The Metro Nashville Arts Commission is proud to announce the award to design and install a mural at the Looby Community Center to Creative Girls Rock ®, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Nashville young girls and women with opportunities to explore creative arts, youth development, and community engagement. This Public Art project is an initiative developed through the Mayor’s Participatory Budgeting program for community development in North Nashville, under former Mayor John Cooper. The community requested a mural inspired by Z. Alexander Looby’s life and accomplishments, his pursuit of justice, and his enduring national legacy. The mural will be installed on the 28’x 96’ western wall of the building, located in the District 2 Buena Vista Heights neighborhood. "Making the Looby Center into a state-of-the-art community center that houses a multitude of activities and resources and adds to the beautiful landscape of the neighborhood is a top priority. I'm excited that the mural will not only add beauty, it will also celebrate the rich history of North Nashville and Z. Alexander Looby," said District 2 Councilmember Kyonzté Toombs. The Looby Community Center, so named for Nashville civil rights activist and attorney Z. Alexander Looby, houses the Looby Branch Library, the Z. Alexander Looby Theater, and several recreational spaces. The library hosts programs to engage community members of all ages, including story time, tech help programs, and yoga. The Community Center has a weight room, gymnasium, and a full schedule of pickleball, basketball, swimming, and after-school programming for students. The Z. Alexander Looby Theater hosts productions by The Metro Parks Theater and Music Departments, as well as several local professional and community theater companies. The mission of Creative Girls Rock® is to educate and empower young girls and women to utilize their creative talents to enhance their lives and the world around them. Their CGR Mural Program, spearheaded by Lead Mural Artist Elisheba Mrozik, teaches participants essential design principles and techniques for crafting uplifting mural paintings. Their work can be found across Nashville including at John Early Middle School, Slim and Husky’s, and The Healing Trust Foundation. Additionally, mobile murals have been displayed at Tennessee State University, Napier Elementary School, and multiple branches of the Nashville Public Library. “Creative Girls Rock®️ is excited to embark on a new mural project aimed to honor the life and legacy of Z. Alexander Looby in collaboration with lead mural artist, Elisheba Mrozik, founder of Queen Bee Ink and North Nashville Arts Coalition,” said Charmin Bates, Founder and CEO of Creative Girls Rock ®. “By enhancing the cultural vibrancy of our community, this mural project will foster creativity and celebrate our shared heritage. We hope to engage with Greater Nashville by hosting events and inviting inspiring artists, volunteers, and community members to join us in this collaborative endeavor.” Community members are invited to an engagement event with Creative Girls Rock® at Looby Community Center on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 to offer input on the design of the mural. This project is funded in part by the Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County Participatory Budgeting Program for 2022 for Bordeaux and North Nashville. Additional funds are provided by Metro Nashville’s Percent for Public Art Fund, established in 2000 under Mayor Bill Purcell. This fund allocates one percent of funding for designated projects in the Metro Capital Improvements Budget toward the commissioning of public art. When completed, the mural will be added to the Metro Public Art Collection.

Metro Arts began installation of a bold, community-focused addition to Nashville’s Public Art Collection on Thursday, March 7. Located at The Fairgrounds Nashville, Loqui, designed by sculptor and public artist Blessing Hancock, is a monumental, 32 x 32 ft illuminated megaphone-shaped sculpture. It employs a sophisticated lighting system that will illuminate The Fairgrounds at night— enlivening the surrounding area with color patterns that play against the surface of the sculpture. The work is a testament to Nashville’s rich storytelling history and culture. Loqui, meaning “to speak” in Latin, will invite public interaction and incorporate words from local community members into the sculpture. “One of the most purposeful statements I received during the community engagement process in Nashville was that ‘Above all, people here are kind to each other. We uplift one another and come together to help our neighbors out when they need it the most,’” said Hancock. “I aim to establish a meaningful expression of this sentiment and to convey The Fairground’s value as a nationally recognized entertainment venue, through the inclusion of this contemporary artwork.” Blessing Hancock is a public artist creating monumental, site-specific sculptures. She has created more than 50 public and private sculptures internationally. This year, she is installing seven public art pieces across the United States, of which Loqui is her largest and most ambitious. “Loqui will offer the Fairgrounds and visitors a new way to live with art: a way in which art enriches the human experience and creates an atmosphere of participation, curiosity and connection to community,” Hancock said. The Fairgrounds Nashville is located on 117 acres less than two miles south of downtown, and has evolved into a vibrant hub of culture, community engagement, and economic growth. The addition of Hancock’s Loqui to The Fairgrounds complex will be an important reflection of the community to all who visit. Following an open call to artists in July 2019, the submission for Loqui was initially reviewed by a cohort of community panelists. Panelists then recommended Loqui to the Metro Arts Commission and was approved by the Commission in October 2019.  Work began in earnest in early 2020. The installation will culminate in a public unveiling and dedication in the summer of 2024. Councilmember Terry Vo represents District 17, where The Fairgrounds is located, and has been part of the conversation around Loqui since 2019. “Five years ago, I was entrusted with the responsibility of serving as one of the community panelists tasked with selecting Blessing Hancock to create the striking sculpture, Loqui, at The Fairgrounds Nashville,” said Vo. “I am looking forward to summer when the artwork will be completely installed and brought to life, illuminating our city day and night with the words and sentiments chosen by our fellow Nashvillians. This sculpture stands as a testament to our community’s collective voice, forging connections among us as neighbors and celebrating our shared identity.” You can follow the creation and installation process of Loqui at Metro Arts’ social media channels and email newsletter.

