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CHATTANOOGA’S CULTURAL EVOLUTION
Chattanooga’s
Cultural Evolution “Arts Forward” forges a path to the future
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“Making Space” For Women
When you walk through the doors of Chattanooga WorkSpace on 6th Street downtown across from the YMCA, you’ll have a hard time believing that the vibrant building used to be a one-star nursing home. After a much needed renovation, the building was transformed into the colorful, creative place it is today.
In its décor and in its operation, Chattanooga Workspace promotes joy and a zeal for life, aiming to create a positive space for artists to work together. The space contains forty-two private studios for artists to work their magic, in addition to hosting Open Studios during the first Friday of each month.
This Friday’s event is especially significant because the focus—in fact the entire collection—is art created by women.
March is Women’s History Month and in celebration, Chattanooga WorkSpace is hosting “Making Space: Artwork by Amazing Women.”
Wander through four floors of artistry and experience the work of thirty local artists, all women, who specialize in everything from weaving to photography to oil painting, and anything in between.
The women of Chattanooga are absolutely bursting with artistic talent, and now is the perfect time to show it off. The event is free and begins at 5:30 p.m., so bring your mom, your girlfriends, or your sister and celebrate womanhood through art. — Halley Andrews
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, CHATTANOOGA’S artistic community has been undergoing a kind of quiet revolution. In rooms all over the city, arts leaders have been sharing the challenges they face on myriad issues, big and small, in a quest for solutions.
By Todd Olson Pulse contributor
The revolution is called “Arts Forward” and it’s an initiative which aims to strengthen and empower arts organizations in areas such as sustainability, operating capacity, programming, and internal processes. Specific program goals include fostering better collaboration between arts groups and finding ways of empowering professionals.
The creation of Arts Forward began in 2016 with Kathleen Nolte, Program Officer for the Lyndhurst Foundation, and Kristy Huntley, Program Officer for the Benwood Foundation.
For years community arts groups frequently approached these local foundations seeking financial help, as well as guidance on topics such as capacity building, new staffing strategies, improved board training, and long-range planning. Nolte and Huntley had a notion that they could address these needs within the Chattanooga arts ecosystem.
Nolte had heard of a consultant
group called Arts Action Research, run by a dynamic duo, Nello McDaniel and Anne Dunning. They had a reputation for in-depth and complex organizational development with arts groups. Nolte also heard of the good work they had done with many groups in North Carolina, and so she reached out to them.
Nello and Anne specialized in working with arts workers and thinkers in a consortium format, building strong networks of communication and collaboration within those communities.
It was clear to Nolte and Huntley that Nello and Anne’s cohortstyle approach could be helpful and timely. Late in 2016, Nello visited Chattanooga for conversations with foundation officials and other arts makers. Soon thereafter, program framework and a timeline
took shape. The Footprint Foundation joined in, playing a major role in funding. And Arts Forward was born. The program kicked off in summer 2017 with twelve chief participants: ArtsBuild, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Chattanooga Boys Choir, the Theatre Centre, CoPAC/Barking Legs, Glass House Collective, HART Gallery, Hunter Museum, Scenic City Clay Arts, Sculpture Fields at Montague Park, SoundCorps, and Unity Performing Arts Foundation.
The larger group gathered every other month, while CEOs met with Nello or Anne for additional one-onone coaching sessions. Occasionally they met with boards or staff. Topics ranged from “How to Engage Boards,” Long-Range Planning, and S.W.O.T. analyses (assessing institutional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).
Immediately, CEOs appreciated the individualized attention. “Arts Forward has allowed our organization to take an aerial view of the challenges we face,” says Anne Rushing, Executive Director of Sculpture Fields. “We’re now able to look beyond the shortterm needs of the organization, and towards a sustainable and impactful relationship with the greater community and with our core supporters.”
The partner foundations were pleased by the initial results, citing what they noticed was a deep level
of organizational growth, reduced stress, greater organizational capacity, as well as improved relationships with fellow arts organizations.
As such, new arts organizations were invited to join the program, including Pop-up Project, StoveWorks, Art120, The Chattery, Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, and Scenic City Clay Arts. Together this expanded group tackled a wider span of topics driven by needs of the participants.
