Winston Salem, NC – January 18, 2021 –  Center for Creative Economy (CCE) welcomes Suzanne Moore in the new position of Community Engagement Manager.  Suzanne joins CCE with over 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector focusing on Advancement and Resource Development. She is a native of Winston Salem and has worked most recently in Asheville, NC.   She will be responsible for developing and directing stewardship and sustainable funding activities for the organization. Ms. Moore is an accomplished fundraising professional with extensive experience in nonprofit development. 

According to Founding Executive Director, Margaret Collins, “CCE is fortunate to have found a stellar candidate in Suzanne Moore with her amazing skills and experience. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2011, we are devoting a new position on our team to secure the resources for CCE to be sustainable for the next 10 years!”

We would like to acknowledge The Winston Salem Foundation in selecting CCE for a capacity building grant for the next three years.  These funds will secure the Community Engagement Manager position, and help CCE grow and continue to impact creative entrepreneurs, and jobs in Winston-Salem, and across the U.S.  

Since 2011 CCE has created and launched programs that provide inception stage business training to strengthen and expand the capacity for creatives and artists to launch sustainable companies.  CCE is a nonprofit organization building the creative economy and creative community in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the U.S.   Since 2016 CCE has launched 50 creative startups in its accelerator, which have produced $8.1 million in revenue and raised $7.4 million in investment.  Collectively these companies have created 177 new jobs.  www.ccetriad.com  

A new year brings new possibilities and the Momentum January meetup provided the chance for our local audiences in Winston-Salem and new fans across the country to increase their knowledge of Web 3 technology and the Metaverse. The discussion was led by Kevin Clark, Founder of Point Motion, and a true creative entrepreneur. Kevin’s talent enables him to combine music, technology, and health care into an application to help people with disabilities. Clark has been investing in blockchain since 2017 and consults for companies such as Decentraland, The Meta Key, Polygonal Minds, Warriors of Aradena, and numerous artists to integrate their work into the Metaverse. He stated that the “goal here is to open your minds as creative entrepreneurs as to the potential value of creation that can be made using this technology, leveraging it in a way for your skills and your expertise.” 

Clark provided an introduction to Web3 and the Metaverse through these five key points:

1. Web2 is the internet as we know it, built from a 3rd party trusted system. Web3 has changed that 3rd party system into a network of computers around the world with one decentralized ledger.
2. The Metaverse contains assets that are traded on the blockchain 
3. The Metaverse provides a way to exchange data and information in a way that seems more human
4. Every aspect of the music, fashion, and visual art industries are being disrupted by this technology
5. The importance of security in this new technology and tips on how to operate safely within the virtual world

The Metaverse allows artists to grow, share their work, and earn revenue in new ways. Clark said that to learn about this method, it’s important for artists to immerse themselves in it, try the new technology (safely), and become part of a community. As entrepreneurs, we know that where there is risk there is opportunity. The Metaverse offers opportunities for creative entrepreneurs to take risks and try new avenues.

Clark’s goal in sharing this knowledge is to empower the artist and creative community through informational and inspiring discussions. The audience responded from across the US. Following the event, Kevin offered one on one consultations on how to engage in the Metaverse. CBS News also came to Winston-Salem to interview Kevin about his Metaverse experiences. That program will air in March. 

You can view the recording from the Momentum January event on the Metaverse at this link. https://youtu.be/tZXgryBEkeE

Please join us for Part 2 of this Web 3 series on Wed. February 23rd when Kevin Clark focuses on NFT’s. CCE will be welcoming Ryan Schmaltz, Director of METL, at UNCSA as the Moderator for the session. You will learn more about this new technology and be part of a live experience in making an NFT.

“See you in the Metaverse”