Artsbuild
ArtsBuild is a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based public charity filing Form 990. Founded in Chattanooga in 1969 as Allied Arts and renamed ArtsBuild in 2012, it supports arts organizations, artists, community groups, arts education, and arts leadership, with a stated mission of building stronger communities through the arts.
Artsbuild at a glance
In short: Artsbuild gave $601K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Tennessee. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $601,400
- -38.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $25,058
- -30.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,440
- Total assets
- $19,817,842
- +5.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Artsbuild
- How to Apply
-
ArtsBuild directs applicants to its grant portal for currently open grants. Eligibility and application requirements vary by program.
- Review Cycle
- Community Cultural Connections grants are described as rolling until funding is exhausted. The stated January–March application window for 2026–2027 Mission Support grants has passed.
- Deadline
- Community Cultural Connections grants are described as rolling until funding is exhausted.
- Contact
Mailing address: 301 E 11Th Street 300, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 756-2787
Website: https://artsbuild.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
11 open opportunities from Artsbuild
Who Artsbuild funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hunter Museum of Art ($94K). Together the top 10 received $470K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 115 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
ArtsBuild describes its grantmaking as serving Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee. Its 2025 itemized grants went entirely to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Artsbuild open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 24 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $13K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $601K (2025) to $977K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $601K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter Museum of Art Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $94,000 |
| Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $93,820 |
| Creative Discovery Museum Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $83,000 |
| Chattanooga Theatre Centre Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $80,000 |
| Chattanooga Ballet Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $40,000 |
| Chattanooga Boys Choir Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $19,000 |
| Song Birds Foundation Inc Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $15,700 |
| Splash Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $15,150 |
| The Pop-up Project Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Scenic City Clay Arts Chattanooga, TN | General Operating Support | $14,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Artsbuild?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,817,842 | $3,679,837 | $2,524,798 | $601,400 | 24 | $1,709,025 |
| 2024 | $18,723,500 | $2,955,004 | $2,629,629 | $976,958 | 27 | $1,566,996 |
| 2023 | $18,437,173 | $3,306,474 | $2,387,876 | $916,928 | 23 | $987,936 |
| 2022 | $17,436,660 | $156,240 | $2,250,063 | $830,687 | 19 | $-1,204,010 |
| 2021 | $20,819,407 | $7,133,514 | $2,127,492 | $883,415 | 22 | $4,605,847 |
| 2020 | $15,857,778 | $1,385,952 | $1,932,195 | $800,384 | 18 | $292,396 |
| 2019 | $16,487,450 | $1,212,153 | $1,911,673 | $798,586 | 15 | $58,592 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
ArtsBuild’s mission is to build stronger communities through the arts. It provides general operating and project support to local arts organizations, community groups, and individual artists. Its programs also support arts education and arts leadership.
Its grantmaking includes annual operating support for eligible arts organizations, small grants for arts projects, and grants to individual artists. ArtsBuild also describes Community Cultural Connections grants as supporting arts activities that make arts and culture more accessible to underserved populations, including across geographic areas and for people of different ethnicities, ages, and abilities.
The 2025 recipients illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Hunter Museum of American Art says it collects, preserves, and presents American art and connects the community through educational and visitor experiences. Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Association says it provides musical presentations and educational programs in the Chattanooga area. Creative Discovery Museum says it inspires children to explore, innovate, create, and play. Chattanooga Theatre Centre describes its work as providing theatre productions, classes, and workshops. Other 2025 recipients include organizations whose stated missions include music education and performance, youth arts enrichment, and supporting local performing artists.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, ArtsBuild reported 24 grants totaling $601,400. Grant amounts ranged from $5,900 to $94,000, with a median of $12,440. The largest listed awards were $94,000 to Hunter Museum of Art, $93,820 to Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, $83,000 to Creative Discovery Museum, $80,000 to Chattanooga Theatre Centre, and $40,000 to Chattanooga Ballet. Each was reported as general operating support.
