About Metro Arts
Metro Nashville Arts Commission or “Metro Arts” is the office of Arts + Culture for Nashville and Davidson County. We believe that arts drive a more vibrant and equitable community. We strive to ensure that all Nashvillians have access to a creative life through community investments, artist and organizational training, public art and creative placemaking coordination and direct programs that involve residents in all forms of arts and culture.
Grants Committee Update
The Grants Committee met on Thursday, March 27th and discussed the status of the FY25 grant cycle and tentative plans for FY26 cycle. You can watch the meeting recording HERE.
These are the documents the Commission discussed:
Community Engagement and Conversations
Metro Arts FY26 Engagement Period, Pre-Guidelines Approval
Metro Arts has moved quickly into discussions and planning for the next grant cycle for FY26. We do this while acknowledging a few important points:
➢FY25 grantees will not have received payment yet for their recently authorized grants.
➢We want to start engagement for the next cycle to prevent further delays for the next round.
➢If the goal is to prevent further delays for FY26, then we are only able to engage on changes around the edges – things that can be adjusted in the next 4-6 weeks without requiring extensive rounds of revisions and feedback cycles.
All engagement events will facilitate space for getting/giving clarity on FY25, discussing what is possible for FY26, and knowing that larger changes will be deferred to FY27.
The following links are the event slides with questions to prompt the group discussions in our community conversations and also information about the FY25 cycle outcomes.
*FY26 Engagement Discussion Questions
*FY26 Community Engagement Slides for April 2025 events
If you unable to attend any of this month's events, or have more questions and ideas to share, you can provide direct feedback for staff in the survey below.
April 2025 Community Engagement Survey
Updates on FY25 Grants (General Operating & Thrive)
We are happy to report that the Metro Council approved the FY25 Grant and Funding Policies on January 21, 2025. You can find updated information, FAQs, and important documents on the Operating and Thrive pages. This grant cycle is for applications that were submitted in January 2024. You can expect more information about FY26 in the coming weeks.
We know that the delays in funding have caused hardship for artists and the communities they serve, and we deeply regret the challenges you have faced because of these delays and the lack of communication from Metro Arts. The Metro Arts Commission is committed to ensuring that future grant cycles are free of these kinds of delays, and that artists receive the communication and support they need to succeed.
Please review this information update and FAQ about the policies, new guidelines, and what to expect.
Please read this Fiscal Sponsorship FAQ if you are a Thrive applicant or if you are a nonprofit organization that may be interested in serving as a fiscal sponsor.
Experience
Art in Nashville
Nashville's Public Art Collection can be found all over the city. From imaginative outdoor seating to playful bike racks, from skyscraping sculptures to vibrant library walls, Metro Arts is on a mission to bring art to all the spaces Nashvillians live, work, and play.
We're adding even more artwork to the city collection this summer! Find Metro Arts around Nashville by following us on socials and signing up for the Arts Alert!
OUR IMPACT
Learn more on how we are connecting the community with the arts.
METRO ARTS IS FUNDED IN PART BY
The arts are getting cut from state budgets across America. In Tennessee, we are fortunate to have an additional source of funding. The extra revenue we receive from specialty and personalized license plate sales has been key to funding the arts in Tennessee. More than 70% of the money used to fund the 800+ grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission last year was from the sale of these specialty license plates.
Support the Arts with a Specialty License Plate
