Memphis’ fashion design industry. Because of the need for greater support of the design industry, Memphis Fashion Design Network (MFDN) was established in 2016 to educate, cultivate and promote the local fashion entrepreneur.  From this, Arrow co-founders, Abby Phillips and Dorothy Collier, spun a more comprehensive arts organization encompassing multiple creative mediums. 

 

Arrow Creative formally took shape in 2017, through an initial interest in continuing the legacy of Memphis College of Art (MCA) community education programming. Arrow has purchased key equipment from ten MCA departments, including woodworking, ceramics, photography, illustration, painting, fashion design, sound lab,  letterpress, paper-making and print-making, which provides us with the tools to offer similar programming. Arrow will continue to build upon the community education model from MCA, and will grow both offerings and clientele. Growth will continue to have a regional draw through our programming, which includes hobbyist classes, to weeklong master courses, to certificate programs that build workforce development for creative industries.  

 

Arrow drives arts engagement in the following ways: 

• Support of our creative entrepreneurs through on-site studio space, which allows them to reach larger audiences, hone their specific craft and utilize professional equipment

• Engage both residents and visitors in “supporting local” through the purchase of one-of-a-kind gift opportunities in our gallery/retail space

• Offer unique arts programming for all age levels – from young children to adults

• Build a pipeline for future young creatives, our mini makers, through our summer camps 

• Host key sentinel events, including Memphis Fashion Week and Holiday Bazaar, that allows Memphis to flourish as an arts hub

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Arrow Creative celebrates and supports diversity in Memphis artists and mini makers.  We encourage community art enthusiasts to experience the culture of Memphis by embracing diversity in race, cultural backgrounds, sexual identity, age, and creative medium.  A diverse representation matters and we work to showcase that through artists represented and teachers contracted to represent Arrow’s core values.