Songbirds began in 2016 as a world-class guitar museum and has evolved into one of Chattanooga’s most beloved intimate listening spaces and event venues that is a staple of the Southside community.
The venue is run by the Songbirds Foundation, a nonprofit focused on creative economy building and music education.
Every performance and event rental directly supports programs that provide mentorship, instruments, and career pathways for young people, as well as children across the South, through their key programs Guitars for Kids and Write to Rock.
In speaking with the executive director for Songbirds about the venue, John Dooley, he mentioned how impactful the pandemic was for reshaping the way they approached the museum and their mission.
“When the pandemic hit, the museum closed, and the future was a little uncertain. The foundation kept the education work alive during that time, and when the doors reopened, we made a thoughtful shift toward being a creative space for the city. The museum model was beautiful but not sustainable on its own, and the shutdown made that crystal clear. When we relaunched, we built around a different set of values: access, community, and the creative economy. Instead of focusing on a collection, we focused on people.
Today we operate as a music venue, an education hub, and a home for creative community building. The guitars are still part of our story, but the mission has grown into something broader and more people-centered.”
On any given day at Songbirds, one can expect to walk in on a masterclass with high school students, a band loading in for a show, or a group of young creators working on a project in the studio. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and intimate.
When it comes to selecting the musicians who perform at Songbirds, they are focused on people who are shaping culture in thoughtful ways, not specific genres. This could include everything from jam bands, Americana, soul, indie rock, hip-hop, jazz, and experimental work to even themed shows and tribute nights.
Songbirds’ flagship educational program, Guitars for Kids, began in 2017 and has helped provide over 2,500 free guitars and over 250,000 hours of free music lessons to kids across the South. Their program, Write to Rock, is a songwriting workshop for elementary students, where children work with professional musicians to craft their own songs. These community-oriented programs are incredibly important to Songbirds, and Dooley spoke about even more community efforts that are worth highlighting.
“Community work is the backbone of what we do. Our education and workforce programs operate in over 150 schools and partner sites across Tennessee, and we work closely with organizations like ArtsBuild, the Urban League, Chattanooga STEM School, and the Boys and Girls Clubs.
We also collaborate with teaching artists, public schools, and a wide network of local partners who help us reach students who might not otherwise have access to creative opportunities. For us, it is all about building pathways into the creative economy and making sure young people in Chattanooga can see themselves in it.”
When asked about plans to expand in the next three to five years, Dooley mentioned that they have a strong vision for their future plans.
“Three to five years from now, I want Songbirds to be a recognized center for creative development in the Southeast. A place where artists record, collaborate, perform, and grow. A home base for students who want to build skills for creative careers. A trusted venue for locals and a destination for visitors who care about music and culture. We are expanding our education programming, building out more recording and content creation opportunities, and deepening our partnerships across the city.
The vision is to knit together the venue, the studio, and the educational side so they work as one ecosystem. More special programming is definitely coming. We want to create experiences that feel uniquely Chattanooga, rooted in community and creativity.”
Songbirds is more than just an incredible live music venue; it is also a guitar museum and, through the work of the Songbirds’ foundation, a hub for empowering Chattanooga's youth and community through workshops, music education, and access to free instruments. For both Songbirds and the greater music community in Chattanooga, the future looks promising.
Songbirds
- 206 W Main St, Chattanooga, TN.
- songbirdsfoundation.org