The East Tennessee Foundation Awards More Than $271,000 to Strengthen Arts and Culture Across the Region

The East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is proud to award more than $271,000 in grants to 20 organizations across the region through two arts-focused funds dedicated to expanding access to artistic and cultural experiences throughout East Tennessee.

The 2026 grants are supported through the Arts Fund for East Tennessee, established in 1986, and the Katherine Davis Moore and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Davis Foundation Fund, established in 2017. Together, the two funds have awarded more than $3.4 million in support of the arts across ETF’s 25-county service area since their inception.

Grants from the Arts Fund for East Tennessee celebrate the region’s richness in artistic expression and cultural diversity, while grants from the Katherine Davis Moore and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Davis Foundation Fund promote arts and culture programs benefiting young people under the age of 25.

The organizations receiving 2026 arts-related grants are:

• Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
• Bijou Theatre Center
• Cattywampus Puppet Council
• Concord United Methodist Church for Concord Adult Day Enrichment Services (CADES)
• East Tennessee State University Medicine Show Program
• East Tennessee State University Slocumb Galleries
• First Presbyterian Church for its Exploring the Arts Community Program
• International Storytelling Center
• Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc.
• Kingsport Ballet
• Knoxville Area Urban League
• Knoxville Children’s Theatre
• Knoxville Opera Company
• Maryville College
• PEER Academy
• Rose Center and Council for the Arts
• Telamon Corporation – Cocke County
• The Koinonia Foundation
• The Muse Knoxville
• WDVX

“The East Tennessee Foundation believes that art reaches far beyond the stage or gallery. It strengthens communities, enriches lives, and creates opportunities for connection, creativity, and growth across our region,” said Dr. Keith Barber, President & CEO of the East Tennessee Foundation. “Through these funds, we are proud to support programs that ensure people of all ages and backgrounds across East Tennessee can experience the joy, inspiration, and sense of belonging that the arts can provide.”

Through these partnerships, East Tennesseans have opportunities to experience theatre arts, opera, dance, music, visual art, storytelling, and cultural traditions that strengthen communities and enrich lives. Many of the supported organizations also provide arts education for children with limited access to the arts and therapeutic arts programming for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

For more information about grants, please visit our website at or contact Ashley Siferd Butler, Director of Competitive Grants, at ab*****@*tf.org.