Recognized as a 2024 Sustainability Grant Recipient, East Tennessee Artscapes is weaving creativity and community together in Cocke County. We connected with Project Director Shanon Kelley to explore their work more deeply.
Women’s Fund: Shanon, East Tennessee Artscapes is a relatively young organization. For those in our audience, can you tell us a little bit about how you started and WHY?
Our organization was founded to improve the social, economic, and environmental issues of our region using the arts as a mechanism to mobilize and uplift the community. We began with a focus on downtown revitalization and youth after-school programs. Over the years, our projects have expanded to serve every sector of the community, and they are always free to attend. Every project we design
begins by examining a pervasive community issue and pairing it with a creative solution.
The Women’s Fund of East Tennessee has been instrumental in expanding our Artscapes Teen Internship. At least ten participants per year are selected to participate in the program. They are provided with the training, support, and mentorship to express their voices confidently, working with renowned public speakers, poets, and artists.
They are given the tools to pursue post-secondary education in a community that is lacking in the generational experience to provide support. The Teen Interns collectively direct the content of their fifty-hour group community service project, empowering them to develop leadership skills and instilling a sense of pride in their place.
We have seen amazing growth in these youth, and many of them work with us on a regular basis, facilitating programs they developed on their own accord.
That is an amazing outcome! We at the WFET are proud to support your organization through both of our giving channels, the Strong Women Strong Futures Network and the Self-Sustainability Fund. How have these grant funds most impacted your programs?
The Strong Women Strong Futures Network has allowed us to provide the nuts and bolts that hold together an organization, bring in experts to support our youth, and support the youth in the public projects that they develop.
The Self-Sustainability Fund wound up being a true blessing as our town was reeling from flood damage from Hurricane Helene. We were able to find a temporary location to house our programs while our town is being reconstructed. Without this support, we would have been at a real loss. While we wish that the funding was used more toward building sustainability in the form of diversified revenue streams to support our work, it DID allow us to mitigate major losses and taught us volumes about how to manage crisis situations. We did not miss one deadline or designated goal. Of ten interns and over fifteen in person meetings, there was only one absence. I think that speaks volumes to the value these youth place on their work in our program.
What a powerful message… Now let’s dive a bit deeper: how has being a member of the SWSF Network helped your org, and what is different now because of it?
We have been able to spend more time with each intern and get to know them personally, their families, their interests, and their obstacles. We have been able to pair them with mentors with whom they really connect and provide them with individual attention on a more meaningful level. For me personally, having that contact is what allowed me to complete my university education – I know that having a true ally makes all the difference!
We’ve also connected with HOLA Lakeway, our closest neighbor in the WFET cohort. We’ve provided some family painting classes and will be painting a mural for them. They have directed us in the formation of projects in Latin America and recruited translators for us. We feel supported by them, and we are glad that we could come to know them through this cohort.
Thank you, Shanon, for pointing out the value of the partnership in our SWSF Network!
What have been your biggest challenges in 2025, and what is most needed to support ETN Artscapes
in the coming years?
Well…this year was an obvious one as half of our downtown was destroyed. The police station was washed away and relocated to the building where we had been providing services. We have all been working together to rebuild and to build back brighter and better. This September 26th, we will be having a commemorative event of the flood, and we would like to invite you all. Artscapes’ street will be shut down as the art district, and there will be dancing, art, music, and food. I am also honored to be
unveiling a mural on our building that commemorates our solidarity.
What a fitting way to celebrate such an emotional journey.
What, then, is your biggest hope for Artscapes for the remainder of this year and beyond?
We want to continue to grow and help our community develop into a healthier, more vibrant place to be. The changes are already occurring. Every day, some small new improvement is visible. And we want to continue to provide arts opportunities and education to those who could not otherwise afford it. We know that art is healing and brings joy. We use every opportunity to get our interns into conferences and trainings that prepare them to be leaders so that they can return here as young leaders in the third wave of our community-building network. We can already see that the call to be responsible citizens is happening amongst our youth. We are truly so grateful for your support of our small organization. Thank you, Shanon – we are grateful for leaders like YOU who make a difference in our communities of East Tennessee!
East Tennessee Artscapes was honored as one of our Self-Sustainability Award Grantees, recognized for its commitment to fostering creativity and resilience within the community. Through their work, they not only celebrate the arts but also build lasting opportunities for connection, learning, and growth.
We’re proud to support their mission and excited to see the continued impact of their efforts. To learn more about our Self-Sustainability Grant, click here.
