Arts Build Communities Grants
The Tennessee Arts Commission partners with 13 designated agencies across the state to administer Arts Build Communities (ABC) grants. ABC grants 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.
The Arts & Culture Alliance is one of 13 designated agencies that administer the ABC program statewide on behalf of the Tennessee Arts Commission. Designated agencies are trained to assist ABC applicants with identifying eligible activities, provide feedback on draft applications, administer local grant review panels, and help grant recipients track the success of funded activities.
The Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville requests Arts Build Communities grant proposals for art projects from any non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located within the following eleven East Tennessee counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, and Union.
Applicants may request up to $5,000.
FY 2027 Timeline
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026: applications open
- Wednesday, May 20: virtual workshop for interested applicants (details to come)
- Wednesday, July 1, 2025 by 11:59 PM (CT): Online application deadline via Tennessee Arts Commission website.
- Date TBD: grant panel review
- August 16, 2026 – June 15, 2027: Grant project period
- Applications that propose arts activities related to the Juneteenth holiday are eligible for Arts Build Communities grants as long as proposed projects conclude with all project expenses disbursed by June 20, 2027.
Eligibility
An organization is eligible to apply for funding support of its arts activities if the organization meets one of the following qualifications:
- The organization is a nonprofit organization legally chartered in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Private educational institutions must be a nonprofit and meet these tax-exempt requirements; OR
- The organization is an entity of government (such as city/county government departments, public libraries, public schools, etc.)
Colleges and universities are eligible only for activities that clearly serve the needs of surrounding communities or the State and are designed to involve a broad audience. Activities that are credit-producing or are oriented primarily to collegiate students and the academic community are not eligible.
NEW IN FY27
Operating Support Grantees (MCI, Partnership Support, Small Urban Partnership Support, & Small Rural Partnership Support) are not eligible to apply for ABC
Applications must be submitted through the Commission’s online grants system (FLUXX) by 11:59 PM (CST) on Tuesday, July 1, 2026. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED and recommended several weeks in advance of deadline.
Register and apply online HERE.
Prior to submitting an application, qualifying organizations should discuss the program or project proposal with their designated agency or the TAC.
For more information about applying for a grant, please contact Casey Fox at (865) 523-7543 or cf@knoxalliance.com, or the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities Coordinator, Melissa Moody, at (615) 253-5133 or melissa.moody@tn.gov.
Helpful Documents
