The Tennessee Arts Commission is pleased to announce the availability of Arts Build Communities (ABC) grants for arts projects and programs taking place between August 16, 2025, and June 15, 2026. These grants provide essential support for projects that expand access to the arts, enhance community quality of life through creative engagement, and strengthen the sustainability of local cultural assets.
Juneteenth-specific activities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
ABC grants are awarded across all artistic disciplines recognized by the Tennessee Arts Commission, including dance, music, opera/musical theatre, theatre, visual arts, design arts, crafts, photography, media arts, literature, interdisciplinary, and folk arts.
The Upper Cumberland ABC grants are administered by the Arts & Culture Alliance and are available to eligible nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities located in the following counties:
Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White.
🗓 Application Deadline: 11:59 PM (CST) on Tuesday, July 1, 2025
💻 Free Grant Workshop: A virtual info session will be held via Zoom on Friday April 25, 2025 10:00 AM (CST).
RSVP or direct questions to Jessica Duke at jduke@ucdd.org or 931-265-4863
For full grant guidelines and application information, visit the Tennessee Arts Commission website:
🔗 https://tnartscommission.org/grants/arts-build-communities-grant/
In FY24, ABC grants across Tennessee generated $2.36 million in additional community investment, benefiting over 379,000 individuals, including nearly 241,000 youth. Over 4,000 volunteers contributed more than 68,000 hours toward supported projects. The ABC program is funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission through revenue from Tennessee’s Specialty License Plates.
Learn more: 🔗 https://www.tn4arts.org/buy-a-tn-specialty-license-plate
