Tennessee: COVID-19 Arts Resilience Grant

City of Winchester’s fiscal year 2020 Creative Placemaking Grant, titled “Dear Hearts and Gentle People” Alley Mural with Lighting. Photo by Yvonne Stewart

The Tennessee Arts Commission launched a new funding opportunity for nonprofit organizations and local governments to help mitigate the devastating impact of the pandemic on Tennessee’s civic life and creative economy. The COVID-19 Arts Resilience Grant provides nonmatching funds ranging up to $5,000 for projects occurring from December 5, 2020, to June 15, 2021. The program aims to strengthen communities through projects that increase community and organizational sustainability and resiliency, create a sense of belonging and place, and advance community and public health efforts while promoting community dialogue. Grants will meet one of the following objectives:

invest in arts and cultural assets to enhance everyday life for all Tennesseans,
foster innovation and excellence,
accelerate transformation of rural areas through the nonprofit arts and creative sector, or
strengthen community vibrancy through cross-sector and public/private partnerships with the arts.

Applications must also consider ways to employ artists and creative workers in innovative, responsive initiatives that benefit Tennesseans and their communities and stimulate economic recovery. The Commission is recruiting applications from organizations across the state, including those in rural, distressed, and at-risk counties. For more information, contact Tennessee Arts Commission Associate Director of Grants Ann Brown.