EAC Programs and Initiatives

In its first four years, the City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture (EAC) has launched over twelve original initiatives in carrying out its vision.

REMEMBER YOUR DREAM – Remember Your Dream is the EAC signature program which includes mentoring and arts programs to offer hope and healing for young people whose progress is hindered by economic deprivation or abusive situations. “‘Remember Your Dream’ is a way to give students a voice on how to connect with their personal dreams,” EAC Administrator Missy Crutchfield says.
• Remember Your Dream Film Festival – In partnership with the Hamilton County Department of Education and a grant from the Pearson Foundation, EAC hosted a red-carpet student film festival at the historic Tivoli Theatre showcasing 20 four-minute short films created by students from Chattanooga Museum Magnet Middle School, East Ridge Middle School, and Sale Creek Middle School.
• Remember Your Dream CD production – In partnership with the Connecting the Dots with Technology initiative, the Hamilton County Virtual School, and the Hamilton County Department of Education, EAC is launching a summer music CD production experience for high school students to learn valuable technology and music production skills while earning summer employment.

Connecting the Dots Summit – Each April EAC, in partnership with United Way of Greater Chattanooga and Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga, hosts the Connecting the Dots Summit to engage artists and nonprofit agencies in a community dialogue on addressing social issues through the arts. Keynote speakers have included Rick Lowe (Project Row Houses), Claudia Cornett, Ph.D. (author of “Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts”), and Earl S. Braggs, M.F.A. (poet and UC Foundation Professor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga). Each year’s summit includes break-out sessions focusing on “Arts & Economic Development,” “Arts & Healing,” “Arts & Education,” and “Community & Race Relations.”

Connecting the Dots with Technology – Inspired by the mobile technology initiative launched in New Orleans following soon after Katrina’s devastation of communications, Crutchfield launched a collaborative called “Connecting the Dots with Technology” to partner with local corporations in donating used computers to the city’s recreation centers. The program has proven to be a win-win for both the corporations and the city—and “Connecting the Dots with Technology” has received national attention.

Straight UP Girlz Talk Boyz Talk – Through a partnership with the Chattanooga Police Department and Power 94 (94.3 FM), EAC hosted a monthly radio talk show where teen boys and girls discussed anti-drug messages live on-air. Teens interacted on-air with representatives from the police department and local drug counseling agencies and answered call-in comments from listeners.

Sisters Speak Out - An original three act spoken word play and workshop experience Crutchfield created after being inspired by The Clothesline Project, an international movement that provides domestic violence victims with a plain, white t-shirt as a canvas for speaking what is on their hearts and beginning the healing process. “When I became acquainted with the t-shirt project, I was so moved by the words,” Crutchfield says. “I remember thinking, ‘This stuff is good—how do we bring it to life?’” And “Sisters Speak Out” brings The Clothesline Project to life through “Sisters Speak Out Against Violence,” “Sisters Speak Out in Empowerment,” and “Sisters Speak Out—Making a Fashion Statement.”

Chattanooga Film Commission – In 2006, City of Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield named the Chattanooga Film Commission and appointed EAC Administrator Missy Crutchfield as Commissioner. The film commission promotes Chattanooga as a filming location for all types of film production and has attracted projects such as DIRECTV commercials and a shooting for the George Clooney movie “Leatherheads.”

Unity in the Community—Connecting All Year Long – Shortly after the Unity in the Community Thanksgiving dinner, City of Chattanooga Education, Arts & Culture Administrator Missy Crutchfield approached The Salvation Army about developing Unity in the Community into a community-based initiative to address needs in communities across the City of Chattanooga all year long. The Salvation Army and the City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture began hosting roundtable discussions with representatives from city government, corporate, non-profit and faith-based organizations joining in the planning process. “Unity in the Community” has developed into a year-long adopt-a-block program designed to help residents with needs such as street clean-up, lawn care, painting, and simple property repairs. Throughout the year, partnering agencies and volunteers work with residents on these projects.

Unbroken – Inspired by the need to reach out to at-risk, disadvantaged youth, “Unbroken” is a youth-focused collaborative of city government, non-profit and faith-based organizations gathering in an inclusive roundtable of community partners to offer regular mentoring opportunities, arts programming to address social issues, and community events and concerts to reach at-risk youth in adopt-a-block communities and inspire opportunities for connection, healing and growth.

Think & Draw and Talk about it! - EAC’s signature publication “Think & Draw and Talk about it” arrives on the scene at Hamilton County Elementary and Middle Schools once each school year. “Think & Draw and Talk about it” is a powerful communication tool that opens dialogue between kids and adults about important issues kids are facing today and how they can make positive choices.

“What’s Going On?” – “What’s Going On?” is a reading initiative inspired by the “Think, Draw & Talk about It” booklet published annually by the City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture and distributed to all Hamilton County elementary and middle schools. "What's Going On?" is an issue-driven reading initiative encouraging the community to read, share, and discuss books focused on a particular social issue—“bullying” for 2009. “What’s Going On?” will build community partnerships through service-based learning experiences. The first pilot project connects Notre Dame High School students with elementary and middle school students at Glenwood Recreation Center for afterschool reading and tutoring. “What’s Going On?” reading sections highlighting issue-driven books for elementary, middle, and high school students will appear in Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library locations, Hamilton County Schools, and City of Chattanooga Department of Parks and Recreation Reading Centers.

Chattanooga Teen Scene - A partnering publication with EAC, Chattanooga Teen Scene is a magazine by teens for teens. Driven by an active teen editorial board that meets monthly at the Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, Chattanooga Teen Scene has developed into a monthly online publication with quarterly print editions reaching approximately 25,000 middle and high school students in Hamilton County.

i-Vote Campaign – Driven by the “I Am a Citizen” theme, the 2008 i-Vote Campaign was built around a PSA spot that played on local networks and YouTube. The bi-partisan campaign brought together EAC in partnership with the Hamilton County Democratic Party, the Hamilton County Republican Party, SEIU, Best Buy, the Pulse, and Chattanooga Teen Scene to encourage eligible teens to register and vote in the 2008 Presidential Election.

ANTS – Art in Non-Traditional Spaces is an EAC program showcasing student art and photography in non-traditional public spaces such as the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, the City of Chattanooga City Hall, the City of Chattanooga Development Resource Center, and Chattanooga Housing Authority headquarters. In 2007, ANTS launched with the premiere of “I Believe I Can Fly,” an art exhibit at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport displaying the works of students from Rivermont and Barger elementary schools. In 2008, ANTS showcased musical talent from Barger Academy and the Normal Park Museum Magnet Upper School at the airport in “Songs Take Flight for the Holidays.”

Civic Facilities, Centers, and Art Studios
In addition to a full line of education, arts and cultural programming, EAC also manages seven performance venues, centers and studios: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, the Tivoli Theatre, the Community Theatre, the Eastgate Senior Activity Center, the North River Civic Center, Heritage House, and the pottery studio at John A. Patten Recreation Center in partnership with the City's Department of Parks and Recreation.