Catalyzing Creativity at Corte-Land Art House

“This sickness of individualism is really what is at the root of the powerlessness that people feel and it’s what we need to tackle if we’re going to get systemic social transformation.”

Grace Blakeley, writer of Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes , Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom, makes this point* to describe the state of desperation and loneliness that many find themselves rotting in. This sentiment drifts from one sector to the next, from the corporate and even to the arts. The loss of third space and creative freedoms without the support of community structures leads to the degradation of artistic biodiversity.

As a publication seeking the sacred, a deeper connection amongst humanity, this theme of building the community is a key investigative point for Hellmouth. Having a community around you not only fosters emotional support, but also an overall uplifting of a group. Existing within a group setting gives the opportunity to develop ideas, concepts, and techniques together, constantly pushing each other to higher standards and new ideas.

Much like historical art movements, which were springboarded by ‘schools’ or tight-knit groups of artists and writers who were frequently in physical contact with each other, innovation will wither without others to propel us forwards. Online connection through social media platforms certainly has provided a wider breadth to find like-minded individuals, but there is still something vitally integral which is lacking from these interactions. Spaces like the Greek forum are the foundation of our society and we must bring that conversation off the internet and back into real life.

Kami Astro, founder of Corte-Land Art House and cultural catalyst aims to do just this. Cultural catalyst Astro moved from Chicago to Knoxville seven years ago, first brought by work for the television industry that once thrived in the city. When the opportunities with these companies disappeared, he stayed for the cultural richness of Knoxville. Kami saw the opportunity for it to take off and help build it from the ground up. Coming from a musical background, he recognized the need for a creative space where people could congregate and synthesize ideas together.

“Wow, I saw them in that room.” He says, “If that room doesn’t exist, then you never see them, they never see the art, and then they would never care about it.”

Corte-Land Art House, 503 Clinch Ave #101, Knoxville, TN

In June 2024, he opened the doors to Corte-Land Art House on 503 Clinch Ave #101, Knoxville, TN, to fulfill this vision. The music producer and audio engineer had been ideating this project for ten years. Corte-Land is an intentional creative space, an artist hub for people to casually network, enjoy local art, and attend community-building events like workshops and concerts. The location is modular allowing for both visual and musical arts, with the aim of being a third space to kickstart the creative process. Especially important in his vision was for the space to be dignified, clean, professional, to respect the artists, and provide the proper resources to complete projects on site.

Kami discussed some of the problems that creative endeavors present without a home base to meet and work saying, “The usual creative process is that you brainstorm with other people, maybe meet up at a coffee shop or restaurant, then you have a professional work day at a studio. It prolongs the process and really disrupts it.”

This spirit of collaboration and valuing the others’ experience is inspired by his older brother Cortez, for whom the space is named. Kami lost his brother, but was inspired by his legacy and mentorship. Leaning on his extensive experience, he turned his focus towards building up the Knoxville network of artists he had grown to know over the last seven years.

Coming from a vibrant musical scene in Chicago, he saw the need for artists to have a dignified and professional space to showcase their art. He noted, “People are starving for a venue with good resources.” Kami was already experienced in this sort of organizing, learning from his older siblings, navigating the music scene from an early age, and interning at major recording studios.

He opened his first recording studio when he was 19, Live Loud Studios in the River East area of Chicago. He understands the professional side of business, the importance of culture, and how to impact people. In Knoxville, he started the FRGR Recording Studio, which managed 8 or 9 artists at a time. This began to grow his network and he realized the need for a space like Corte-Land. “Musicians and artists don’t stay here because they lack the spaces to thrive. In larger cities, people make it thrive by investing into their community. The network of people invest themselves and you can do that anywhere.”

It is of utmost importance to Kami that the art house can be open and accessible to people, and that it uplifts the community rather than extracts from it. Not only is it in a key physical location in the city, but he also aims for it to be socially welcoming and inclusive. In order to serve this specific community best, his first step was to familiarize himself with the local Appalachian culture. He got involved with it not just professionally, but culturally. He also connected with social justice activists, like one of the oldest not-for-profit groups in the region- the Highlander Research and Education Center, for which he works.

