Support and enjoy TN Arts & Culture from home

Home > Support and enjoy TN Arts & Culture from home

(b.1943 Jackson, TN) lives in Germantown, TN
Sunny Side, c.1970s
Watercolor on paper, 21 ¾ x 28 ¾ inches, 79.132.70

Many arts organizations and artists are sharing creative ways to bring the arts into our homes. The TN Arts Commission is collecting and posting online arts events that you can enjoy and by doing that, you are supporting TN arts and culture. If you are conducting a virtual arts experience, please send it to suzanne.lynch@tn.gov to be included in this list.

  • The Nashville Shakespeare Festival partners with the Frist Art Museum for another immersive “Shakespeare in the Galleries” performance, this time online! Inspired by the exhibition J.M.W. Turner: Quest for the Sublime, Festival actors and musicians will breathe life into these romantic paintings through drama and music. Audience members will view the exhibit as carefully curated poems, songs, and instrumentals highlight selected works. Friday, May 15. Time: 6:30 pm Central Time on Zoom. FREE, registration required. Register HERE.
  • JESTERS DEAD: A Top Gun Shakesparody. Inspired by “Top Gun” & The Works of William Shakespeare mashed together by Rhett Henckel & Nat McIntyre The play follows the story of the 1986 classic movie TOP GUN starring Tom Cruise, using lines from the film interspersed with lines from every one of Shakespeare’s plays. Nat McIntyre directs the online, edited version with an all-female cast of Nashville actors, that has been recorded by the actors from their homes. Thursday, May 28th. Time: 7 pm Central on the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s YouTube channel. FREE, with a suggested donation of $20.
  • Southern Word has free weekly workshops focusing on fiction writing, beats and demos, live-mix sessions, DJing, music production and more. Check out Southern Word’s event calendar to get a full schedule.
  • Join #Kidsville as Kyla reads, “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell – a story of three owl babies missing their mommy. Gather natural materials before the read to make your own cozy nest. After the story, use the resources linked below for further learning and fun! Owl Babies Storytelling Activities: bit.ly/3bv6YG0
  • The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera have come together virtually for a socially distant performance of Carl Nielsen’s Woodwind Quintet, a piece they’ll be performing live during Quartets and Quintets, our November 15 Chamber Series concert. They have dedicated the piece to all of the front line workers who have given so much to our community in the face of COVID-19.
  • Frist Art Museum We Count: First-Time Voters features the work of five local artists inspired by the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Originally scheduled to be on view in the Conte Community Arts Gallery, the exhibition will go live at FristArtMuseum.org/WeCount on May 1. It will highlight the history and challenges of voting in the United States and the first voting experiences of a diverse group of Nashvillians.
  • Playhouse on the Square PRODUCTION PHOTO QUIZ #1. Think you can name the show with just ONE picture? We love our patrons, young and old! Whether you’ve been around since the beginning or you just joined the family, take a crack at our new weekly Production Photo Quizzes! Be sure to let us know how you did online by using #POTSProud when you share! Break a leg! Take the quiz: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QRW6DDK
  • Poverty and the Arts offers Painting Sunsets with A.M. HASSAN. Join us online on May 6 at 6PM CST where we’ll be kicking off the Big Payback with POVA Artist, A.M. HASSAN! She’ll be leading a 15-minute demo teaching viewers how to paint her beautiful sunsets on canvas. Register for A.M. HASSAN’s Painting Sunsets Workshop Here.
  • Watkins School of Art invites you to join now at harmonyshowcase.com!Starting today, enjoy the full experience of Watkins’ first-ever virtual Graphic Design & Illustration show. View our work, leave comments and pre-order some special Harmony goods. Also, make sure you’re following @harmonyshowcase on Instagram. Starting May 1, each artist will take over the account for the day to give you a peek into their process and share more about their work. You don’t want to miss it!
  • Vanderbilt Blair School. Have a grandparent, neighbor or older loved one who needs an uplifting performance from a classical music student during the pandemic? All you need is access to a video conferencing app such as Zoom, FaceTime or Skype for the person to watch from their home. To set up a time for an online performance, email Zack Ebin at zachary.ebin@vanderbilt.edu.
  • Metro Arts presents April 2020 THRIVE Projects, Bringing Nashvillians Together from the Safety of Home
  • New links courtesy of the Nashville Arts & Business Council

