Eight East Tennessee Counties Awarded Grants for Art Projects

KNOXVILLE -- Eight counties in East Tennessee have been awarded 26 Arts Build Communities (ABC) grants for art projects. The Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville presented the awards to tax-exempt, non-profit, private educational institutions, entities of government (such as Parks and Recreation, public libraries, public schools), and colleges and universities in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Scott, and Union counties.

The following organizations will receive ABC grants for 2011-2012:

• Anderson County: Museum of Appalachia, Norris Little Theatre, Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association
• Blount County: Blount County Chamber Foundation, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
• Campbell County: Campbell Culture Coalition
• Knox County: Cancer Support Community-East Tennessee, Central Business Improvement District/Market Square District Association, Circle Modern Dance, Dogwood Arts Festival, Fountain City Art Center, Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, Knoxville Weekend Academy, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville, Momentum Dance Lab, Tennessee Stage Company, The University of Tennessee, The Wild Thyme Players, The WordPlayers
• Loudon County: East Tennessee Concert Band
• Monroe County: Coker Creek Economic Development Group, Monroe Area Council for the Arts, Sweetwater Valley Citizens for the Arts
• Scott County: Children's Center of the Cumberlands
• Union County: Union County Heritage Festival

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is funded by the Tennessee General Assembly and administered in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville. The primary objective of the program is to build Tennessee's communities by nurturing artists, arts organizations (including local arts agencies), and arts support in each of its 95 counties.

Published October 1, 2011