The Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville is pleased to announce 28 Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant awards for art projects from non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations located within five East Tennessee counties: Anderson, Blount, Knox, Monroe and Roane.

Tax-exempt or non-profit organizations, private educational institutions, entities of government (such as Parks and Recreation, public libraries, public schools), and colleges and universities could apply for funds. These grants benefit over 238,000 people, including 63,000 youth, across the state each year. The Alliance sub-grants the funds through a competitive grant process, which took place via online conferencing in August.

These organizations will receive ABC grants ranging from $1,045 – $5,000 each for a total of $90,080. Projects for 2023-2024 include:

Anderson County
  • Oak Ridge Rotary Community Fund for Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival School and Community Outreach
  • Sundress Publications for Reading Series & Writing Workshops
Blount County
  • Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center for Christmas in the Village
  • Great Smoky Mountains Institute, Inc for Tremont Writers Conference: Forum on Writing the Appalachians
  • The Primary Players for Finding Nemo Jr.
Knox County
  • Bijou Theatre for Bijou Imagination Series
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley for Youth Arts Initiative Music Education Program
  • Cancer Support Community East Tennessee for Healing Through Art
  • Circle Modern Dance for Modern Dance Primitive Light
  • Community Shares for Cattywampus Parade & Street Party
  • Domino Ensemble for Bringing Music to the Youth
  • Dragonfly Aerial & Circus Arts Studio for 13th Annual Aerial Dance and Circus Extravaganza
  • East Tennessee Historical Society for Appalachia Sessions
  • Friends of the Knox County Public Library for Music on the Mezzanine
  • Historic Ramsey House for 8th Annual Ancient Sounds Celtic & Appalachian Music Festival
  • Knoxville Chamber Music Society for 2023/2024 Season
  • Knoxville History Project for Downtown Art Wraps
  • Knoxville Writers Guild for Knox Re|View
  • Marble City Opera Company for The Christmas Spider
  • Momentum Dance Lab for Fall Show
  • Sunshine Ambassadors Inc for Annual Performance Project
  • Tennessee Stage Company for New Play Festival
  • The Bottom for Lit Kidz
  • University of Tennessee for Katrina Andry Exhibition and Events
  • WordPlayers for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Missoula performance (file photo)

Monroe County
  • Monroe Area Council for the Arts for 25th Anniversary – Missoula 2024
Roane County
  • Roane Choral Society for The Elements
  • Roane State Community College Foundation for Spring 2024 Musical Production

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is funded through specialty license plate sales and administered in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville.

Info: https://www.knoxalliance.com/abc.

Suzanne Cada is deputy director of the Arts & Culture Alliance