You may have heard recently about payment delays for the current Metro Arts funding cycle. We are writing to provide an update to the Nashville community. Over the past year, Metro Arts – alongside our arts community - has been raising awareness about the urgent need to increase the city’s investment in Nashville's arts ecosystem.  This past June, in addition to receiving our regular allocation from the city budget for the current funding cycle (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), Metro Arts received an additional, one-time allocation of $2 million for artists and arts organizations. This $2 million was tied to mid-year budget processes and will not be available for distribution until January 2024, which is different than the typical funding allocation process for Metro Arts funds. As such, we encountered several unexpected delays as we navigated new processes, timelines, and restrictions that, unfortunately, have affected the entire funding distribution process. We are working around-the-clock alongside Metro departments to distribute payments as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, we are actively reviewing our internal processes and systems to ensure that all future payments are issued in a timely manner. We recognize that Metro Arts funding is critical to our community, and we deeply regret the very real and significant impact that payment delays have had on local artists and arts organizations. We commit to doing better as we move forward and into the new year. Kind regards, Daniel Singh

On Wednesday, August 16th, Metro Arts unveiled Whistle, Two, Ready!, a new permanent public art installation created by Daily tous les jours. The artwork dedication was part of the Grand Opening (Phase 1) of Mill Ridge Park in Antioch, Tennessee. The park is a 600-acre property that will be home to playgrounds, exercise equipment, a circular path, trails, and interactive artwork. Whistle, Two, Ready! is a series of five bollards that are positioned within a linear pathway and marked with an inset linework. Together, they create a framework for musical exploration through interaction. The artwork encourages collaboration, and invites passers-by to take a musical shortcut through the park, uncovering new sounds, rhythms, and lights. How it works: Stepping on a line  triggers a short note or phrase. Each line will have a complementary sound which will layer into synced harmony and rhythm. Melodies are created.  As people circle around the bollards, the music becomes richer and more complex. Together, people create varied musical and visual compositions. With increasing footfall and simultaneous exploration, compositions emerge, with musical flourishes unlocked through deeper exploration and cooperation. One of the main creative features for the music is the incorporation of student recordings from the Cane Ridge High School Band, the Rhythmic Ravens.   During a community engagement session held with the artists, students at Cane Ridge learned about technical aspects of the artwork and how their music would be incorporated.  Using the measurements of a marching band, lines on the ground show people where to step. Rhythm is the foundation to the experience: it helps people intuitively synchronize movements. Fun facts about the music: Each bollard contains up to 105 audio files - different instruments, sounds, and layers of sound come in over time. 2 bollards provide the rhythmic foundation to the experience - the drum loops have all been recorded by the Cane Ridge High School band. 3 bollards play sounds by melodic marching band instruments, such as the tuba, the flute, the saxophone and the xylophone. Behind the Scenes of Whistle, Two, Ready! In 2018, Metro Arts formed a selection panel of local community members and design professionals to select a public artist to create a site-specific artwork at the new Mill Ridge Park. The panel selected Daily tous les jours, which leads an emergent field of practice that combines interactive art, storytelling, performance, and urban design to reinvent living together in the 21st century. Founded in 2010 by Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, the award-winning Tiohtia:ke/Montréal-based studio has been producing projects that encourage citizens to play an active role in the transformation of their cities, with the public spaces we share everyday as the canvas. Daily tous les jours collaborated with local artist Robbie Lynn Hunsinger to assist with community engagement, technical work and project feedback. Community engagement included sessions with the public, Friends of Mill Ridge Park, and students from Cane Ridge High School.   Together, they reflected on the Antioch area’s distinct identity, the co-existence of nature and urban growth, its rich history and diversity (environmental, agricultural, social, and cultural), and things that are important to residents, including walking, seating, music, connection, play, and self-expression. This public art installation is funded through Metro Nashville’s Percent for Public Art Fund, established in 2000 under Mayor Bill Purcell. This fund allocates one percent of funding for designated projects in the Metro Capital Improvements Budget toward the commission of artworks in the Metro Public Art Collection. More information about Metro Nashville’s public art collection is available at www.metroartsnashville.com/public-art.