  • Hattiloo Theatre invites you to join a discussion exploring what makes Black Theatre, Black. From as early as the Black Arts Movement, this question has been raised and discussed in various circles of artists, academicians, art enthusiasts, etc. Five panelists will weigh in on the subject and then enter into an open conversation with you about the subject. Click the following URL to join in: https://zoom.us/j/96172415191

  • Socket, Nashville’s Sustainability Outlet, a program of the Metro Department of General Services, is connecting kids and families with online resources to stay busy and engaged. The second annual Socket Kids Art Contest (https://socket.nashville.gov/art), is in honor of Earth Month. Nashville kids ages 5-10 are invited to draw a picture of Socket the Dog doing something good for the planet, take a photo of their entry, and submit it via our website for a chance to win. Prizes include annual memberships to the Nashville Zoo, Adventure Science Center, and Cheekwood! The deadline for submitting entries is coming up on Earth Day, April 22.
  • Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group in Memphis is offering many virtual events in April:
    • Storytime with la Abuela Tomasa, every Tuesday on Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/events/220727202479534/
    • A Children’s Day celebration with a Virtual Family Pajama Party on April 30, 2020, via Zoom. Link for registration: https://forms.gle/PZrJTRjtU6mxNKKH6
    • Cazateatro y sus amigos, every Friday at 6:00 pm on Instagram live. Join for a conversation with Cazateatro friends around the world to talk about art, theatre, music, dance and more!
  • The Frist Art Museum presents We Count: First-Time Voters, an online exhibition featuring the work of five local artists inspired by the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Originally scheduled to be on view in the Conte Community Arts Gallery, the exhibition will go live at FristArtMuseum.org/WeCount on May 1, 2020. It will highlight the history and challenges of voting in the United States and the first voting experiences of a diverse group of Nashvillians.
  • Each Monday Music for Seniors will provide you with a link to a unique music program created especially for you and brought to you by our Musician Partners, or by a staff member (Matt and Sarah). Each weekly program will feature a new musician, new songs and bring you new love and energy from the talented folks who normally bring you the wide variety of songs and music you have come to expect and love – just as delivered to you in person through our regular Outreach. Sign up here: https://musicforseniors.org/still-here-for-you
  • The Clay Lady’s Campus Co-op artists, Jackie Welch Schlicher and Mark Schlicher are doing Sing-a-longs everyday on during the Quarantine on Facebook.
  • Dolly Parton will be reading a children’s book for bedtime in a series entitled, Goodnight With Dolly beginning Thursday, April 2 at 6 p.m., on The Imagination Library Official social channels.
  • Hattiloo Theatre Hattiloo begins our free “Caught on Tape” series with its performance of ‘If Scrooge was a Brother’ from December 2014 very intentionally. The same elements of privilege, greed and discrimination that Dickens highlighted all those years ago are certainly thriving in our present society. As we have put life as we know it on hold, let’s liken that interruption to Eb Scroo’s very interrupted night of sleep. Many of us are reflecting on life as it was, Christmas past, how different our experiences are in this “new normal”, Christmas present, and somewhat anxious about what changes we will face once social distancing is lifted, Christmas future. May we all accept the challenge to grow through our current “interrupted night of sleep” to awaken with a heart of gratitude and generosity; a focus on family and forgiveness; and a greater sense of responsibility to each other. Just click the following link and enjoy the show at your leisure. https://hattiloo.org
  • OZ Arts Nashville Banish the blahs with an uplifting dose of inspiration! We’ve just released the latest episode of our #BraveNewArt podcast featuring poet Ciona Rouse, who you may remember from her joyful performances in The Longest Night at OZ Arts. In this episode, Ciona recalls the liberating moment she claimed her space as an artist and discusses creative collaboration in a traditionally isolated discipline. Listen here: bit.ly/BNACiona
  • Engage online with the Metal Museum:
  • The 2020 Dogwood Arts Festival is going virtual. The virtual festival launched today at https://festival.dogwoodarts.com/ and showcases 109 artists from around the country who were juried in to participate this year. There will also be a Public Vote component to the Virtual Festival, and cash prizes will be awarded to the three artists with the most votes (First Place: $500, Second Place: $300, Third Place: $200). The public vote will be open March 31st – April 30th with winners announced on May 1st. Festival Website: https://festival.dogwoodarts.com/ Public Vote Link: https://bit.ly/3dGYrlB