Samantha Teter, Executive Director of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, said, “Arts Forward is helping arts organizations and artists control their own destinies by providing resources and training in areas where they need the most help.”
As Arts Forward enters year three, the format has evolved from internal work to now looking at the greater arts community, helping to shape what the future holds for the city.
The topics deemed most pressing in the city are: arts advocacy, social engagement, expanding audiences, increasing visibility, centralizing information, sharing resources, supporting arts workers, and arts in education.
“It’s a huge step to identify and come to a consensus on community challenges and goals within a group,” says Jules Downum and Mattie Waters of The Pop-up Project, Chattanooga’s only modern dance company. Teter stresses, “While there is still a lot of work to be done, bringing all of the arts together has been a great way to share knowledge and expertise and lift each other up.”
Nolte’s assessment thus far is positive. “We have seen tremendous growth in the eighteen participating organizations and, importantly, these arts organizations have developed closer relationships with one another, and a more cohesive arts community.” Thanks to the foundations, Arts Forward will continue to nurture cultural leadership and strengthen the economic and social vibrancy of Chattanooga.
THU3.5
CIVIQ Speaker Series Connecting the Chattanooga community with national and international trends in urban design. 6 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com
FRI3.6
First Friday: Featuring Robert Schoolfield Chattanooga's premier downtown art gallery showcases the works of this talented local artist. 5:30 p.m. Area 61 Gallery 721 Broad St. area61gallery.com
SAT3.7
Disney’s Frozen Jr. The production will feature 35 of CCA’s talented middle school performers, as well as two recognizable puppets. 7 p.m. Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. centerforcreativearts.net
THURSDAY3.5
12 • THE PULSE • MARCH 5, 2020 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM Drawing Large with Timur Akhriev 9 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Miller Park Farmers Market 11 a.m. Miller Park 910 Market St. millerparkmarket.com Throwback Thursday 4 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org CIVIQ: A Speaker Series Honoring Robert Taylor 6 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Steve Croy Author Signing 6 p.m. McKay Books 7734 Lee Hwy. (423) 892-0067 mckaybooks.com Southern Dialogues Screening 6 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org River Runners 6 p.m. Basecamp Bar and Restaurant 346 Frazier Ave. (423) 803-5251 basecampcha.com Life Drawing Open Studio 6 p.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Beginner Crocheting: Headbands and Ear Muffs, Two Part Workshop 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Introduction to Social Media Management 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org WTCI’s Annual Masterpiece Experience 6:30 p.m. Easy Bistro 203 Broad St. (423) 266-1121 wtcitv.org Open Mic Poetry & More 6:30 p.m. Stone Cup Café 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Jason Cheny 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Alcoholics Not Anonymous Comedy Open Mic 8 p.m. Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 682-8200 chattanoogabarley.com
FRIDAY3.6
Drawing Large with Timur Akhriev 9 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Art Therapy for Adults 1 p.m. Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Grindsploitation Film Fest 2020 5 p.m. The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com WomanART: Celebrating International Women’s Month 5 p.m. In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com Frist Friday Art Reception 5 p.m. Reflections Gallery 1635 Rossville Ave. (423) 892-3072 reflectionsgallerytn.com Making Space-Artwork by Amazing Women 5:30 p.m. Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com First Friday’s Art Show 5:30 p.m. Northside Presbyterian Church 23 Mississippi Ave. (423) 266-1766 northsidepresbyterian.org Matthew Conner Arts Reception 5:30 p.m. River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com First Friday: Collection by Robert Schoolfield 5:30 p.m. Area 61 Gallery 721 Broad St. (423) 648-9367 area61gallery.com First Friday Gallery Reception 6 p.m. Keeody Gallery 756 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 755-1018 keeody.com Women’s Writing Circle & Empowered Art 6:30 p.m. The Retreat at The Wellness Corner 6237 Vance Rd. (423) 720-1174 wellnesscornerchattanooga.com Couple’s Massage 101 6:30 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Disney’s Frozen Jr. 7 p.m. Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Jason Cheny 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com The Floor is Yours: Hindsight 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Straight Up With Stassi Live 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Ruby Falls Lantern Tours 8:30 p.m. Ruby Falls 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com
