ArtsBuild celebrated the third year of its Periscope CHA program with the 2026 Pitch Night and Entrepreneur Expo on May 6 at RISE Chattanooga. With support from Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, Pitch Night is a vibrant celebration where 2026 Periscope artists showcase their entrepreneurial skills honed through the year-long training program.

Out of the 19 artist entrepreneurs who graduated from this year’s program, 8 showcased their businesses during pitch night. The panel of judges—Alexa LeBoeuf, Executive Director, Hamilton County, Economic & Community Development; Marcus Cade-Johnson, Director, TVFCU Corporate Engagement Cultural Ambassador; and Monica Kinsey, Deputy Administrator, City of Chattanooga, Arts, Culture & Creative Economy, Economic Development—selected the following Pitch Night and Expo Winners: 

1st Place—$5,000: Matt Eslinger,
The Skeleton Key Workshop
@theskeletonkeyworkshop

2nd Place—$2,500: Whitney Dickerson, Whitney Dickerson Handmade
@whitney.wood.art

3rd Place—$1,000: Ashleigh Romano, Lumn Mortis @lumnmortis

Best Booth—$500: Rebecca Love,
Do What You Love & The Love Experience @the_one2love

Periscope CHA is made possible with the support of Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, The Howard Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, The Tennessee Department of Economic Development, City of Chattanooga Government, The Nancy Lackey Community Education Fund, The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement, The Benwood Foundation, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, SimplyProps, and RISE Chattanooga.

Artists eager to join the next Periscope cohort can visit artsbuild.com/periscope to learn more and apply. All application materials are due no later than August 7, 2026.