A Gathering of Ancient Sounds: Celtic and Appalachian Musical Roots at Historic Ramsey House; image submitted

The Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville announces 27 Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant awards for art projects from non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations located within the following five East Tennessee counties: Blount, Knox, Monroe, Roane and Sevier. 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 were eligible to apply. The ABC grant program is designed to provide support for 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, and these grants benefit over 560,000 people, including 115,000 youth, across the state each year. The Alliance sub-grants the funds through an open competitive grant process, which took place in August. Panelists included: Lee Baird, Tony Branam, Kim Mitchell and Jocelyn Woods Griffo.

The following organizations will receive a total of $45,540 in ABC grants for these projects in 2019-2020:

• Blount County: Appalachian Ballet Company for “Cinderella”
• Blount County: Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center for “Holiday Homecoming”
• Blount County: Townsend Artisan Guild for “Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival”
• Knox County: Big Ears Festival for “OneBeat Residency with Big Ears”
• Knox County: Cancer Support Community East Tennessee for “Healing Through Art”
• Knox County: Candoro Arts and Heritage Center for “Vestival Arts & Cultural Festival”
• Knox County: Circle Modern Dance for “Modern Dance Primitive Light 2019”
• Knox County: Community Shares for “Appalachian Puppet Pageant”
• Knox County: Dragonfly Aerial & Circus Arts Studio for “9th Annual Aerial Dance and Circus Extravaganza”
• Knox County: East Tennessee Bluegrass Association for “Keeping the Tradition Alive”
• Knox County: East Tennessee Historical Society for “East Tennessee History Fair”
• Knox County: Flying Anvil Theatre for “Light Years: A Journey with Alzheimer's”
• Knox County: Friends of the Knox County Public Library for “Music on the Mezzanine”
• Knox County: Hazen Historical Museum Foundation for “Shakespeare on the Hill”
• Knox County: Historic Ramsey House for “A Gathering of Ancient Sounds: Celtic and Appalachian Musical Roots”
• Knox County: Knoxville Children's Theatre for Theatre classes for “Sertoma Center clients”
• Knox County: Knoxville Entrepreneur Center for “2019 Knoxville Maker Summit”
• Knox County: Knoxville Gay Men's Chorus for “2019 National Coming Out Day Concert ‘I Sing Out’”
• Knox County: Knoxville History Project for “Downtown Art Wraps”
• Knox County: Sunshine Ambassadors for “Annual Performance Project”
• Knox County: Tennessee Stage Company for “New Play Festival”
• Knox County: The WordPlayers for “’Jackie Robinson Steals Home’ -- A One-Act Play”
• Monroe County: Friends of Sequoyah for “Cherokee and Appalachian Arts Series”
• Monroe County: Monroe Area Council for “Arts for Youth Performing Camp”
• Monroe County: Tellico Plains JAM for “Junior Appalachian Musicians”
• Roane County: Roane Choral Society for “History Through Music, Part II - A Celebration of Women's Suffrage”
• Sevier County: Foundation for/Friends of the Sevier County Public Library System for “Uniting Cultures Festival - Euro Trekkin' Fest”

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. The short-term objective of this grant is to create decentralized decision-making and distribution process for allocated grant funds. The long-term objective is to build Tennessee's communities by nurturing artists, arts organizations (including local arts agencies), and arts supporters in each of its 95 counties. For more information, visit www.knoxalliance.com/abc.

About the Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission.