Feasibility Study: Phase One
Needs Assessment
In 2024, ArtsBuild and the Lyndhurst Foundation engaged Webb Mgmt, a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in arts and cultural facilities, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study. This first phase of the Chattanooga Community Performance Innovation Center study set out to test whether data supported the decades-long conversations about our city’s performing arts needs. Through interviews, focus groups, market analysis, and a full inventory of venues, the study provides a comprehensive picture of Chattanooga’s cultural landscape and offers recommendations for the future.
Process
The community input for this process so far has been extensive, involving more than 100 people and organizations who participated in interviews and focus groups. This group included a diverse mix of artists, educators, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates so that we could capture the lived experiences and varied perspectives from across the local arts community. This qualitative input was then combined with hard data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, market potential indexes, and local ticketing data.
On top of that, more than 100 existing and potential local performance and rehearsal spaces have been rigorously evaluated. Many of these spaces are educational or religious in nature, and/or owned by nonprofit organizations, which may make them ill-suited to some kinds of performances, to say nothing of the kind of technical and shop space that our arts community needs. Furthermore, none of these venues can accommodate all performing arts disciplines, which leads to persistent accessibility issues.
Key Findings
Through months of research, outreach, and listening to our community, we’ve determined that there are three specific and urgent needs that are holding back our local performing arts sector:
There isn’t enough high-quality classroom or rehearsal space that individual artists, new organizations, and community-based groups can access and afford.
There aren’t enough small-to-medium, flexible theater facilities for new and original work.
There aren't enough shop facilities for designing and building costumes, props, sets, lighting, and other technical elements.
A stage with some floorboards missing isn’t as useful as it should be. A marquee with some burned-out bulbs won’t shine as bright. A performing arts community that lacks accessible, affordable rehearsal, performing, and shop spaces simply will not serve all of its local artists and artisans as well as it could.
It is important to keep in mind that at the moment we are purely studying the feasibility of a new facility. That feasibility study may indicate that a new facility is not the right decision at this time for any number of reasons.
The point of the feasibility study process is to learn as much as we can so that our arts community can come to a decision about the best possible solution for what we need moving forward.
Read the Study
For a deeper look at the data and analysis, click the button below to view the full Phase One Needs Assessment. Or, visit the Phase Two: Physical Planning page to learn what’s happening now.