  • Music for Seniors  Matt Bridges is kicking off weekly Virtual Outreach with his unique “RhythmSession” featuring sing-alongs with rhythm. Watch and sing and clap, tap or dance along. Or – grab your tambourine or frame drum or other percussion instruments (spoons?!) and join in. https://youtu.be/V-W3VD6n-ks
  • Jessica Young is a Nashville children’s book author who has created a series of short videos for kids where she reads one of her books or part of one and posts an activity for kids to do at home, many with printable activity pages. She also plans to do a chapter book read-aloud next week with one of her longer books, reading a chapter each sitting from her “Reading Fort”: https://jessicayoungbooks.wordpress.com/teachersandkids
  • Playhouse on the Square
    While you’re spending time at home, join us online at the Home Underground for our three-part mini-series: “Story Time in Neverland”
  • Kingsport Ballet is providing Livestream classes (ballet, dance movement and modern) to all levels of students by way of Facebook and Zoom. Assistant to the Artistic Director, Leonid Flegmatov’s advanced class has been joined by students and professional dancers from around the country and abroad, including Puerto Rico, Colombia, Bahamas and Russia. The classes are offered through a closed Facebook group. Interested parties may follow the link and request to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/201756257816056/Kingsport Ballet has created a new Blog – Ballet Babble – on our website:https://ballet2017.wpengine.com/blog/  in order to help keep families and students connected and inspired. Various home projects have been implemented, including the student creation of a nature-inspired tutu design contest. Submitted designs will be judged and the winner will win a $50 gift certificate to KB’s ballet boutique. Student-created tutu designs will be on display on KB’s Facebook page and in the studio upon return to classes.
  • Belcourt Theatre
    While the Belcourt Theatre, Nashville’s nonprofit film center, remains closed, its slate of online “virtual” programming grows, providing area film fans unique opportunities to see new releases and engage in online learning opportunities. Currently, audiences can watch a selection of films online that the Belcourt had planned to open on its big screens and are not yet available for streaming rental. In addition, a weekly film seminar and film club provide chances for conversations and discussion around particular movies and aspects of cinema. Film distributors, in partnership with the Belcourt and other art houses around the country, are providing virtual ticketing for many of their new releases which were slated to open in theatres like the Belcourt this month or in March. While movie theaters are closed, these partnerships enable Belcourt audiences to see movies not yet available on typical streaming platforms, with a portion of these virtual ticket revenues returned to the Belcourt from distributors. The following titles are currently available:
  • Sundress Academy for the Arts
    Sundress Publications is now accepting submissions for consideration for inclusion in our new review series, Sundress Reads. We’re looking to write featured reviews for books with release dates from February 1-April 30, 2020. We at Sundress hope to champion writers whose work highlights human struggle and challenges misconceptions
  • Frist Art MuseumLet’s take a stroll through the exhibition J.M.W Turner: Quest for the Sublime together, shall we? One of England’s greatest artists, J.M.W. Turner was a leading figure in the Romantic movement, which arose in response to the Enlightenment emphasis on reason over emotion. The oil paintings and watercolors in this exhibition span Turner’s career, from the 1790s —1840s. Storm and flood are portrayed as compelling forces unto themselves; mountains and sea show the world in a state of flux; human transition is captured as well, with images of steamships and other suggestions of industry heralding the ascendant machine age.
  • Tennessee State Museum
    If you are currently at home with children, Color Our Collections is a great activity that you can do using just your printer. These free coloring book pages featuring popular objects from our collection for you to paint as your own. Recent additions include one of Dolly Parton’s performance outfits, 1938 Farmall tractor, our log cabin, Manny’s House of Pizza tricycle, and more. Share your completed coloring pages with us on social media by tagging the Museum and using #ColorOurCollections!