SATURDAY3.7
Habitat’s Women Build Breakfast 9 a.m. Chattanoogan 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400 habichatt.org Brainerd Farmers Market 10 a.m. Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (423) 243-3250 saygrace.net Beginning Beading with Ashley 10 a.m. Bead-Therapy 1420 McCallie Ave. (423) 509-1907 bead-therapy.com The Cycle to Success
10 a.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Mixed Media Art Journaling 10 a.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Exploring Indigo & Shibori 10 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Sew What Noon Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Artisan Silk Crochet Necklace with Cathy 1 p.m. Bead-Therapy 1420 McCallie Ave. (423) 509-1907 bead-therapy.com Soap Making 101 1 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org The Color Purple 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Embellished Silk Tassel with Cathy 3:30 p.m. Bead-Therapy 1420 McCallie Ave. (423) 509-1907 bead-therapy.com Grindsploitation Film Fest 2020 5 p.m. The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Hospice of Chattanooga’s Journey 2020 6 p.m. Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (423) 756-0001 hospiceofchattanooga.org Disney’s Frozen Jr. 7 p.m. Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Jason Cheny 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Ballroom Mix Party 7:30 p.m. The Retreat at The Wellness Corner 6237 Vance Rd. (423) 720-1174 wellnesscornerchattanooga.com Jim Breuer: Live and Let Laugh 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Standup Comedy starring Bridgette Martin 8 p.m. SkyZoo Chattanooga 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 521-2966
SUNDAY3.8
New & Advanced Indigo & Shibori Techniques 10 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com The Color Purple 2 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Write Every Day 4:30 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Paul Merrion and Eric Keller 6 p.m. Wanderlinger Art Gallery 1208 King St. (423) 269-7979 wanderlinger.com Jason Cheny 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Daylight Savings Time Comedy Show w/Ian Abramson & Zach Peterson 7:30 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com
MONDAY3.9
Open Studio Tour Day 10 a.m. Lanewood Studio 100 Cherokee Blvd. (904) 294-4152 lanewoodstudio.com Get Started Making Helpful Videos 5:30 P.M. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Winter Belly Dance Session 6 p.m. Movement Arts Collective 3813 Dayton Blvd. (423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Joggers & Lagers 6 p.m. Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. (423) 702-9958 chattabrew.com Tokyo Godfathers 7 p.m. AMC Chattanooga 18 5080 South Terrace (423) 855-9652 fathomevents.com
TUESDAY3.10
Chattanooga Self Improvement Meetup 8 a.m. The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. (423) 643-6770 theedney.com
CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MARCH 5, 2020 • THE PULSE • 13 Annie Sloan Beginner Class 101 11 a.m. Rustic Trading Co. 199 River St. (423) 888-1405 rustictradingcompany.com Handbuilding 2 with Carrie Anne Parks 1 p.m. Scenic City Clay Arts 301 E. 11th St. (423) 883-1758 sceniccityclayarts.org Sew What 4 p.m. Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Chess K-night 5 p.m. Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 1900 Broad St. (423) 393-3834 madpriestcoffee.com Values & Defining Your Lane 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Introduction to Product Photography 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Paths to Pints 6:30 p.m. The Tap House 3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com Chess K-night 7 p.m. Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 1900 Broad St. (423) 393-3834 madpriestcoffee.com WEDNESDAY3.11 Alla-Prima Portrait Workshop with Sean Cheetham 10 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com 11th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon 11 a.m. Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (423) 756-0001 cglaonline.com Free Indoor Archery Session 3:30 p.m. Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m. Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Beginner Embroidery: Pet Portraits 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Instant Pot 201 6 p.m. The Chattery 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 521-2643 thechattery.org Mick Foley 7 p.m. SkyZoo Chattanooga 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 521-2966 Improv Open House 7 p.m. The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. (423) 643-6770 theedney.com Tokyo Godfathers 7 p.m. AMC Chattanooga 18 5080 South Terrace (423) 855-9652 fathomevents.com Open Mic Comedy 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com