It’s about ethical circulation between each other

〰️

It’s about ethical circulation between each other 〰️

He listens to the needs of those around him and prioritizes feedback from others. When asked how he planned to impact Knoxville he said that it was key to, “Accept the culture for where it’s at, then assess where you and others wish it could be. Artists want to make a more sustainable income from their music. It’s a process. People didn’t wake up one day and think Gucci was worth $1200. They didn’t think Bonnaroo was the festival to go to. It was cultivated and built up to this point. That’s what the goal is for here.”

Because of the work he put in to appreciate the community that already existed here, he had an understanding of what was needed. Kami developed a foothold in the community before opening Corte-land, throwing house shows, for both musicians and visual artists. As such, he saw what the punk and grunge scene looked like, which was often physically grungy. He believes that artists deserve a clean and dignified environment for their work to be presented on a professional level.

A critical factor in helping artists make a living is creating a need. Kami discussed the cycle of how to build interest, which then created value, “At first, they come and are just interested to interact. Then they become more aware of the artists, designers, and musicians. They then invest in the local art scene. The art scene is in turn getting better, improving local resources, which is in turn providing better art, which is motivating and sustaining them and thus motivating the local demographic to say ‘we have a dope art scene’.”

He referenced the special quality that smaller venues have, where people are able to watch an artist grow from their start to potential major success– from the small space to the cover of GQ. Kami hopes for Corte-Land to be that space for people to look back on the shows they experienced there and say, “Wow, I saw them in that room.” He says, “If that room doesn’t exist, then you never see them, they never see the art, and then they would never care about it.”

Kami was just appointed to the Mayor’s Maker City Council several weeks ago. As someone holding a position of power, he values individuals taking the accountability for creating space and helping artists to have a voice.

“We have the ability because this is a relatively young city and not a huge city, that our voices can stand out. [It’s important] to be able to say that I have people that look like me, that share the same ideas like me, and can share space on the board to make decisions. The change is going to happen, it just takes time.”

Corte-Land has a studio that can be used for band practice, music production, video and photo editing. They will offer regular booking and a membership model for the production space, as well as for the event space. In the retail section, they offer physical tour merch, sustainable vintage items, and originally designed clothing and jewelry by local artists. Not often can starting artists have a brick and mortar location to display their work. Kami especially wants to offset the difficulties of technology, which have made it difficult to consume ethically and intentionally.

Fashion and sustainable clothes are also a big part of what Corte-Land represents. Kami noted, “When we talk about art, particularly in this region, we forget about fashion. What is so important is the true connection of all the arts, fashion, art, and music should all come in tandem with each other.” With fashion, the Corte-Land team hopes to create an appeal for local designers as well as inspire even people who may not consider themselves to be creative, to express themselves through curated clothing.

Retail manager Coletrain, who works in the upcycling and vintage fashion world added, “Many people in Knoxville especially are reusing these clothes that would be wasted into beautiful clothing. People look good and feel good in them. It’s very important to bring fashion in and present it as an art.”

Corte-Land is now presenting five in-house designers with original pieces, including KONANE, whose work has been worn by major artists like Erykah Badu and Nashville singers.

Kami’s Hot Take on Knoxville?

“We need to create more intentional spaces. Not just for creative spaces, socially and ethically as well. We need spaces that are inclusive and prioritize people and community. We are teetering on being a capitalist city that is way too small to support capitalism in a lot of the ways it has been put into place. We need to hold ourselves accountable for being more community and people centered, and being okay with calling out shit that isn’t the way it needs to be.

Combatting capitalism, which is not inherently wrong, is about being people first. Who are you selling to and who are you selling things from? What is the intention of the art? Really getting down to the nitty-gritty of making decisions that are people centered, not money-centered. Money is relative here, that we have to keep the doors open and the lights on, but every decision that we make is people centered. That’s the bare minimum that a lot of businesses don’t really give a fuck about– how can I worry about the people who are working for me and the people I am selling to and the goods that I am sharing? It’s about ethical circulation between each other.”

HOURS OF OPERATION:
Tuesday-Thursday: 12-7pm , Friday & Saturday: 1-7pm
CLOSED: Sunday & Monday

Currently, they are accepting artist and show curation applications here.

CORTE-LAND ART HOUSE TEAM:

Kami Astro, Founder and Owner

Coletrain and Amanda Hale, Retail Managers

Andrya Thurman, Art House Manager

Lexi Huff, Social Media Manager

Y$N, Resident DJ

ARTISTS:

Lauren Adams, painter

Taylor Bowers, painter and jewelry artist

Konone fashion designer