Huether selected by a community panel for artwork at Old Hickory Community Center The Metro Arts Commission is announcing an award to artist Gordon Huether to design, fabricate and install an interior suspended permanent public artwork for the new Old Hickory Community Center in Council District 11. The new regional community center will replace the existing center located at 1050 Donelson Avenue. Huether is an award-winning international artist and was selected out of a strong pool of applicants. Huether has extensive experience working with a variety of media including glass, steel, salvaged materials, resins, and composite materials. His work has been exhibited at museums and galleries, and collected across the United States, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. “I am thrilled to be selected to creatively engage with the community of Old Hickory,” said Huether. “There are so many talented artists out there, so I am especially humbled to have been awarded this project.” Metro Arts received 61 total submissions, including 16 regionally and 11 locally. Following interviews with semi-finalists and further discussion and scoring, a community selection panel recommended Huether to the Public Art Committee and Arts Commission. The community selection panel scores are based on multiple categories, including experience as a professional artist, community engagement, and understanding the scope of work. Huether scored high in each category. “It was important to the panel to pick the artist whose artistic creativity could best reflect the Old Hickory community, its history and unique culture,” said Public Art Committee Vice Chair, Paul Polycarpou. “The quality of submitted work presented by all artists was of a very high level, and narrowing the field of applicants was challenging. Ultimately, after a lot of discussion and deliberation, the panel felt that Gordon showed a deep understanding and sensitivity to the Old Hickory community. I am delighted with their selection.” Later this year, Huether will lead at two community engagements with local residents and stakeholders. Community input will inform the artist’s proposed design for the public art. The artwork will be an interior suspended piece in an area approximately 1050 square feet and will be very visible from the main entrance. After the design is approved, Huether will develop drawings, fabricate, and install the permanent public artwork at the Old Hickory Community Center prior to its targeted opening in Summer of 2024. "Public art shines a light on the many dimensions of a vibrant community: shared history, values, diversity, and expression,” said Councilmember Larry Hagar. “I look forward to seeing Gordon and the Old Hickory community come together in the upcoming months to create a collaborative vision for this interior artwork. This award is funded through Metro Nashville’s Percent for Public Art Fund, established in 2000 under Mayor Bill Purcell. This fund allocates one percent of funding for designated projects in the Metro Capital Improvements Budget toward the commission of artworks in the Metro Public Art Collection. To learn more about the artist, visit www.gordonhuether.com. Visit the Metro Arts website to learn more about Metro's public art collection and current and upcoming calls to artists and artist teams.

“Re-Weaving Juvenile Justice” to address school-to-prison pipeline Metro Arts is pleased to announce that the city of Nashville is one of 17 finalist cities in the running for a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies for temporary art projects addressing a civic issue. There were over 150 applicants. If selected, Metro Arts will work with the city to create Re-Weaving Juvenile Justice, conceptualized by award-winning local artist Stephanie Pruitt-Gaines. Re-Weaving Juvenile Justice will forefront juvenile justice issues through community-based art processes and temporary public art that offer an entry point for critical conversations and civic activation to imagine a better future for all Nashvillians. The proposed project would engage more than 10,000 residents in creating large-scale public art installations of woven poems and sculptural nets. Weaving symbolizes a communal process of advancing restorative arts and creating equitable communities, employing nets as a metaphor for safe landing, protection, and connection. “The goal is to activate our community in the creative process of making Nashville a safer and more just city where young people thrive. The arts help us imagine possibilities and see connective pathways through complex issues,” said Pruitt-Gaines. “Citywide weaving bees will yield massive, poetic sculptures composed of thousands of Nashvillian's ideas.” Pruitt-Gaines envisions that the two-year public art making process will cue a shift from the individual to the collective. According to a 2018 Brookings Institution study, one in seven African American men are incarcerated in North Nashville—the highest in the nation – and child poverty in this ZIP code is 42%, compared to 14% nationally. Meanwhile, when Interstate 40 was built in late 1960s, 650 North Nashville homes were demolished and 1400 North Nashville residents were displaced. The remaining real estate value was decimated by 30% and compounded the loss of familial and communal wealth. This was done intentionally by white planners to avoid having Interstate 40 be close to Vanderbilt University or affect property values in its neighborhoods. Brookings says that efforts to impact education, employment, housing, and other outcomes may miss a significant part of the problem: that wealth and opportunities were extracted by bigoted transportation and housing policies. Reparations must address what caused the damage in the first place: systemic racism. “As the Juvenile Court Judge, I see these intersectional issues affecting our youth and families on a daily basis,” said Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway. “As a court, we understand that the problems started way before the youth is in court.” To address these interwoven complexities, Judge Calloway is pioneering the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment, a family-oriented, trauma-informed center that supports the intrinsic value of all community members and incorporates restorative arts into formal and informal programming. “Restorative justice and arts are uniquely positioned to bridge intersectional needs for the affected communities,” continued Calloway. “The arts expose youth to new experiences and ideas, as well as help them develop their identity, hopes, and dreams while providing mentorship and modeling. This alignment also helps them avoid the stigma of a delinquency conviction, which can negatively affect future educational and job opportunities, while providing them with access to high-quality services.” Campbell West, Metro Arts Public Art Committee Chair, agrees that this deeply impactful initiative addresses several of Mayor Cooper’s priorities for vibrant and more equitable Nashville. “The arts have been a place for communities to come together and ask critical questions,” said West. We can all work together to reimagine solutions for dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline in ways that also impact education, employment, housing, child and youth development, physical and mental well-being, and more. The time to act is now.” This fall, Bloomberg Philanthropies will select up to 10 cities to execute their projects over the next two years. Visit www.publicartchallenge.bloomberg.org to learn more.

