East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) recently announced the recipients of the 2006 Arts Fund for East Tennessee grants program. Of the 37 recipients, one Claiborne County organization is being awarded with a two-year grant in support of their contribution to the arts. This year the Fund is awarding grants totaling $105,000 to programs and projects involving the arts throughout East Tennessee.

The recipient organization is Lincoln Memorial University. Funding is awarded to support the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival in June 2006 and 2007. Prominent Appalachian fiction and non-fiction writers, poets, musicians and attendees will have the opportunity to hear readings and lectures and attend master classes on the various genres during each three-day festival. For detailed descriptions of all the supported projects, please see the provided grantee and awards list.

The 2006 recipient organizations have proposed a vast array of original programs that fulfill the objectives of the Arts Fund for East Tennessee. The Fund's goals are to recognize the contributions of area artists and arts groups and encourage them to live and work in East Tennessee, support emerging and existing arts organizations and promote the growth and development of minority, rurally-based and low-income arts groups and organizations.

The Arts Fund for East Tennessee grants program supports specific projects and programs including, but not limited to, exhibits, performances, festivals and other arts events as well as art education projects administered within the East Tennessee Foundation's 24-county service area. Eligible applicants must be tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations or other exempt entities.

Established in 1985, the two-year cycle grants program is managed through East Tennessee Foundation. In 2004, the program awarded $100,000 in supporting funds for school performances and art programs, community festivals, celebrations and dance education programs, to name a few.

For more information, please contact Jan Elston, Senior Program Officer for the East Tennessee Foundation at (865) 524-1223 or jelston@etf.org. To find out if an arts organization or group is located within the 24-county service area, please visit www.easttennesseefoundation.org.