Music Grants in Tennessee: Funding for Nashville, Memphis & Chattanooga Artists

I live in Chattanooga. Have for years. And while Nashville gets all the attention when people think about Tennessee music, I've learned that the funding landscape here is actually pretty solid across the whole state—if you know where to look.

Tennessee has something a lot of states don't: a genuine music identity that extends beyond one city. Nashville's obviously Music City, but Memphis gave us blues, soul, and rock and roll. Chattanooga has a thriving indie and Americana scene. Knoxville has deep roots in Appalachian music. This diversity means there are funding opportunities at the state level AND local programs tailored to each region's musical heritage.

I've spent a lot of time researching what's actually available for Tennessee musicians, partly because I wanted to understand the landscape before launching MusicBoost, and partly because artists I meet keep asking me about funding opportunities. Here's what I've found.

Tennessee's Music Funding Landscape

Before diving into specific programs, here's the lay of the land:

The smart play? Apply at multiple levels. There's no rule saying you can't receive a state grant AND a local grant AND a national grant for the same project—as long as each grant's rules allow it.

Tennessee Arts Commission Grants

The Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) is the big one. They receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and distribute it to Tennessee artists and organizations. Here are the key programs:

Individual Artist Fellowship

This is TAC's flagship grant for individual artists, including musicians (both performance and composition).

• Amount: $5,000
• No project required — Selection is based purely on artistic excellence
• Work samples are everything — Submit your best live performance recordings or compositions

Eligibility requirements:

• 18 years or older
• Tennessee resident for the past three consecutive years (driver's license or voter registration as proof)
• Derive significant income from your arts work (not a hobbyist)
• NOT a full-time student or full-time state government employee

Important: They want live performance videos, not edited music videos or streaming links. If you're a composer, include scores alongside recordings.

Arts Forward Grants

These are special opportunity grants up to $5,000 for specific projects or professional development.

• Attend the Nashville ARTISTS THR!VE Summit — up to $1,000
• Attend the South & Appalachian Creative Placemaking Summit — $1,000-$2,000
• Other professional development opportunities as they arise

Pro tip: These are often first-come, first-served until funds run out. Apply early when cycles open.

Key Deadlines

For FY27 funding (covering mid-2026 onward):

• Individual Artist Fellowship: January 27, 2026 (11:59 PM CST)
• Annual Project Support: January 2026
• Arts Build Communities: July 2026

Nashville-Specific Opportunities

Nashville has the most developed local arts funding infrastructure in Tennessee, which makes sense given its size and music industry presence.

Metro Arts Nashville

Metro Arts is Nashville's local arts agency. They offer several grant programs:

• THRIVE Grants — Support for individual artists and organizations
• Operating Support — For established arts organizations
• Project Grants — For specific creative projects

Nashville artists should definitely have Metro Arts bookmarked. Their programs change year to year, so check their website regularly.

Nashville-Based Private Foundations

Several private foundations in Nashville support music:

• The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee — Various grant programs including arts funding
• Nashville Songwriters Foundation — Scholarships and support for songwriters
• Music Health Alliance — While primarily health-focused, they sometimes offer emergency assistance

Industry-Specific Opportunities

Nashville's music industry presence means there are opportunities that don't exist elsewhere:

• NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) workshops and pitch opportunities
• ASCAP and BMI Nashville office programs
• Various publisher and label development programs

These aren't grants per se, but they're resources that can provide significant value—free education, industry connections, and sometimes direct financial support.

Memphis Funding Options

Memphis has its own arts ecosystem, deeply rooted in blues, soul, and hip-hop traditions.

ArtsMemphis

ArtsMemphis is the local arts council serving Shelby County. They offer:

• Community Arts Grants — For arts projects serving Memphis communities
• Individual Artist Support — Various programs throughout the year

Memphis Music-Specific Resources

• Music Export Memphis — Programs supporting Memphis artists' careers
• Stax Music Academy — While education-focused, offers opportunities for local artists
• Blues Foundation — National organization headquartered in Memphis with various support programs

Memphis artists: don't overlook the Blues Foundation. Even if you're not strictly a blues artist, some of their programs support broader roots music.

Chattanooga & Regional Grants

I'm biased, but Chattanooga's music scene punches above its weight. The funding options are more limited than Nashville or Memphis, but they exist.

Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga

Allied Arts supports arts organizations and occasionally individual artists in the Chattanooga area. Their programs vary year to year.

Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga

The Community Foundation manages various funds that sometimes support arts and music projects. Worth checking their grant listings periodically.

Knoxville & East Tennessee

For artists in East Tennessee:

• Arts & Culture Alliance (Knoxville) — Local arts support
• East Tennessee Foundation — Regional community foundation with occasional arts funding

National Grants for Tennessee Artists

Remember: being in Tennessee doesn't limit you to Tennessee grants. National programs are available too.

MusicBoost

Full disclosure: this is my program. But it's relevant here because we're based in Chattanooga and specifically created MusicBoost to support independent artists nationwide—including right here in Tennessee.

• Amount: $2,000 monthly
• No Tennessee residency requirement — Open to all independent US musicians
• Simple application — We know state grants can be complex, so we made ours straightforward

Other National Options

• Sweet Relief Musicians Fund — Emergency assistance for musicians
• ASCAP/BMI Foundation grants — If you're registered with a PRO
• Genre-specific foundations — Jazz Foundation of America, etc.

"I got a TAC fellowship and a MusicBoost grant in the same year. Combined with what I'd saved from gigs, I finally had enough to make my record the way I wanted to."