MU Extension will host the free HOMEGROWN event April 17-18.
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POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension will host HOMEGROWN: Creative Entrepreneurship in Your Community, a free, two-day workshop and vendor fair to support creative entrepreneurs and strengthen the local creative economy, April 17-18, in Poplar Bluff.
Entrepreneurship has become a vital tool in modern economic development strategies, offering communities a sustainable, locally driven alternative to traditional business recruitment efforts that often rely on costly incentive packages, said Ashley Allen-Brown, an MU Extension regional economic development specialist. Over the past two decades, research and practice have shown that fostering homegrown entrepreneurs builds resilience, encourages innovation and keeps talent and capital rooted in local communities, she said.
Launched in 2021, MU Extension’s HOMEGROWN is an entrepreneurship curriculum focused on empowering local creators, makers, artists and small-business owners with practical tools, connections and confidence to grow their ventures. This year, the program is being offered at no cost to participants in Poplar Bluff through funding support from the Delta Regional Authority.
The workshop is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, April 17, at the Poplar Bluff Public Library. Lunch will be provided. Participants who register for the workshop and vendor fair may qualify for a $500 scholarship to support their business or creative enterprise.
The event continues with a Creative Entrepreneurship Vendor Fair, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 18, at a location to be announced. The fair will offer community members opportunities to engage with local creatives and celebrate entrepreneurship in action, Allen-Brown said.
Creative entrepreneurs, and small business owners, and individuals who support the creative economy are encouraged to participate, she said.