ArtsBuild and WUTC 88.1 FM, in partnership with Hamilton County Schools, are proud to announce the launch of The Overlap, a compelling new community podcast exploring the shared DNA between the job site and the artist’s studio. Hosted by Ray Bassett, Editorial Director at WUTC 88.1 and Host and Producer of Scenic Roots, the podcast blends storytelling with educational insight into the overlap between career pathways in Hamilton County.
“The Overlap weaves a new thread for local storytelling for Chattanooga and Hamilton County - and for WUTC's audience in thirty-five counties across four states here in the Southeast,” said Ray Bassett. “Thanks to this collaboration, we're looking forward to bringing you insightful and inspiring conversations for today’s artists, educators and students across our community - and for those to come.”
In each 30-minute episode, The Overlap pairs local skilled trades professionals with fine artists to unpack the mastery of their shared medium. From comparing the structural integrity required for skyscrapers and public sculptures to exploring the chemistry of commercial kitchens and ceramic kilns, the series demonstrates that technical skill is the common foundation for both sustainable careers and creative expression.
“Whether you are holding a wrench or a sculpting chisel, true mastery requires deep technical knowledge, precise execution, and problem-solving vision,” said Robyn Stringfellow, Education Programs Coordinator at ArtsBuild. “The Overlap reframes how we view both workforce training and artistic practice, showing how they intersect to strengthen our local community and economy.”
New episodes of The Overlap will come out each month, showcasing different areas of intersection between the arts and skilled trades. For example:
- Episode 1: The Infrastructure of Imagination: Available now, the first episode features Monica Kinsey, Deputy Administrator for City of Chattanooga’s Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, and Olivia Bagby, Future Ready Students Director for Hamilton County Schools. Both play integral roles in shaping our area’s creative economy through job opportunities, formal training, and educational programs. The episode explores the concept of the "Future Ready" student—not just as a skilled worker, but as a citizen-designer equipped to solve urban problems using both technical skill and artistic sight.
- Episode 2: The Molten Seam: To be released October 13th, the second episode will bring together Stephanie Loggans, a commercial welder from the Harrison Bay Future Ready Center, and Isaac Duncan III, a Chattanooga-based artist renowned for his large-scale metal sculptures. The pair will dive into the shared world of metallurgy, joint strength, and the intense mindfulness required under the welding hood to lay a perfect bead, balancing structural soundness with aesthetic form.
The Overlap’s first episode was broadcast on WUTC 88.1 FM's Scenic Roots on September 15, 2026, and it is now available at wutc.org/scenicroots - also rolling out this fall on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast platforms. Listeners can catch a new episode on the second Tuesday of each month, broadcasting first on Scenic Roots and then available for streaming and download. More information about Scenic Roots, including past broadcasts, can be found online at wutc.org/scenicroots.
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About WUTC 88.1 FM
WUTC is a public service of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. We seek to inform, educate, entertain and enhance the lives of our listeners throughout the Chattanooga area and the Tennessee Valley by providing NPR programming - along with local voices and music - for a public radio, community, and student audience. Listen to us anytime at 88.1 FM, wutc.org, and on the WUTC app.
About City of Chattanooga’s Department of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy recognizes that the arts can be an essential component that leads to shared prosperity, building community and economic growth. ACCE offers support to art entrepreneurs and creative businesses through workshops, special events and programs. ACCE works to build upon and expand the cultural ecosystem so that it is sustainable, ensuring access to arts and culture in every community in the city. ACCE collaborates with businesses, artists, creatives, arts and cultural organizations to bring, promote and produce events in public spaces. ACCE is dedicated to expanding the creative landscape of the city through partnerships, grants and incentives. ACCE is dedicated to presenting a wide variety of high-quality Public Art by managing the city's public art program, Public Art Chattanooga.
About Hamilton County Schools Future Ready Students
Future Ready Pathways, Centers, and Institutes open doors to careers across Chattanooga and Tennessee. Career and Technical Education opportunities give students more than work experience; students gain confidence in themselves as they take their first step into their postsecondary life. Through their Future Ready experiences, Hamilton County students will have the opportunity to work with the principles, technologies, equipment, and skills they will encounter after graduation.
