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ABOUT ARTSBUILD

ArtsBuild’s mission is building stronger communities through the arts.

Since 1969, ArtsBuild has served as a catalyst for the arts in our community, investing more than $77 million in arts organizations, arts programs and arts education. Throughout the past 54 years, the vision of our founders to build a stronger community through the arts has remained consistent. That vision includes creating access to the arts. We do this through grant-making, arts education initiatives, and arts advocacy.

Your support allows ArtsBuild to invest in:

  • Local nonprofit arts organizations and their outreach efforts
  • Art programs across the community for many different kinds of groups, including neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations, and social service nonprofits
  • Curriculum-based out-of-school arts experiences for thousands of students in Hamilton County Schools

10 Reasons to Support the Arts

The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts bring us joy, help us express our values, and build bridges between cultures. The arts are also a fundamental component of a healthy community—strengthening them socially, educationally, and economically—benefits that persist even in difficult social and economic times.

10 Reasons to Support the Arts

 The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts bring us joy, help us express our values, and build bridges between cultures. The arts are also a fundamental component of a healthy community—strengthening them socially, educationally, and economically—benefits that persist even in difficult social and economic times.

1. Arts improve individual well-being

2. Arts unify communities

3. Arts improve academic performance

4. Arts strengthen the community

5. Arts drive tourism and revenue to local businesses

6. Arts spark creativity and innovation

7. Arts drive the creative industries

8. Arts have social impact

9. Arts improve healthcare

10. Arts for the health and wellbeing of our military

From Americans for the Arts:

Advocacy

ArtsBuild serves as a champion for the arts. We aim to showcase the collective impact the arts have on our community, as well as the many ways that the arts improve our quality of life. As a hub for the arts in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, ArtsBuild leads and participates in community-wide discussions and strategies about how to cultivate and advocate for the arts in education, local economy and tourism.

The Arts & Economic Prosperity® 6 (AEP6) was a national study done by Americans for the Arts released in 2023. It found that the Hamilton County nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $191 million in economic activity—$94 million in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $97 million in event-related spending by their audiences. This activity supported 3,120 jobs and generated $33.2 million in government revenue.

Donate

You can make a difference through the arts with a gift to ArtsBuild. Become an ArtsBuilder today!

Partners

It takes a large group of arts organizations, artists, administrators, and educators to build a vibrant city rich in arts and culture. The arts organizations that currently receive Mission Support from ArtsBuild excel at what they do and strive to create access to their programs for youth and adults all across the community. We rely on these partnerships with established arts organizations, our Community Arts Partners, to build a stronger community through the arts.

Our 2023-2024 Community Arts Partners

SPOTLIGHT —

Arts & Economic Prosperity 6

ArtsBuild has announced that the Hamilton County nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $191,040,572 in economic activity in 2022 according to the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts.

SPOTLIGHT —

Pro Bono Legal Services

The Arts & Business Council (based in Nashville) provides pro bono legal and business services to artists and nonprofit arts organizations statewide through Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts.

They also offer Fiscal Sponsorship for arts projects and organizations that may benefit from tax-exempt status and administrative support.

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Cultural Plan

In 2011, ArtsBuild participated in landmark city-wide cultural plan called Imagine Chattanooga 20/20. The plan was built around community priorities identified by local citizens. It is a series of carefully chosen action steps designed to make the community a better place to live, work, and visit. With the vision for a vibrant and diverse Chattanooga region that is celebrated for the ways in which creativity, arts, and culture enrich and enhance its way of life, the plan was designed to include everyone, not just those who are traditional arts consumers and supporters. “The arts,” as we say in Chattanooga, “are for all.” As a result of the planning process, ArtsBuild changed its original name of Allied Arts to ArtsBuild in 2012 in order to acknowledge a more vibrant role in the community.

Current Strategic Plan

Through the goals outlined in ArtsBuild’s Strategic Plan, ArtsBuild board members, staff, partners, and stakeholders will work toward being an ever-responsive organization to the needs of the community. We are committed to investing in arts education in addition to supporting and growing a creative, diverse, and equitable arts sector in Chattanooga-Hamilton County as we fulfill our mission to build a stronger community through the arts.

Board of Directors

Rowena Belcher, Chair
Vanessa Jackson, Secretary
Dr. Edna Varner, Treasurer

Marcus McKamey, Chair
Rowena Belcher, Vice-Chair
Sybil Topel, Secretary
Dr. Edna Varner, Treasurer


Marcus McKamey, Chair
Rowena Belcher, Vice-Chair
Sybil Topel, Secretary
Dr. Edna Varner, Treasurer

Dr. Andrea Becksvoort
John Beder
Ella Clark
Carmen Davis
Olga de Klein
Patti Frierson
Lacey Furr

Drew Hibbard
Miles Huff
Kristy Huntley
Dr. Quincy Jenkins
Bryan Kelly
Sharon Law
Dr. Jill Levine

Lacey Furr
Jeannine Grogg
Drew Hibbard
Miles Huff
Kristy Huntley
Vanessa Jackson
Dr. Quincy Jenkins

Alex Loza
Toya Moore
Daniela Peterson
Jared Pickens
David Spiller
Michael Stone
Angela Stoudemire
Caroline Walker


Bryan Kelly
Dr. Jill Levine
Alex Loza
Daniela Peterson
Jared Pickens
Tiffanie Robinson
David Spiller
Angela Stoudemire

Bryan Kelly
Dr. Jill Levine
Alex Loza
Daniela Peterson
Jared Pickens
Tiffanie Robinson
David Spiller
Angela Stoudemire


Staff

James_McKissic_January_2022

President
(423) 777-4210

Sallie Lawrence

Director of Finance
(423) 777-4211

Kathryn Wroth

Director of Development
(423) 777-4212

Melissa_Astin_April_2022

Manager of Grants and Community Engagement
(423) 777-4214

Manager of Grants and Community Engagement
(423) 777-4214

Caroline Bulman

Development Manager
(423) 777-4213

artsbuild staff photo brianna-7 (1) (002)

Grants and Programs Coordinator
(423) 777-4217

Jonathan_Dean_January_2022

Administrative Coordinator
(423) 756-2787

Jules_Jackson_January_2022

Programs Assistant


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Want to Know More About the Arts?

Sign up for our e-newsletter and we will keep you informed.