Festival History:
The 4 Bridges Arts Festival (4BAF) is a cornerstone of Chattanooga's vibrant arts scene and will be celebrating its silver jubilee (or 25th anniversary) in April. With roots dating back to 1986, the Association for Visual Arts (AVA), was tasked with "animating" downtown Chattanooga by creating an arts festival to engage the community. This led to the birth of "Artstravaganza," an early precursor to 4BAF in that same year. AVA partnered with the Chattanooga Downtown Partnership to manage the art market component of a larger downtown event, and by 1992, monetary awards were introduced to the festival, boosting its appeal to artists and attendees alike.
The festival reached new heights during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, when many visitors flooded the area and over 11,000 visitors attended 4 Bridges. After a brief hiatus from 1998-2000, AVA relaunched the festival with a new venue in Coolidge Park and a new name: the 4 Bridges Arts Festival, in honor of the iconic bridges visible from the park
The festival’s growth faced challenges, including a flood in 2003 that submerged Coolidge Park and forced a last-minute relocation to the First Horizon Pavilion. Despite these setbacks, the festival flourished in its new indoor venue, attracting larger crowds and national recognition.
By 2004, AVA had secured strong support from the City of Chattanooga and aligned the festival with the city’s 21st Century Waterfront initiative, which helped bolster the festival’s profile. That year, the newly introduced Patron Purchase Program set a record, generating over $103,000 toward the purchase of artwork. The festival continued to expand its reach, drawing artists from across the country and providing a platform for both established and emerging talent to showcase their work
Today, the 4 Bridges Arts Festival is a nationally renowned event, recognized for its dedication to fine art and craft. It features a diverse array of media, from painting and sculpture to ceramics and jewelry, with artists coming from around the country to participate. What sets 4BAF apart is its accessibility!
Art lovers can purchase original works with prices ranging from $25 to several thousand dollars, making it possible for nearly anyone to become a collector. The festival is more than just an art show; it is a community event that brings together artists, patrons, and the public in a celebration of creativity. Supported by loyal sponsors, patrons, and local businesses, 4BAF continues to enhance Chattanooga's cultural landscape, drawing visitors from near and far each year to experience the best in contemporary art.
4 Bridges has hosted many amazing artists over the past 25 years:
Brent Sanders is a fifth generation Chattanoogan and has been part of AVA 4 Bridges for 24 of the 25 years. He has displayed his art, created the poster in 2003 and assisted with implementing the popular Emerging Artist program. His recognizable style is featured in iconic locations across the city, from The Edwin Hotel to The Choo Cho Complex. His artistry has taken him all over the world, including Germany, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
“I was fortunate enough to show up at the right time to be involved in the initial planning of the festival... Though the styles of each group running AVA varies, they all seem to share the passion of advancing local art. One of my favorite memories was the sand painting by Tibetan Monks when the festival was located at Coolidge.”
Shannon Gonzalez, pictured below making her first sale, took a daring leap into the art world in 2023 and joined 4Bridges as an emerging artist:
“My first sale came during the preview party at last year's 4 Bridges Art Festival ... Since then, I've sold over 50 original pieces and 130 limited-edition signed prints, earning several awards along the way. My art now hangs in homes across 14 states and as far away as New Zealand.”
Daryl Thetford, a Chattanooga-based artist, has garnered national recognition since his early participation in the 4 Bridges Art Festival. His dynamic, graphic work blends photography and mixed media into vibrant, modern compositions. He “participated in 4 Bridges Art Festival almost from its beginning” and showed there for years until he found a home at a local gallery. Since then, Thetford’s work has been represented in galleries across Las Vegas, Palm Springs, the Tampa Bay area, Nashville, and Aspen. With over 20 solo exhibits, including his recent show at the Holter Museum of Art, Thetford’s work continues to reach new audiences.
“AVA did an amazing job taking [4 Bridges] seriously as an event that could positively impact Chattanooga, the artists in the area and those interested in the arts. They visited and talked with all of the top shows in the country...understand how to do an art festival right ... the AVA staff continues to recruit artists to apply from all over the country and to create an event that is one of the better events in the country... Chattanooga is better for it.”
