General Information
The International Cultural Center will include a conference center and a exposition center.
They will both hold events that are family friendly and open to the public that may be free or ticketed. They will hold recurring and one-time events hosted by public bookings, the International Indigenous Peoples and Tribes Cultural Center, the International Cultural Center’s library, museum, educational center, Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall, bookstore, the Appalachian Crafters’ and Artisans’ Association, and the Institute for Natural Philosophy. They will have a staffed security office for the complex located in the Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall.
See our individual posts for more information on the International Indigenous Peoples and Tribes Cultural Center here, the International Cultural Center’s libraries (here), museums (here), educational centers (here), Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall here, and the Appalachian Crafters’ and Artisans’ Association here.
Link to provide general support for the conference and exhibition centers:
International Cultural Center Convention and Exhibition Centers
Detailed Information
The conference and exposition centers will have a shared public outside dedicated entrance from a large courtyard area that is partially covered that opens up into the shared lobby area. The shared public outside entrance and the internal direct access to the centers main seating and floor areas will only be accessible to the public for scheduled events. During inactive times viewings will be possible by appointment. The shared lobby area will be open to the public through the Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall via the mall’s Appalachian culture and history museum space during the mall hours. The shared lobby area will also have direct internal connections to the educational center and the workshop. The educational center connection will be open during the educational center hours. The workshop connection will be open during workshop events and otherwise available for viewing by appointment.
The shared lobby area will have a permanent digital interactive information station that will provide details of upcoming events, booking information, links to purchase tickets and it will also have special displays and signage during current open events. It will have two public restrooms with baby changing stations large enough to accommodate the public from both centers that will be available during scheduled events. It will also have ATMs, vending machines, and water drinking fountains. Food and drink will not be allowed inside the center’s main areas unless preauthorized for specific events.
Bookings will be available to the public with final approval from the Director of the International Cultural Center Educational Center who will be the top administrative position over them. Bookings will be reserved on a first-come first-served basis. Bookings and discounts will be available following a membership program for each center. Special rates and/or free bookings will be available to nonprofits and for civic events. They will have stand alone websites featuring a listing of scheduled events and activities, a reservation page, and separate pages for each scheduled event. Pricing models are being researched now and will be posted as an announcement post when set.
Guidance and support will be provided from the following:
International Cultural Center Museum Standing Advisory Board,
International Cultural Center Library Standing Advisory Board,
International Cultural Center Educational Center Standing Advisory Board,
Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall Standing Advisory Board,
Immersive Cultural Experience Standing Advisory Board,
Appalachian Crafters’ and Artisans’ Association,
Libraries, Museums, and Educational Centers Oversight Committee,
Friends of the Institute for Natural Philosophy International Cultural Center Project Committee,
Institute for Natural Philosophy Educational & Cultural Centers Gala Launches & Public Events Committee,
International Indigenous Peoples & Tribes Annual Exposition Committee,
Artisan and Crafter Exposition Committee,
Institute for Natural Philosophy Director of Cultural Preservation,
Institute for Natural Philosophy Director of Public Relations,
Institute for Natural Philosophy Director of Operations,
Institute for Natural Philosophy Director of Ancient Art, and
the directors of the museums, libraries, educational centers, and Appalachian Live Crafters’ and Artisans’ Mall.
Additional guidance and support will also be provided by the International Indigenous Peoples & Tribes Cultural Center Standing Advisory Board and the Indigenous Advisory Committee as specifically related for any Indigenous events, etc.
Committees and Standing Advisory Boards are open for the public to join. See our Oversight and Hierarchy post on how to get involved and learn more here.
The top administration position will be the director of the educational center who will report directly to the Institute for Natural Philosophy administrative President and the board. They will work closely with the Institute for Natural Philosophy Directors of Cultural Preservation, Operations, Public Relations, Ancient Art, and Finances. The director will oversee the educational center manager and any workers hired specifically for the conference and exhibition centers. Workers may be paid, volunteers, or part of a work/study program.
The Institute for Natural Philosophy will be the owner and legally operate both centers under separate doing business as registrations. See our Oversight and Hierarchy post for more information here.
Conference Center
The conference center is designed to hold a minimum of ___ attendees in permanent seating with the first ground floor seating dedicated as handicapped seating. The total square footage will be 16,800. The seating will be arranged in a amphitheater-style of tiered, sloping semi-circle named rows facing the stage area with the first stage row seating reserved as handicapped seating.
There is a special fundraising project that will benefit the International Cultural Center: A custom named auditorium isle in the conference center (click here).
It will have a private, secure area for exhibitors and/or presenters that includes five “green rooms” with two that can be opened up to create a larger one, a lounge room, 2 restrooms, and private secured stage access. The private area will also contain a manager’s office, utility and storeroom. The private area will include a separate, secure entrance and exit that is away from the main public entrances. They will have panic buttons that directly alert the on-site security. Exhibitors/presenters will have access, if needed, for their staff or workers to two permanent “Video Village” areas in the upper row of the theater that include basic sound and light control functions and an area for video recording.
The stage will be raised 3.5 feet above the ground floor. It will be of a semicircle design totaling 1,413 square feet and will feature a drop-down screen for presentations and movies. It will have two stage level entrances to the private area and three access points to the ground floor seating area.
The main public entrances will open up into a lobby area that will have predesignated areas for vendor and information booths that can be utilized by the exhibitors and/or presenters.
It will offer dedicated parking adjacent to entrances/exits specifically for exhibitors and/or presenters to utilize during set up/break down alongside a designated unloading/loading zone and special VIP parking spaces.
Exposition Center
The exposition center is an open floor plan designed to accommodate almost any type of event and will be the largest privately owned one in the state of Tennessee.
The total square footage will be 147,200 square feet and have a ceiling height of 42.5 feet with built in ceiling rigging points and hoists. It will also have an additional 4,900 square feet of private space with multipurpose use (see below for details).
It is designed to offer multiple functions at the same time such as a large banquet and a floor show or sporting event. Floor/booth shows will be able to utilize its preset design to hold a maximum of 268 booth spaces (160 10′ x 10′ & 108 20′ x 20′) totaling 37,600 square feet of actual booth space. Banquet space area will total 44,800 square feet and include 6 preset areas (2 140′ x 80′ & 4 140′ x 40′) that can be used individually or together. They are separated by single panel soundproofed wall partitions that have doors for each area. The floor will have built in flush electrical and internet outlets connections strategically placed. It will be able to provide rectangular and round banquet style tables, folding chairs, and tip-and-roll bleachers which will all be stored in a separate connected secured room. Food services will not be offered on-site, however working relationships will be established to provide them if desired by the vendors.
It will offer dedicated parking adjacent to entrances/exits specifically for vendors to utilize during set up/break down alongside a designated unloading/loading zone, special VIP parking spaces, and will also include multiple internal entrances to accommodate vehicular traffic (limitations apply). The final size may be reduced in the event of a funding gap for the International Cultural Center.
It will have an additional connected 4,900 square foot private secured area that will be utilized for storage of exposition center equipment, a bulk supply room for the International Cultural Center, offices for the maintenance and janitorial supervisors, the maintenance and janitorial golf carts with trailers, and the refuse dumpsters for the complex.
Current Planned Events
Conference Center
Archaeoacoustics Conference
Archeoastronomy Conference
Historical Diffusion Conference
International Council of Indigenous Peoples and Tribes Event (early August)
Bi-Annual TED Talk
Exhibition Center
Artisan and Crafter Exposition
Indigenous Annual Powwow Event
Megalithic Event
Institute for Natural Philosophy Annual Gala
