EAC Great things in the city! – the city department that is changing the world

Four years ago this month, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield launched a brand new city department called Education, Arts & Culture. Under the direction of founding Administrator Missy Crutchfield, the City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture (EAC) has grown into a successful and unique city department.


One of Mayor Littlefield’s very first initiatives was to bring education, arts and culture programs back to Chattanooga’s neighborhoods. “Mayor Littlefield took arts & culture from the Department of Parks and Recreation and placed ‘education’ first in the name of the new Department of Education, Arts & Culture,” says founding Administrator Missy Crutchfield. “That says something about how important education and the arts are to this Mayor. He has envisioned Chattanooga as a city of compassion and EAC is a vehicle for carrying out that message to the community through our signature programs and initiatives.”


EAC connects kids and teens with fun learning experiences outside of the school day that grow and support the learning that takes place during the school day. Through afterschool programming in city recreation centers and innovative arts and literacy initiatives city-wide, EAC connects with people of all ages across the city.



Through leveraging resources with recreation centers and building partnerships with non-profit, faith-based and corporate organizations, EAC has created and collaborated on over twelve original education and arts projects and initiatives—several gaining national recognition, such as the Connecting the Dots with Technology initiative. In addition to a wide range of programming, renovation and restoration are continuing in the civic facilities to maintain first class venues to present top level performances and programs.


“Remember Your Dream” is the driving vision behind EAC’s initiatives—using the arts to address social issues—which include mentoring and arts programs, issue-driven literacy programs, purpose-driven social networking events, and gender-specific programs for boys and girls emphasizing healthy relationships and peer-to-peer programs. EAC is driven by the mission to offer a broad base of programs that will give residents of all ages, incomes and ethnicities a chance to connect the dots between social issues and the arts. EAC’s programs and events are open to the entire community.


“The value of the arts has been proven to engage young and old alike in positive and productive citizenship,” Mayor Littlefield says. “And although we are not in the education business, EAC addresses many of the issues and challenges identified in our local schools like literacy, behavior and character development.”


EAC Administrator Missy Crutchfield says, “In four years, we have created a unique city department—perhaps the only one of its kind in the nation. We’re known for ‘Connecting the Dots’ and creating innovative partnerships that engage learners of all ages. It all goes back to the original vision we built this department around—Remember Your Dream—addressing social issues through the arts. We’re connecting the dots, one artist, one social service agency, one community at a time—creating an Unbroken City of Compassion.”


For more information about the the City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture contact Melissa Turner (423) 425-7826 or turner_m@mail.chattanooga.gov.