Artist Amber Lelli's artwork beautifully integrates the local community and ecosystem NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Metro Arts is pleased to announce the approved design for an interior suspended sculpture at the forthcoming Donelson Branch Library of Nashville Public Library. Designed by local artist Amber Lelli, the artwork reflects the Donelson community and its green space, landmarks, and imagination. The suspended artwork will be installed in a 2-story space at the back of the library, viewable inside from both floors and outside through the back windows. Last summer, Amber engaged with Donelson residents through local activities, including the Hip Donelson Farmer’s Market, Donelson Branch Library’s Family Story Time, and a McGavock High School art class. These conversations provided Amber with valuable information that ultimately inspired this design. “Over the past year, we have engaged with local residents and businesses to capture what best represents our city,” said Lelli. “In response, I have created a sculpture highlighting the outdoors with nods to community and history.” Each element of Amber’s contemporary sculpture brings the beauty of Tennessee’s ecosystem inside the library, including flora + fauna, landmass, and waterfall + river. Its chromed landscape consists of animals and plants that are native to Tennessee. Individual waves of water come together to make a formation representing the Cumberland River, an iconic landmark and historic pathway. Amber says, “For the selection of the sculpture’s fauna, I consulted with Shelle King from JVI Secret Gardens and Ginger-Rose Krueck from Grow Enrichment. These are close-up renderings of some of the plants to be included.” Winterberry, Sweet Betsy Trillium, and the Tennessee state flower, the Iris. People spend their summers on the hunt for the Sweet Betsy Trillium to take photos. It is very rare due to its growth process. The only way in which a Trillium grows is if a seed falls from an existing flower. Then an ant colony has to take that seed into its home, eat all of the sap off of the exterior layer, and then take that seed to their outdoor poop pile. The seed has to germinate from there. It is the only way these flowers can exist and we have this variety, the Sweet Betsy, at Two Rivers Park. Persimmons Tree and the Sunburst (St. John’s Wort), Amber’s personal favorite and a popular one among residents. The Persimmons Tree is also a host plant for the very common luna moths around the state. Tulip Poplar Tree and Aster Flowers. These are found in a variety of colors around Donelson. The Tulip Poplar tree is Tennessee’s state tree. It is also said to be used to construct the Two Rivers Mansion. Native Americans used this wood for many purposes, including canoe building, which led to the nickname “canoe wood.” The artwork design also thoughtfully engages the community from various viewing locations. The chrome-on-chrome effect of the animals and plants creates a finder’s game, with fun to be had for children seeing their reflection morphed amongst the flowers. Viewed on the second floor, plants range in height from 1-7 feet, giving a whimsical feeling of being in a larger-than-life landscape. The river’s pattern of overlapping depths and directions creates the feeling of moving water directly overhead on the first floor. The bottom of the artwork has a reflective surface that adds visual height to the space below and reflects the natural light and sky. For the waves, blue gradient rods create visual movement and mimic a waterfall, while the blue ombre continues into the river components and creates a bridge between the first and second floor experiences. In this model of the wave formation below, you can better see the individual wave shapes. The design pattern in which they will be installed with overlapping depths and directions creates visual movement amongst your eyes. This furthers the feeling of moving water as look directly above. “Overall, this contemporary and modern aesthetic will be timeless and elegant for years to come,” said Amber. “It serves Donelson by providing educational opportunities and capturing parts of its community, green space, landmarks, and imagination. With the Library’s LEED Gold Certification, this sculpture is a visual representation of the building's efforts to preserve and protect our planet's environment for generations.” In 2022, Lelli was awarded by a citizen selection panel of Donelson-area residents and stakeholders. Lelli is an interdisciplinary artist with a focus in sculpture and printmaking based in Nashville, TN. Her portfolio of diverse sculptures, prints and marquetry includes artwork at Nashville International Airport, film sets, the National Bible Museum, and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Learn more about Lelli here on her website. The artwork will be installed in early 2024 with a dedication event to follow.

"Reverie" Reflects the Spirit of Creativity Embodied in the Vibrant Donelson Community NASHVILLE, Tenn. – At their November 17th meeting, the Metro Nashville Arts Commission approved designs for Reverie, a series of Tennessee marble sculptures outside the forthcoming Donelson Branch Library of Nashville Public Library. These landmark sculptures, designed by the artist duo Wowhaus, will create a unique destination in Donelson as part of a dynamic green space for reading, recreation and rest for library patrons and the surrounding community. In March 2022, Wowhaus was selected by a citizen selection panel of Donelson-area residents and stakeholders. “A state of reverie invites creativity and nurtures new ideas,” said Wowhaus artist team Scott Constable and Ene Osteraas-Constable. “This public art installation will foster interaction and encourage reading, writing, drawing, conversation, music and every flavor of creativity and play.  In an era dominated by digital and virtual experiences, Reverie invites presence and visceral engagement with the world around us.” Evoking the early modernist architectural history of Donelson’s Lebanon Pike corridor, Reverie complements the design of the new Donelson Branch Library. It also helps foster a new era of pedestrian accessibility, encouraging people to walk to the library, while also benefitting from proximity to the train line. Reverie will be installed in early 2024. Final artwork placements will be determined in cooperation with the project design team. “We are thrilled to be moving forward with these beautiful installations,” said District 15 Councilmember Jeff Syracuse. "Reverie will be part of an engaging new green space that the heart of Donelson has never had before, bringing the community together to share in enjoying our beautiful new library and support for local, small businesses in and around Donelson Plaza, all within walking distance to a revitalized Donelson Station as a regional transit center.” The design of Reverie was informed and inspired by community engagement sessions with Donelson residents and stakeholders in April 2022, including sessions at the current Donelson library location and Wine Down Nashville, adjacent to the new library site. Founded in 1997, Wowhaus (pronounced “wow-house”) is a trans-disciplinary art and design team whose work spans public art, strategic planning, design, and architecture. Wowhaus explores the common denominators of everyday life, the central question of how things, places, and relationships acquire meaning. They embrace a systems-based, community-engaged approach, finding inspiration in the cultural, historical, and ecological factors that shape a sense of place. Learn more about Wowhaus at www.thewowhaus.com Reverie is funded through Metro Nashville’s Percent for Public Art Fund, established in 2000 under Mayor Bill Purcell. This fund allocates one percent of funding for designated projects in the Metro Capital Improvements Budget toward the commission of artworks in the Metro Public Art Collection. Metro Arts has 178 permanent artworks in their collection. Sixty of these are available for checkout through the Metro Arts Lending Library, a partnership with Nashville Public Library. You can follow the creation and installation process of Reverie at Metro Arts’ social media channels and email newsletter.

