CULTURE WORKS: ARTS SUPPORTIVE BUSINESSES
In partnership with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, River City Company, and the City of Chattanooga's Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, ArtsBuild presents Culture Works, a program that celebrates Arts Supportive Businesses. These companies recognize arts and culture as essential drivers of Chattanooga’s creative economy and community vitality. They make arts investment one of their philanthropic priorities by sponsoring nonprofit arts organizations, festivals, performances, and artists through financial support, in-kind contributions, and strategic partnerships.
Beyond funding, Arts Supportive Businesses actively collaborate with local artists by showcasing artwork in their spaces, commissioning projects, hosting performances, and creating opportunities for creative expression within the workplace. They engage employees in arts initiatives through volunteerism, team-building experiences, and participation in cultural events, strengthening both company culture and community connection.
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:
In partnership with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and River City Company, ArtsBuild presents Culture Works, a program that celebrates Arts Supportive Businesses. These companies recognize arts and culture as essential drivers of Chattanooga’s creative economy and community vitality. They make arts investment one of their philanthropic priorities by sponsoring nonprofit arts organizations, festivals, performances, and artists through financial support, in-kind contributions, and strategic partnerships.
Beyond funding, Arts Supportive Businesses actively collaborate with local artists by showcasing artwork in their spaces, commissioning projects, hosting performances, and creating opportunities for creative expression within the workplace. They engage employees in arts initiatives through volunteerism, team-building experiences, and participation in cultural events, strengthening both company culture and community connection.
Be a Part of Culture Works
Be a Part of Culture Works
Sign up to be an Arts Supportive Business. You will receive an Arts Supportive Business window decal and be featured on our website.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
What is an Arts Supportive Business?
Arts Supportive Businesses serve as public champions for the arts—supporting local arts policies, participating in advocacy efforts, and promoting public funding for arts and culture. Together, they help build a stronger creative economy and ensure that arts and culture remain central to Chattanooga’s growth and quality of life. These businesses demonstrate their commitment to the arts the following ways:
Sponsorship and Donations: The business actively sponsors local nonprofit art events, programs, festivals, performances, or artists. This can include financial contributions, in-kind donations (e.g., providing space or materials), or partnering with nonprofit arts organizations to fund cultural initiatives. Arts and Culture is one of the company’s philanthropic/giving pillars.
Collaboration with Local Artists: The business collaborates with and pays local artists to feature their work in the workplace, offering gallery space, offering performances, or commissioning art projects. This may include rotating art exhibits, performances, or special art shows hosted in the business space, as well as participating in artist-focused programs by River City Company, such as the Scenic Storefronts program.
Employee Engagement in Arts Initiatives: The business encourages its employees to participate in arts and culture activities. This might involve offering time off to attend cultural events, volunteering at arts organizations, organizing arts-based team-building activities, or supporting employee-driven arts initiatives.
Community Arts Programs and Events: The business organizes or supports arts programs such as workshops, classes, or cultural events for staff or the local community. This could include art exhibitions, theater productions, or music concerts that are accessible to the public, often at reduced or no cost.
Advocacy and Public Support: The business publicly advocates for public funding for the arts by supporting local arts policies, attending arts-related forums or public meetings, and engaging in conversations about the importance of the arts in community development. They may also join arts advocacy organizations like Tennesseans for the Arts or Americans for the Arts and participate in campaigns to increase funding and resources for the arts.
ARTS SUPPORTIVE BUSINESSES
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.
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Want to Know More About Access and Opportunity in the Arts?
Sign up for our e-newsletter and we will keep you informed.
Want to Know More About the Arts?
Sign up for our e-newsletter and we will keep you informed.
