Subfest | The Submarine

Subfest is a summer’s day of live music, dancing, togetherness, and joy as a diverse Chattanooga (and beyond) audience celebrates local artistry in many forms. With varying genres from electronic music, to indie, to punk, to various types of rock, and more, Subfest has something for everyone’s tastes. The lineup highlights musicians from all different backgrounds, bands who are women-led, artists belonging to the queer community, and it maintains an age range from 20-year-olds to 60-year-olds. Subfest is open to the public, all ages, completely free admission, and a projection of about 500 attendees all on the campus of local non-profit Stove Works.

So what did we fund, exactly? The majority of the grant money went towards paying the local and regional performing artists for their talent and time. Additionally, a portion of the grant was used to pay two local photographers and a videographer to document Subfest. The UNFoundation supports diverse and inclusive missions. This fit like a latex glove. Whether through music, visual art, non-profit organizations, or local food vendors and small businesses, Subfest is a guaranteed good time and a great opportunity for connection, networking, and new friendships, all within Chattanooga.

Youth Programming | Chattanooga Girls Rock

Chattanooga Girls Rock! exists to empower girls, trans and nonbinary youth in our community to build confidence and celebrate their individuality through collaborative music education, social justice and performance. Their summer camp is a huge success and highly coveted. They listen to their campers and their parents, turns out they want more programming throughout the year. Enter our $3,000 grant.

More classes, workshops and hugs. Partnering with The Chattery they are able to offer classes like The Birds and The Bees and Consent and Bodily Autonomy, amongst others taught by Kelly Quinn. And a three part poetry workshop with the wise and talented Erika Roberts. While music is the usual CGR medium, this additional programming aims to help provide our youth with the platform and tools they need to tell their own stories and be heard. Word.

Make Music Day | Make Music Chattanooga

Make Music Chattanooga brings to life here in our city an event called Make Music Day, or Fêta De La Musique. This worldwide celebration of music, where musicians – of all levels at any age – fill the city’s streets, parks, rooftops, etc., playing live music on June 21st (the Summer Solstice). Started in France in 1982 it has grown to include over 700 cities in 120 different countries. All cities have the freedom to celebrate Make Music Day in whatever way best represents their talent, people, and musical culture.

In its sixth year, all events will be outdoors and our $2,085 grant will mostly be used to pay artists. We’re talking everything from a Music Themed Art Class at Keeody Gallery to a Jazz on Kazoo Workshop by Doors Open Jazz. Find an event near you and show up!

Music and Dance Therapy | Austin Hatcher Foundation

Cancer sucks. Especially if you’re a kid.

In the next year, dance and music-based interventions will be utilized at Austin Hatcher Foundation to aid in the physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual well being of their recovering childhood cancer patients. Music-based therapies have demonstrated success in improving patients' communication, self-esteem, and aid in physical recovery. For one patient, in particular, music-based therapy enabled him to communicate both through sign language in dance and verbally through audio. This young man is both a cancer survivor and suffers from cerebral palsy from the unfortunate side effect of life-saving medication. Because he struggles with communication, his mother has been very thankful that this intervention that has become available to her family at no cost thanks to the contributions made by the UNFoundation of Chattanooga. These interventions will be available year-round to all patients at no cost, regardless of race, socioeconomics and age.

Our $3,000 grant will pay for a mix of individual and group-based dance and music classes in the Spring of 2020 and will allow Austin Hatcher to host group music and dance therapy at their 2020 summer camps in June/July of 2020. The instructor is Louie Marin, and he will be in residence as the instructor for all classes.

Music Event Contest | Make Music Chattanooga

First, we all need to know about Make Music Day. Make Music is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 800 cities in 120 countries, including Chattanooga. Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.

Our $1,500 will sponsor a contest where anyone can pitch, plan and lead their own Make Music CHA event. The contest winners will be given our funds to pay themselves and buy any supplies needed that are not donated or cannot be borrowed. A small portion of the funds will also be used to advertise the contest, winning events and pay photographers/videographers to document it. A few examples of past events are the Drum Duets, pBuzz, Community Drum Circle, Music on the Move, Surprise Sax Solos, the Mega Jam.

Music Therapy | Austin Hatcher Foundation

Pediatric cancer is abominable. Finally something we can all agree on. Enter the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. Based right here in Chattanooga, their mission is to erase the effects of pediatric cancer and optimize each child’s quality of life through essential specialized intervention beginning at the time of diagnoses and continuing throughout survivorship.

Our $1,500 grant will bring music therapy into the mix. Megan Taylor is a music therapist who has worked with teens with behavioral problems and addictions, children with developmental delays and cancer diagnoses, and adults within the memory care units. She is also working specifically with children with Cystic Fibrosis, providing them individualized music therapy services during their hospital stay. She uses a wide range of instruments to help her clients meet their goals, from songwriting to drumming, to playing the guitar, and many other instruments in between.

Rebuilding a Band | Tyner High School

Roy Collins is the new band director at Tyner Academy. He has a problem. He recruited more students to join band than he has instruments. There are as many as 5 students playing the same instruments and students rotating mouthpieces during class. So, we gave him $1,500 to buy 3 trumpets, 3 clarinets, 2 alto saxophones and a baritone. He still needs more! Are you a band geek at heart and want to do something? You can! Make a donation to Tyner Academy and earmark the funds for Roy Collins, Band.

Sensory Friendly Concerts with CSO

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Sensory Friendly concerts feature performances by the String or Wind Ensembles in a space that allows for movement, interaction, or easy listening. Perfect for kids and families of all ages and abilities, these short performances feature themed programs with kid-friendly pieces, opportunities to meet the musicians and the instruments, and let kids (and parents!) experience the magic of music together!  Join us this season for one or all of our sensory friendly concerts in October, December, February, and April.  

We are excited to be partnering with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to provide this sensory concert series at no cost to Chattanooga families.