TULSA CREATIVE ENGINE

A few blocks west of the Greenwood Women’s Business Center is Tulsa Creative Engine, a nonprofi t accelerator that aims to support Tulsa’s creative community by championing artists and musicians as entrepreneurs.

“The music business is tough,” says Krisheena Suarez , one half of Suarez !nspired Republic, a hip-hop, R&B soul duo with husband Davonte Suarez . “However it’s run like any other business. As musicians, artists and especially as independent artists, we do everything. Musically we feel like we know what we’re doing, but when it comes to marketing, merchandise, marketing your album, learning about partnerships — I feel like the accelerator gave us a blueprint.”

Located at 629 W. First St., the Tulsa Creative Engine developed in 2020 and launched in 2022 with the core values of community, artistic expression, diversity and wellness.

“We want Tulsa to be a city where creative talent is nurtured, where artists thrive as full-time entrepreneurs and where creatives are invested in for the economic and cultural value they bring,” Bianca Caampued, TCE’s interim executive director says.

The TCE accelerator program is currently six weeks long, though Caampued shares that’s subject to change as assessments are being made to extend the timeframe. The curriculum provides artists with professional development as well as opportunities to perform and highlight their work. TCE also offers space for community, collaboration and access to a connected network of industry leaders. “Hip-hop is naturally a competitive field,” Davonte says. “The accelerator put us all on a level playing field.”

A cohort of selected artists receives business and entrepreneurial training, works with mentors, develops industry connections and builds group support for their art. At the end of the program, each artist receives a grant to invest in their next project and continued support from company mentors. Last year’s program supported nine artists who received a $5,000 grant to invest in their next project.

With an entrepreneurial focus, TCE concentrates on sharpening business skills, like how to build a business model canvas, financial literacy, marketing, etc., in addition to developing and honing artistic talent. Caampued says the program is a first-of-its-kind in Tulsa. “We’ve seen many accelerators centered (on) entrepreneurship and tech but none for the creative artist community previously,” she says.

Now a graduate of the accelerator, Davonte is grateful for the “life nuggets” it gave him as well as how it challenged the duo personally and professionally.

When the 2023 program launches, Tulsa artists can apply at tulsacreativeengine.org.