ArtsBuild and EPB are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Chattanooga’s arts and cultural community.
Named for philanthropist Ruth Holmberg (1921–2017), the award celebrates her lasting influence on Chattanooga’s arts, civil rights, and education.
“The arts are powerful tools for change, and both Frances and John embody Ruth Holmberg’s spirit by using creativity to empower and uplift our community,” says ArtsBuild Board President Quincy Jenkins.
Frances McDonald
Making Marks of Citizenship and EmpowermentIn 1998, while leading a block-long mural project with 120 Chattanooga youth, artist Frances McDonald discovered the power of public art to foster citizenship and belonging.
This experience led her to found Mark Making in 2008, a nonprofit that aspires to be an oasis of hope and a catalyst for change through art. Under her leadership, the organization has collaborated with nearly 100 partners and engaged more than 4,200 marginalized residents through workshops and creative projects, advancing a vision of equity through art.
John Beder
A Filmmaker’s Focus on Resistance and Social JusticeEmmy-nominated filmmaker John Beder began his career amplifying underrepresented voices and stories of resilience. His first feature, Composed, explored mental health in the performing arts, setting his path toward socially impactful storytelling.
With his wife and producing partner, Katie DeRoche, he co-founded Bedrock Productions, producing documentaries on social justice, public health, and climate change. His acclaimed film How to Sue the Klan chronicles five Black Chattanooga women whose 1982 civil suit set a national legal precedent against hate groups. Though now based in Australia, Beder’s work continues to inspire Chattanoogans.
The 2025 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Awards will be presented in early December, sponsored exclusively by EPB.