Metro Arts' Thrive Invests $178,600 in 22 Artist-Led, Community-Based Projects NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Metro Nashville Arts Commission believes in the power of the arts to co-create a more vibrant and equitable community. Metro Arts' Thrive funds connects artists and organizations with the community to create neighborhood investments and transformations. Thrive Community-Based Art Projects support artist-led, community-based art projects that include collaboration between artists and community partners and organizations. This category is open to individual artists, artist teams, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations. Individual artists or artist teams may apply and identify community partner organization(s), or organizations/businesses may apply and identify artists or artist teams to lead the project. Thrive Artist Incubator Projects focus on artists who are newer to community practice and/or Metro Arts funding and are looking to bring their artistic skills to their community. This category is open only to individual artists and artist teams. Projects should include collaboration between artists and community partners or organizations. This cycle prioritizes artists who have not previously received Thrive funds and include mentoring and professional development workshops. Metro Arts is pleased to celebrate the following recipients: Community-Based Art Projects (18 Projects Awarded) Art is Healing ($9,500) Christina Barclay (Jeni Calhoun), Lead Artists Partnering with Gideon's Army, this project utilizes art therapy to support families affected by gun violence. Workshops will include group activities that incorporate painting, dance, poetry, sound bathing, forest bathing, yoga, and meditation. The process will include video documentation. Four of the sessions will be held biweekly in the months of January and March. The Free Flow of Creativity Project creativity workshops ($7,300) Thandiwe Shiphrah (Kim Arite), Lead Artist An arts learning, and community engagement initiative designed for youth and older adults to introduce fundamental literary and visual art making processes. Age-appropriate workshops will take place over six weeks beginning in January 2023 and culminate in a public presentation. Gilda’s Club Expressive Arts Cancer Support Program ($9,500) Jennifer Wilkins, Lead Artist A variety of art, music, and writing classes every week at their Midtown Clubhouse and virtual, providing opportunities for those with a cancer diagnosis and their loved ones. Homestyle Bakery Public Art Mural ($9,500) Brian Tull, Lead Artist An artist identified community need has developed into the creation of a large-scale mural for the side of Homestyle Bakery on Murfreesboro Road in the Antioch. The mural will depict the history of the neighborhood and the founders of the bakery (since 1975).· The Key: The Awakening ($9,500) Jade Alexandria Daniels, Lead Artist The creation of a feature film that tells the coming-of-age story about a young woman who parents suddenly die. When this happens it reveals the truth about her community that they are witches and fighting a long historical war. Partnering with local colleges and acting studios. Metanoia: Changing The State of Mind ($9,500) Cameron L. Mitchell, Lead Artist From Your Father, a non-profit organization providing resources to youth, will offer poetry workshops that culminate into a spoken word, 360-degree projected imagery, dance, and orchestra arts event. The project will serve those impacted by long term mental health and physical illnesses, along with the fatherless community that From Your Father supports. The Museum of Presence ($9,500) Shabazz Larkin, Lead Artist A local gallery newspaper of the arts and events, "The Museum of Presence" is a pop-up art exhibition that comes in the form of a newspaper distributed by way of coffee shops, novelty Shops and Art Galleries throughout Nashville as well as three exhibitions held January-June 2023. Music City Messiah Festival ($9,100) Lead Artist: Francis Perry Early Music City, First Lutheran Church and the Big Blue Opera Initiatives at Tennessee State University will offer instruction and performances on Saturday, November 12th at the historic First Lutheran Church. This project will connect with youth from Metro Nashville Public Schools, including often under-resourced schools and neighborhoods; members of the LGBTQ community; members of faith communities of color that have historically rendered the work; and persons staying with Room in the Inn, Nashville Rescue Mission, and elsewhere. Nashville Design Week Community Art Project ($9,400) Ava Allen, Lead Artist Eight artists will create sculptures consisting of (4) 22" x 5-6' sculptures of NDW’s branding ligature "22" in honor of the year 2022 and their five-year mark as an organization and non-profit. The sculptures will be on display at various locations and events Oct 31st-Nov 4th, and November 4th at the closing party. Pike Project Poetry Billboard 3 – Downtown Nashville ($9500) Joe Nolan, Lead Artist As a Placemaking process working with homeless members of our community, artist Joe Nolan will create an unexpected display of community-created literary works. Partners on this project include The Contributor, Nashville Public Library (Main), and Room in the Inn. Reigniting African Dance & Drum in Nashville ($9,500) Karen Roberts, Lead Artist A community wide initiative, collaborating with Coleman, Sevier, Hartman and Centennial Metro Parks Community Centers, providing dance and drum workshops, classes, and performances between February - April 2023. Community partners include Oz Arts Nashville, Global Education Center, Nashville Ballet, and the Frist Art Museum. Revived Expression: Unearthing the Inner Creative ($9,500) Ashley Mintz, Lead Artist Multiple workshops and classes working in visual art, improv and dance for youth, adults, and seniors in underserved communities. Community partners include Parkwood Community Center, Mending Hearts, and McCabe Community Center. Shine and Rise – Senior Portraits Class of ’23 ($2500) Lead Artist: Donna Moffitt Partnering with the Community Achieves program in Metro Schools as well as Oasis Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN and Preston Taylor Ministries Shine Photography will provide fifty high school seniors with a unique portrait experience. Songs from My Childhood: Stories of Musical Inspiration ($9,500) Rachel Rodriguez, Lead Artist A collaborative music performance providing storytelling and song with