ADVOCACY
Making the Case for the Arts in Chattanooga and Beyond
ArtsBuild believes the arts deserve a strong, organized, and informed voice in public life. We equip artists, arts organizations, and community members with tools, data, and opportunities to advocate for arts funding at the local and state level.
It might sound intimidating at first, but anyone can be an arts advocate. ArtsBuild can help you do it more effectively. Advocacy takes many forms, including:
- Sharing your support for the arts with friends, family, and colleagues
- Attending and participating in arts events and performances
- Responding to action alerts from Tennesseans for the Arts
- Meeting or corresponding with elected officials: City Council, County Commission, Board of Education, and state legislature
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.
There are so many ways to be supportive of Chattanooga-Hamilton County’s artists and nonprofit arts and cultural sector. Here are just a few suggested action items for advocacy, activism, and amplification:
Get Advocacy Alerts
Stay informed with real-time advocacy alerts and opportunities to join our ongoing advocacy efforts.
Learn to advocate
Advocacy Workshops
Learn to Speak Up for the Arts
ArtsBuild hosts advocacy workshops throughout the year that equip community members with the skills and confidence to advocate for arts funding and arts education in Chattanooga and at the state level. Our training sessions include learning about the value of the arts through data and local stories, tools to confidently speak on behalf of the arts, and opportunities to practice.
Upcoming Workshops
Thursday, June 18, 2026
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Arts Building, 2nd Floor
Monday, August 3, 2026
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Soddy Daisy Community Library
Visit our calendar to find and sign-up for our next workshop.
key statistics
Arts Impact Data
The Numbers Behind the Arts in Hamilton County
- $191 million – Economic activity generated by Hamilton County nonprofit arts and culture each year (AEP6)
- 3,120 jobs – Supported by the arts and culture sector
- $43.37 – Additional dollars spent locally per person, per event (dining, parking, transportation, etc.)
- $33.2 million – Government revenue generated by arts and culture activity
- 750,000 – People served annually by ArtsBuild’s Community Arts Partners
- ~14,000 – Students reached annually through Imagine!
SPOTLIGHT —
Arts & Economic Prosperity 6
In 2022, Americans for the Arts conducted its Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study across the US. In Hamilton County, nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $191,040,572 in economic activity, and that number continues to grow.
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.
STATE ADVOCACY DAY
Connecting the State Arts Community
Arts Advocates Across Tennessee
Each year in March, ArtsBuild coordinates Chattanooga’s participation in Tennesseans for the Arts’ Arts Advocacy Day – an opportunity for arts advocates from across the state to share stories and outcomes from their communities.
Arts Week
Celebrating the Arts Across Chattanooga and Hamilton County
County-wide Celebration
Arts Week is Chattanooga’s annual celebration of the arts – a week-long series of events, performances, exhibits, and community gatherings. Each April, we host a community-wide events calendar to promote the many incredible artists and arts organizations in Hamilton County, as well as a variety of events for you to get to know us and the impact of arts better.
ARTS VOTERS GUIDE
Where Candidates Stand on the Arts
Know Your Candidates
Before each local and state election, ArtsBuild surveys candidates on their positions on arts funding, arts education, and the role of the arts in community development. Our 2026 Hamilton County elections guide will be out this summer.
Advocacy resources
Talking Points for Advocates
Why Advocacy is Important
When governments and businesses invest in arts, the return on investment is fivefold. Only the arts can boost economic productivity, improve educational outcomes, foster civic cohesion, facilitate good health, and preserve history and culture.
The arts make our region stronger. Families and communities in the greater Chattanooga are are fortified by the educational, civic, health and economic effects of the arts.
The arts support healing for veterans and members of the military. Creative therapies have been clinically proven to help veterans recover from post-traumatic stress, brain injuries and other battle wounds, in addition to other benefits including social connections with family and community.
The arts celebrate our region. The arts help communities across Hamilton County to preserve their cherished history and tell the story of our democracy. This year, many cultural organizations are playing a leading role in local and state America 250 events.
The arts facilitate good health. Research indicates that the arts can facilitate patient healing, reduce dependency on pain medications and mitigate caregiver stress.
The arts are beneficial for older adults. Abundant evidence shows that the arts reduce isolation, support good health, strengthen social bonds, and bring a heightened sense of purpose and joy to our lives as we mature.
Students who engage in the arts do better in school and in life. Students who study the arts have better attendance, lower dropout rates, and higher scores on reading and mathematics standardized tests. The arts also teach workforce development skills such as problem-solving, communication and collaboration.
The arts support local economy. In Hamilton County, the arts and culture sector generated over $190 million each year. Also, the economic activity generated by the arts and culture sector supports over 3,100 jobs, providing $122.1 million in personal income to residents and generating $33.2 million in tax revenue.
Click here to download a PDF of our talking points.
LOCAL & STATE ORGANIZATIONS
SPOTLIGHT —
Performing Arts Feasibility Study
ArtsBuild is excited to share the launch of a comprehensive feasibility study to evaluate the need for a community Performing Arts Center in Chattanooga. Funded by a grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the study was conducted by Webb Mgmt, a nationally recognized consultancy specializing in arts and cultural facility planning. This initiative responds to pressing feedback from Chattanooga’s performing arts community, which has identified a shortage of dedicated rehearsal, creative incubation, and mid-size, flexible performance spaces.
Vote for the Arts
Vote for candidates who support the arts and who acknowledge the great work that artists and arts organizations are doing to lift up our local economy. Register to vote or check your registration at ovr.govote.tn.gov.
Write to your federal elected officials and let them know that public support of arts is important to you and your community. Find them at congress.gov/members.
Get a Tennessee Arts Plate
Show your support for the arts by purchasing a Tennessee specialty license plate. A portion of the funds generated by specialty license plates supports the Tennessee Arts Commission, which gives grants to artists and arts organizations throughout Hamilton County.
Visit TN.gov and select a Tennessee Arts Commission plate or ask for one when you register in person.
Want to Know More About the Arts in Chattanooga?
Sign up for our weekly ArtsWire and we will keep you informed.
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