ARTS FUNDING
Investing in Arts Organizations and Artists
ArtsBuild distributes public and private funding to arts organizations and individual artists working in Hamilton County. Our grant programs sustain the organizations that anchor our cultural life, support the creative work of working artists, and fund community-centered projects that use the arts to address real needs.
Grant making is an integral part of ArtsBuild’s mission to build a stronger community through the arts, by giving financial support to local arts organizations as well as non-arts organizations. We want everyone to be inspired by the arts in our community. That takes access, and access takes funding. ArtsBuild grant programs serve "More Arts in More Places for More People".
ArtsBuild’s Board of Directors approves a budget each year which determines how much will be allocated through our annual grant-making programs. In 2024/2025, ArtsBuild invested $1.5 million in Chattanooga and Hamilton County, with over $800,000 grants to local arts organizations.
for Arts Organizations
Mission Support Grant
Sustaining the Organizations That Shape Our Culture
ArtsBuild provides Mission Support grants each year to eligible arts organizations in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. These grants sustain the 20+ Community Arts Partners each year whose work forms the backbone of our cultural life—from performing arts organizations to visual arts institutions to community-based arts groups.
Eligibility:
- Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization based in Hamilton County, Tennessee with year-round programming.
- Additional eligibility criteria outlined in official grant guidelines.
Award Amount: Varies by organization
Terms: Annual
Deadline: Applications accepted between January - March
Grant Period: July 1 - June 30
Contact: Melissa Astin, melissa@artsbuild.com
for individual artists OR GROUPS
for individual artists OR GROUPS
Individual Artist Grant
Funding Artists to Do What They Do Best
Individual artist grants provide funding to support individual artists or groups of artists. These grants include:
Artist Work Grants: The Artists Work grant program provides project funding to an individual artist or a group of artists to produce artworks that conclude with a performance or exhibition within Hamilton County, TN.
Access & Opportunity Grants: The Access & Opportunity grant program strives to provide grant funding to increase arts and culture produced by diverse artists who are reflective of our community.
Funding for these grants is provided by Mark Making, Robert Finley Stone Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, Benwood Foundation, and individual ArtsBuild donors.
Award Amount: Up to $5,000
Terms: 9 to 12-month projects
Deadline: Rolling deadline, dependent on funding support
Contact: Melissa Astin, melissa@artsbuild.com
for COMMUNITY PROJECTS
for COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Community Cultural Connections
Connecting Communities Through the Arts
The Community Cultural Connections (CCC) grant program provides flexible support for organizations, nonprofits, and community groups pursuing arts programs, classes, performances, events, and projects. The goal is to make arts and culture more accessible to underserved populations. Since the program began, CCC grants have been awarded to more than 150 unique organizations.
Award Amount: Up to $2,000
Terms: Annual
Deadline: Rolling deadline, until funding is exhausted
Contact: Melissa Astin, melissa@artsbuild.com
Neighborhood level impact
Arts Build Communities (ABC) Grant
Strengthening Neighborhoods Through Arts and Culture
ArtsBuild serves as the designated agency for the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities grant program in Hamilton County. ABC grants support arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises.
Eligible Activities:
- Provide innovative arts experiences that are new or unfamiliar to community residents
- Offer arts programs designed to affect positive change in community social issues
- Develop arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement
- Undertake cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity and/or economic development
- Offer training that helps artists or arts administrators develop entrepreneurial skills
Award Amount: Up to $5,000
Terms: Annual
Deadline: July 1, 2026
Contact: Brianna Jones, brianna@artsbuild.com
ENGAGEMENT MAP —
Mapping Our Work
ArtsBuild created a Google map with help from the Chattanooga Design Studio illustrating the geographic reach of our grant-making, arts education and arts leadership programs over the past 8 years. Additionally, ArtsBuild supports every elementary school in Hamilton County. This project has helped us to identify those areas of our county that are well-served, and those where we may be able to bring more arts to more people.
ENGAGEMENT MAP —
Mapping Our Work
ArtsBuild created a Google map with help from the Chattanooga Design Studio illustrating the geographic reach of our grant-making, arts education and arts leadership programs over the past 8 years. Additionally, ArtsBuild supports every elementary school in Hamilton County. This project has helped us to identify those areas of our county that are well-served, and those where we may be able to bring more arts to more people.
Grant Review Panels
How We Make Funding Decisions
Grant review panels are composed of community volunteers – including Board members, Holmberg Arts Leadership Institute graduates, and community members with diverse expertise – who bring their time, passion, and expertise to evaluate grant applications and make funding recommendations.
Interested in serving as a panelist? Contact Melissa Astin at melissa@artsbuild.com.
Title VI
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on a person’s race, color, or national origin. All Tennessee Arts Commission grantees are subject to compliance with this and other applicable federal laws.
If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination or to request an accommodation, contact Kim Johnson, Director of Arts Access, at 615-532-9797 or the Tennessee Relay Center at 1-800-848-0298 (TTY) or 1-800-848-0299 (Voice).
ArtsBuild Nondiscrimination Policy
ArtsBuild does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of funding and services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors.
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