a collective group of diverse artists who will share their story and unique artistic journey. Each artist will demonstrate, on their instrument, the specific song that inspired them to take their musical path. Communiyt partners include Soul Vibes Global, Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America (ELLA), The Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce, The Cremona Strings, and Music Makers Stage at Delgado Guitars. Verge Theater’s THE BEST GAME ($9,500) Alicia Haymer, Lead Artist A two-person play highlighting the conflict between a highly driven NYU student, who takes a risky detour when she decides to seek out her long-lost father. Project goals include to craft a theatrical experience that has strong artistic merit and speaks to the attending audiences; to hire 11 local artists, committing to We See You White America's standard of 50% people of color; and to work with at least one social service agency per performance weekend in a community conversation. William Edmondson Arts & Cultural Festival ($9,500) Mark Schlicher, Lead Artist The inaugural Edgehill community event featuring live music, dance, and spoken word, visual arts displays from Metro Schools students, and dozens of artists displaying and selling their original artwork and crafts. Youth Wind Symphony ($6,800) Bruce Ayers, Lead Artist The Nashville African American Wind Symphony (NAAWS) will host a series of youth workshops focused on instruction and performance etiquette led by wind symphony professionals. The public musical exhibition, workshops, and concert will take place over the course of three months. Partnering MNPS high schools include: Cane Ridge, East Nashville Magnet, Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet, Whites Creek, and others to be confirmed. The Zoo Bridge Mural ($9,500) Stephen Sloan, Lead Artist A community art project to replace a deteriorated mural painted on four CSX railroad pillars crossing Nolensville Road near the entrance to the Nashville Zoo. Thrive Artist Incubator Projects (4 Projects Awarded) Letter Perch ($5,000) Danielle Myers, Lead Artist Letter Perches are benches ("perches") designed by artists and constructed from hand-lettered type and manufactured from wood, metal, resin, and potentially ceramic. Artists will produce up to three perches and locate them on TSU campus and area parks. Reality Abstracted ($5,000) Amanda Reichert, Lead Artist An interdisciplinary dance project that will involve the creation of a new dance work by Nashville based freelance artists, community workshops to engage with middle and high school aged students, culminating with a premiere during the First Saturday Art Crawl in late Spring of 2023. Visionary Vocal Collaborative ($5,000) Sangeetha Ekambaram, Lead Artist The experimental foundation of a new classical vocal ensemble, the Visionary Vocal Collaborative. The project consists of three performances between January - June 2023. The Visionary Vocal Collaborative is an artist-led, innovative classical vocal ensemble composed of 4-5 core singers. Vol. 1 ($5,000) Tony Williams II, Lead Artist A multi-medium event with visual art, DJ’s, performing music, and a variety of culture, audio, and lighting production to create a new creative community gathering with style. Will take place at the CE Gallery and Cecret.

It may be fall already, but we have so many fond memories of our partnership with Metro Action Commission's POWER Youth Program. This summer youth employment program, formerly known as Opportunity NOW, leveraged the arts to support 139 youth (ages 14-15) who were placed with nine area nonprofits and businesses for summer jobs. Keep reading to be inspired by these youth and organizations in our community! Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership: Arts Discovery Program The Arts Discovery Program provided an opportunity for youth to explore various artistic careers. Each week, they learned a new artistic skill and assessed their viability in pursuing that art medium as a career path. At the end, youth worked together to create an exhibition to showcase their work, contributing to community building within the Edgehill and larger South Nashville community. From the Heart International Education Foundation: Music in the Making - Code, Create and Perform (C3P) Music in the Making: Code, Create and Perform (C3P) provided 24 youth an opportunity to work in a tech-infused musical workplace. Introducing the intersectionality of technology and traditional music was a primary focus to motivate new and aspiring youth to the arts. Youth experienced a unique arts program and gained valuable job-related skills such as live music coding, artist interviews, setting up for performances (Roady), project work plans, and inventory of equipment. Programs such as C3P are effective skills accelerators that teach specific technical skills (from coding to digital marketing to live performances) through intense sessions with a strong career focus and ultimately better equip them to succeed in a globalized society. Global Education Center: We Are All Related - A Musical Theater Creation Under the direction of Dance Director Luis Alejandro Rivera, youth created an original musical theater piece that highlights the commonalities of all people and emphasizes that we are all members of the human family regardless of our multiple self-identities. Youth were introduced to various components of musical theater, including music, voice, dance, set design, production, and performance. Each component of the program encompassed broad knowledge and understanding of how different arts traditions weave together to give voice to our history, validate our present, and encourage our futures. Youth also learned vocabulary and history of musical theater; engaged in individual and small-group choreography; chose accompanying music; created original pieces; experienced role-playing and dialogue-sharing; and developed performance evaluation skills. King's Daughters Child Development Center: Arts Enrichment Program Youth participating at King's Daughters learned about chosen art forms, including theater, literary arts, and music-- and careers related to that art form. They planned arts-related lessons for young children, led arts-related activities, learned about and utilized positive discipline in classroom settings, and collected and analyzed student feedback to inform future lessons. They also collaborated with team members to create arts-related projects including a school-wide project, used feedback from