Allied Arts recently awarded $23,001 in Arts Build Communities (ABC) grants to 17 local arts organizations.

The ABC grant program is funded by the Tennessee General Assembly and administered by Allied Arts in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission. ABC grants support projects in disciplines such as dance, music, opera, musical theater, theater, visual arts, design arts, crafts, photography, media arts, literature, and folk arts.

"These funds provide an opportunity for the traditional arts organizations and other nonprofit organizations to collaborate in ways that they normally aren't able to work together," said Marilyn J. Harrison, vice president of Allied Arts.

"The value of these grants is enormous to Chattanooga and Hamilton County. We're reaching deep into the community and reaching underserved organizations through the ABC grants," she said.

ABC GRANT RECIPIENTS

* Chattanooga Girls Choir: Funding for a guest clinician for a choral education workshop, with an invitation to local music educators, culminating in an informal concert.

* Chattanooga Downtown Partnership: Free outdoor musical performances by a variety of local musicians in downtown public spaces.

n Arts & Education Council: Chattanooga Festival of Writers, workshops exploring the craft of writing led by accomplished authors.

* Girls Inc. of Chattanooga: Building Arts Appreciation in a Disadvantaged Community, a program for Girls Inc. members to express artistic and cultural relevance of their lives through sculpture.

* Normal Park Museum Magnet School PTA: Normal-Palooza arts and music festival, a street fair featuring local artists.

* Creative Discovery Museum: Spooky Days language arts program promoting storytelling.

* Chattanooga Choral Society for the Preservation of African American Song: 2010 African American Music Workshop, led by Dr. James Abbington.

* Signal Centers Inc.: The Rhythmic Arts Project, an intergenerational musical and therapeutic music and rhythm environment.

* UTC Meacham Writer's Workshops: A series of readings, workshops, individual conferences and informal gatherings involving local writers' groups and visiting writers.

* Chattanooga Symphony & Opera: Free tickets for up to 300 children and care-givers for the CSO's Family Concert featuring The Biscuit Brothers on March 6.

* Mark Making's Murals in East Chattanooga: A series of murals painted by 10-18-year-olds from the Community of Christ youth group and youth from the Glass Farm Neighborhood Association.

* Friends of Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library: Abraham Lincoln exhibit speakers.

* Ballet Tennessee: Funding for 250 free tickets to "The Nutcracker" for under-served individuals.

* Association for Visual Arts: Muse Visiting Artist Lecture and Exhibition Series.

* Orange Grove Center Dancers: Six dance concerts that include a group of Down syndrome adults in collaboration with dancers from the community.

* AIM Center Inc.: Outdoor sculpture created by center art participants.

* Destiny Theatre Company: Production of "Driving Miss Daisy."