CreateHere hosted The Arts at Work, a diverse gathering of artists and art lovers from Chattanooga. Young and old, rural and urban, visual and verbal—all were in attendance to see and celebrate the MakeWork grant process at work.
The board and funders of CreateHere recognize that creativity and innovation are fundamental parts of a community's success; the MakeWork arts grants are one of the fullest expressions of this sentiment. This year, MakeWork awarded $125,000 to individual artists and their projects in a wide range of artistic disciplines, including culinary, literary, new media, visual, and performing arts.
The guests of honor during The Arts at Work were MakeWork recipients past and present. Selected artists gave updates on their own individual artistic processes and plans for the future while audience members enjoyed food from local small business success stories such as Café Lemont, Link 41, Niedlov’s Breadworks and La Altena.
Wendy and Brandon Buckner, proprietors of The Hot Chocolatier and recipients of one of this year’s MakeWork grants, brought their signature chocolates to the table and explained how the grant will enable them to refine their art and further learn from the European chocolate-making tradition.
Justin Wilcox, one of this year’s 16 grantees, was not able to attend the Arts at Work showcase, but he joined the gathering via video to tell how the MakeWork grant will benefit his band, Moonlight Bride, and provide them with funds for a tour. “In bigger cities, no one cares about anyone but themselves,” said Mr. Wilcox. “That’s not the case in Chattanooga. It’s a great city with cool people who care.”
Other projects being completed with the help of this year’s round of MakeWork grants range from Bridget Miller's line of eco-clothing made with all sustainable materials to videographer Leif Ramsey's cultural exploration of spiritual ceremony vs. consumerism in Black Friday, a feature-length documentary film. A vision for social change is not a requirement for MakeWork grantees, but the program encourages Chattanooga artists to operate, on their own terms, as leaders of important cultural movements.
MakeWork artists work with the shared belief that a small group of thoughtful individuals can and will make a difference for Chattanooga. The program also proves that the arts in Chattanooga are constantly expanding.
To apply for a MakeWork grant contact Jessica at createhere.org to be notified when applications for the 2011 grant cycle are due. For more information about MakeWork or CreateHere, visit http://createhere.org.