mentors to make productive changes in planning and teaching approaches, and participated in question and answer sessions with guest speakers in arts- or education-related career fields. Moves & Grooves: ARTrepreneur Project The ARTreprenuer Project focused on supporting youth in building their artistic talents to serve a greater purpose in their community. They were challenged with identifying a community issue and creating a revenue-generating idea to bring greater awareness to the issue. Participants acted as teaching assistants, team leaders, and understudies as they shadowed local entrepreneurs to gain knowledge of how to plan and design a business from concept to creation. Students also worked with local professional artists to establish a climate survey of needs, learn how to incorporate film and music to tell a story, and learn the facets and techniques in various fields to be able to further their artistic abilities. The summer concluded with a "Shark Tank" style pitch show where they presented their designs and business concepts to business leaders from the community. Notes for Notes: Into the Mix - Journey of a Song Youth were immersed in the core of the music-making process as they worked together in collaborative, music-making environments. Three N4N Producers acted as program leads, mentors, and musical guides to youth through the music-making process. Over the 7-week summer project, youth teams held jobs in each of the three Nashville studios in three teams each consisting of musicians, producers, artists and songwriters. Teams worked together to create a collaborative 7-song album as they explored potential music industry jobs. Prado Studio: Creative Placemaking Apprenticeship & Mosaic Mural Creation Local artist team Jairo and Susan Prado facilitated a 7-week public art apprenticeship program at Prado Studio. During the 2-week zoom portion of the hybrid work experience, team members and peer leaders learned about creative arts-based careers, heard from multiple local guest artists/speakers, received guidance about designing their own resume for future job/college applications, and received training for a variety of job skills. They also learned about the history and process of mosaic-making, which inspired the design for our project. The 5-week in-person time at the studio focused on the development of a mosaic mural that represents the stories of the Sisters of Mercy and their contributions to the health, educational opportunities, and quality of life for our Nashville community. Youth took on a number of specialized roles related to mosaic construction. Friends and families attended a showcase on their last day, celebrating their accomplishments and efforts. Southern Word: Creating Cultural Centers Through Words and Music Through the POWER program, Southern Word convened two teams of youth artists to create and distribute artistic content centered around writing and music. Youth engaged in songwriting, poetry, and music production while developing the skills necessary to market and distribute that content. Southern Word convened youth writers and music producers with their adult counterparts, offering youth the opportunity to build the fundamental skills necessary to produce and distribute integrated writing and music pieces. The project delivered three art showcases across the Nashville area. Turnip Green Creative Reuse: Sustainability & Arts Youth Program Youth acquired several work-readiness skills by engaging in Turnip Green Creative Reuse's areas of service: Green Galleries, Open Studio, Creative Reuse Center, the community garden The Turnip Seed, and education/outreach, all of which support Turnip Green’s mission of fostering creativity and sustainability through reuse. Youth were divided into groups based on their interests and how they relate to Turnip Green’s areas of service, and worked on a collaborative project which was presented at the end of their internship.

Tennessee Arts Commission’s “Arts Build Communities” Grants Broaden Access to Arts & Cultural Experiences NASHVILLE, Tenn. - At their August board meeting, the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission (“Metro Arts”) confirmed the allocation of $51,790 in grants to 18 nonprofit organizations as part of the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities (ABC) program. Funded by the Tennessee General Assembly, ABC is administered in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission and designated agencies throughout Tennessee. Metro Arts administers up to $3500 per organization to foster community-focused arts projects in Davidson County, allocating a total of $51,790 based on each successful applicant’s panel rating. “We’re grateful for this long-standing partnership with the Tennessee Arts Commission,” said Metro Arts Executive Director Daniel Singh. “Arts Build Communities is one more program that broadens access to a creative life for every Nashvillian and strengthens the sustainability of asset-based cultural experiences. Congratulations to this year’s recipients! We look forward to your community-centered projects and initiatives.” Metro Arts welcomes and celebrates first-time recipients of the ABC grant: Claiborne Family of Faith Worship Center, “Athens of the South” - The creation of a mural by artist Charles “Jamersonsgc” Key for the JC Napier neighborhood. $2,900 Defy Film Festival - Administrative support for festival. $2,500 Elmahaba Center, “Arab Artist Exhibit” - Hosting the first Arab artist exhibit in Nashville with 5-10 local photographers, calligraphists, poets, designers, filmmakers, and iconographers. $3,100 Friends of Metro Dance, “Animata Arts” - Artist residencies resulting in the creation of new works of art featured at the Centennial Performing Arts Studio for dance. $2,500 Japan-America Society of Tennessee, “2023 Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival” – A unique event featuring multiple artists performances at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. $3,200 Metro Arts also recognizes these returning ABC grant award recipients for their continued commitment to the Nashville community: Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville, “Arts Build Communities in May” – Performance and visual arts activities during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. $2900 Conexión Américas, “Then and Now: 20 Años Después” - A community-centered photography project featuring immigrants 20 years after settling in Nashville. $3,300 DancEast Collective Youth – An affordable and