Held April 13–19, Arts Week returned for a second year to celebrate our local arts and culture sector. For 2026, we highlighted the arts’ role as essential to Chattanooga-Hamilton County, as an economic catalyst, a workforce developer and a social anchor for our communities.

There were a variety of ways to engage with the arts this year, from theater performances to workshops and music to networking. Our Arts Week Community calendar featured over 50 events throughout Hamilton County, from music to dance, visual arts to creative play, and so much more. 

Throughout the week, we engaged with local leaders and the public to demonstrate that the arts are an essential utility for a thriving Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Our Community Arts Partners joined us at City Council earlier in the week, and later, many more gathered at our office for coffee and conversation with elected officials from the City, County, and State, where we also received the County’s Arts Week proclamation. 

This year, we also engaged with our business community and creative professionals. We launched our newest program—Culture Works: Arts Supportive Businesses (read more on next page)—and hosted Creative Mornings for a special evening networking event, CM in the PM. 

Arts Week is a reminder that arts and culture can be seen everywhere in our community, as a way to connect with others, as an economic force, and as an integral part of a vibrant and resilient Chattanooga-Hamilton County.