ArtsBuild’s 2024 filing statement separately describes its FY2025 program activity: general operating support grants to 23 arts organizations, community project support grants to 29 recipients, 10 Tennessee Arts Commission ABC grants, 12 Artist Work Grants, and 8 grants to individual artists with disabilities. The filing statement also reports that ArtsBuild’s Imagine! initiative served 13,543 public school students in grades K–5 in FY2025, and that its Periscope program provided entrepreneurial training to 20 creatives. These program activities are distinct from the 24 grants itemized in filing-year 2025 data.
ArtsBuild lists Community Cultural Connections grants of up to $2,000 for organizations, artists, or groups using the arts to serve underserved populations in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The program page describes applications as rolling until funding is exhausted. ArtsBuild also administers Arts Build Communities grants for Hamilton County, funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission; the FY2025 application cycle closed July 1, 2024 and is past. Mission Support grants are annual awards for eligible nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations based in Hamilton County with year-round programming; the stated application window for the 2026–2027 cycle was January–March and has passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael Stone, Sharon Law, Carmen Davis, Ella Clark, Kristy Huntley, Andrea Becksvoot, Olga De Klein, Patti Frierson, Andrew Hibbard, and Miles Huff as board members.
ArtsBuild’s website lists James McKissic as president, Sallie Lawrence as director of finance, and Melissa Astin as director of grants and community engagement.
Artsbuild is led by James McKissic, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 27 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James McKissic
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $129K (2025)
Rowena Belcher
Chairman
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sallie P. Lawrence
Director of Finance
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$59K (2019) → $77K (2025)
Andrea Becksvoot
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Hibbard
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bryan C. Kelly
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmen Davis
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edna Varner
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Olga De Klein
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vanessa Jackson
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patti Frierson
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Loza
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Stoudemire
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Spiller
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Levine
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristy Huntley
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miles Huff
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Quincy Jenkins
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniela Peterson
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jared Pickens
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Beder
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lacey Furr
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Stone
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caroline Walker
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ella Clark
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Law
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tonya Moore
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Isaac Duncan III (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jeannine Grogg (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Marcus McKamey (2019–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Nicole Brown (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Sybil Topel (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Tiffanie Robinson (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Peggy Townsend (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Roger Brown (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sally Faulkner (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Lori Finlay (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Mary P. Tanner (2019–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Xavier Cotto (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Suzy Anthony (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Warren Barnett (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Rodney Vanvalkenburg (2020) — Interim President From July to December
- Former: Daniel Bowers (2019) — President
- Former: Lee Davis (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $129K, to James McKissic (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Artsbuild
How much does Artsbuild give each year?
Artsbuild gave $601K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $977K across 27 grants.
What is Artsbuild's typical grant size?
Artsbuild's median grant in 2025 was $12,440, and its average grant was $25,058, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Artsbuild that year got $8K on average.
Where does Artsbuild give grants?
Artsbuild gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chattanooga, TN (24 grants).
Does Artsbuild give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Artsbuild's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Artsbuild's largest grantees?
Artsbuild's largest 2025 grantees include Hunter Museum of Art ($94,000), Chattanooga Symphony & Opera ($93,820) and Creative Discovery Museum ($83,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Artsbuild?
Artsbuild reported $19.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.7M.
What does Artsbuild fund?
ArtsBuild’s mission is to build stronger communities through the arts. It provides general operating and project support to local arts organizations, community groups, and individual artists. Its programs also support arts education and arts leadership. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Artsbuild?
ArtsBuild directs applicants to its grant portal for currently open grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Artsbuild's EIN?
Artsbuild's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7005188. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Artsbuild's focus areas in our free grants database
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More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Artsbuild funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/artsbuild-morg_2de9a3a13c5b4fdfa01e65d9a4d601fd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237005188_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Artsbuild funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/artsbuild-morg_2de9a3a13c5b4fdfa01e65d9a4d601fd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Artsbuild's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Artsbuild down — hundreds of funders to go?