intensive dance program with ten teaching artists mentoring thirty youths ages 8-19. $2,700 Intersection, “Innovative Collaborative Opportunities for Intersection Musicians and Southern Word Youth Artists” - A mentoring collaboration using literary and performing arts to create new works of art. $1,700 Numinous Flux Dance Company, “River Project Artist and Material Support” - Three open dance workshops surrounding the creative process, held at Artistry in Motion Dance Center in Hermitage TN. $2,900 Porch Writers' Collective, “The Porch Presents Ada Limon” - Artist fees for poet Ada Limon presenting a free public reading and craft lecture. $3,000 Rejoice Ministries, Inc., “Read to Me, Dance with Me” Dance and Literacy Arts Outreach Pilot Program – A community outreach program providing series of ten pilot dance and literacy-focused events for young children and families. $3,500 Tennessee Youth Symphony Ambassadors – The creation of small youth ensembles for outreach activities. $1790 Theater Bug, “The Playground: Youth Playwright Production ‘My Favorite Season’” - The theatrical presentation of an original script by 17-year-old playwright Liliana Gomez. $3,000 Turnip Green Creative Reuse, “Green Gallery Artist Residency” – A collection of artists developed projects culminating into a group exhibit. $3,200 Unscripted, “Improv Your Customer Service” – Developed with community partners at Jefferson Street United Merchant Partnership (JUMP), Unscripted will offer improv theatre workshops in a unique community setting. $3,200 Vanderbilt University, “Vanderbilt University Divinity School Black History Month Art Exhibition with Elisheba Mrozik” – In recognition of Black history month, Vanderbilt will host an artist exhibition, art making and meditation activity. $3,100 Verge Theater Company, “The Black Future Project” - A multifaceted community-based program including a teen writing workshop, staged reading, and a documentary screening with a block party. $3,300 Learn more about the ABC grant program at the Tennessee Arts Commission website, and view a complete list of Davidson County ABC Grant recipients at the Grants page of the Metro Arts website. About Metro Arts Metro Arts is the Nashville Office of Arts + Culture. Our mission is to drive a vibrant and equitable community through the arts. Metro Arts strives to ensure that all Nashvillians have access to a creative life, and we work toward this goal through community investments, artist and organizational training, public art and creative placemaking, and direct programs involving residents in all forms of arts and culture. Metro Arts receives operational support from the Tennessee Arts Commission, and additional information is available online at MetroArtsNashville.com

Singh Centers Strategic Leadership, Collaboration and Equity in the Next Chapter of Metro Arts Published August 25, 2022 Nashville, Tenn. - After a nationwide search, the Metro Arts Commission has named Daniel Phoenix Singh, an international and multi-lingual performing artist and arts leader, as the next Executive Director. Singh is excited to serve Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Arts + Culture. Most recently, Singh served on the board of Maryland Citizens for the Arts, an advocacy arm for Maryland State Arts Council. He worked on increasing funding for the arts, advancing equitable funding practices, and championing direct grants to artists through both state and county arts agencies. In July 2022, he completed a year-long training program with the Government Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE) on re-imagining municipal processes and systems through an equity lens. “We’re thrilled to welcome Daniel Singh to the Athens of the South,” said Mayor John Cooper. “Nashville’s thriving visual and performing arts communities and diverse culture make us one of the most dynamic and interesting places in America to live. Daniel’s leadership at the helm of Metro Arts will be an exciting addition and help us continue to create a Nashville that works for everyone.” In selecting Singh, the Metro Arts Commission noted his bold vision as an important factor. That vision includes the role of Metro Arts in providing a mirror and tool for a powerful re-imagining of our lives and our society through the arts. “The arts are the nexus of critical interrogation, a sanctuary for those on the margins, and a repository for the emotional energy of our complicated times,” Singh said. “Together, we can leverage the collective power of the arts ecosystem as a catalyst for change.” “Singh brings an interdisciplinary perspective and a systems-level approach to arts leadership,” said Matia Powell, Chair of the Metro Arts Commission. “One of his many strengths is his ability to engage diverse communities and operationalize equity-centered practices and processes, particularly in the government sector. Singh is also a passionate arts advocate who envisions innovative partnerships in education, social justice, technology, and other fields to address system-level inequities.” Singh grew up in India and moved to the United States to attend the University of Maryland. In 2003, he founded a nationally acclaimed dance company. Later, he obtained master’s degrees in fine arts from the University of Maryland and in business administration from Georgetown University. Singh will work closely with the Nashville community, Commission members, and staff to build trust and relationships with local artists, arts organizations, and community stakeholders. This process will include listening sessions to ensure that all community voices, needs, and ideas are heard. “As we look at publicly funded goals and strategies, ensuring that the community vision is deeply woven into our path forward is crucial,” Singh said. Concurrently, he will work alongside Metro Arts staff to review internal processes and systems and align them with a new vision and strategic plan for a more just and equitable arts ecosystem. About Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Arts + Culture Our mission is to drive a vibrant and equitable community through the arts. Metro Arts strives to ensure that all Nashvillians have access to a creative life, and we work toward this goal through community investments, artist and organizational training, public art, and direct programs involving residents in all forms of arts and culture. Metro Arts receives operational support from the Tennessee Arts Commission, and additional information is available online at www.MetroArtsNashville.com.