SU’s South Side Innovation Center holds holiday expo; local artisan, food entrepreneurs invited to participate

SU’s South Side Innovation Center holds holiday expo; local artisan, food entrepreneurs invited to participateOctober 20, 2008Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s South Side Innovation Center (SSIC), a community-based microenterprise incubator operated by SU’s Whitman School of Management, invites local artisans and food entrepreneurs to participate in the SSIC’s Entrepreneurial Holiday Exhibit. Artisans and food entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to display their products and recipes at the exhibit, distribute information about their craft and sell their items to the local community in time for the holiday season.

Locally produced crafts like stained glass, paintings, photographs, jewelry and pottery will be on display and for sale. Samples of local and family recipes will also be available for purchase. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. Registration deadline for artisans and food entrepreneurs who wish to participate is Nov. 7.

“The Entrepreneurial Holiday Exhibit is a great opportunity for local artisans and food entrepreneurs to gain more recognition for their work,” says Monica Hughley, director of the SSIC. “The holiday season is an especially critical time for craftspeople; holiday sales are often the backbone of income for people who make crafts or who market family recipes for a living. The SSIC is launching the Entrepreneurial Holiday Exhibit to provide these community members with a forum for their talent, and also to share with them tips and advice on how to take their products to the next level. We hope the community comes out in great numbers to support Syracuse’s local artisans and food entrepreneurs.”

Established in 2006, the SSIC currently is home to 16 resident businesses, providing Syracuse-area entrepreneurs with business training and support to improve the economic development in Syracuse’s South Side community. The SSIC fosters the creation of new ventures and helps existing businesses grow. The program is part of the larger South Side Entrepreneurial Connect Project (SSECP), which seeks to establish a vibrant entrepreneurial culture in the South Side and surrounding communities through the creation of sustainable ventures, infrastructure building, student and faculty engagement through consulting teams, a micro-credit loan fund, training programs for entrepreneurs, and opportunities for minority purchasing.

To register, contact the SSIC at (315) 443-8600. For media queries, contact the Whitman School communications department at (315) 443-3834.