More than 22 organizations and hundreds of creative talents from across the city have spent the past few months preparing for the birth of a 10-day festival that includes more than 170 events showcasing visual art, performance art, technological art, musical art, history and more. Local, regional and national artists and entertainers are participating in the festival, which is the first of its kind for the region.
The festival kicked off on April 12 at 8 p.m. with the Scramble event at the Hunter Museum. The opening night event offered a sneak peek at the 10-day festival as performers showcased dance, spoken word, theater, music and film.
Headlining events for HATCH Chatt included the nationally recognized 4 Bridges Festival, which has become a staple in the Southeast for presenting some of the best original artwork by contemporary artists from around the country. MakeWork created an exhibition of 100 creative works that spanned 10 city blocks. The Mid-South Sculpture Alliance presented an array of events, including a student exhibition and a professional sculptors’ outdoor exhibition. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre has featured a Festival of New Plays, which looks at promising playwrights from across the region.
“We’re so excited about our 7th Biennial Festival of New Plays,” said George Quick, executive director of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. “Five plays are included in the festival, all created by local theatre artists and playwrights. The Chattanooga area is truly steeped with talent, ranging from a 16-year-old playwright to more seasoned artists.”
There are multiple events for each day of the festival, which ends April 22. The entire schedule can be found at www.HATCHchatt.org.