Nfocus August 2023

AUGUST 2023

Movement & Music Celebrating performing arts in Nashville, the galleries of North Nashville and more!

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30YEARS

Contents August 2023 | Vol. xxx, No. 8

features 25

parties

Movement & Music

57

Celebrating the arts in Nashville 41

Northern Lights 60

Fit Farm offers an all-inclusive fitness experience in Castalian Springs 51

64

19

Whitland of the Free 66

12

Sugar High 68

The Hermitage Hotel honors history with the return of the Yellow Rose Tea

14

Taking Vows Ashley Gowder marries Hany Mukhtar

70

In Our Words

Pencil In Mark your calendars for these upcoming events

A celebration of the arts in Music City

Flower Power

30 Years of Nfocus Nashville’s commitment to the arts and culture

departments

Artistic Arkansas

Nstyle The latest from style gurus Bentley Caldwell & Carson Love

Friends celebrate years of joy

Explore the artistic side of The Natural State 54

An Evening of Excellence

The Whitland Avenue Fourth of July celebration beats the heat

An Escape With a Goal

Step Inside Step inside The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Nashville

The Legacy Ball celebrates 127 years of community

The art galleries of North Nashville 48

16

72

Behind the Scenes

Nretrospect Nashville Children’s Theatre has cultivated young voices for over 90 years

Behind the scenes with Metro Arts’ Daniel Phoenix Singh

25 ON THE COVER

Jonah Rabinowitz photographed by Eric England at W.O. Smith Music School. For more on Nashville’s art community, turn to page 25.

41

60

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11

IN OUR WORDS

30YEARS Editorial founding editor

Herbert Fox, Jr. editor-in-chief

Janet Kurtz managing editor

Karin Mathis contributing editor

Jack Silverman social correspondent

Gloria Houghland contributors

Beth Alexander, Emily Bache, Kellie Benz, Abigail Breslin, Anne Brown, Bentley Caldwell, Whitney Clay, David Ewing, Carrington Fox, Hannah Herner, Margaret Littman, Carson Love, Sandra Nelson, Amy Stumpfl

Art in the Athens of the South

A celebration of the arts in Music City

Art art director

Christie Passarello senior photographer

Eric England

Of the great intellectual cities — Vienna, Paris, Florence, Sidney and more — at their heart, both geographically and within the collective soul of the citizenry, lies a love and nurturing of the arts. Revered by visitors and locals alike, landmark institutions of these cultural meccas sit squarely in each city’s center, sharing space and skyline with towering glass and steel palaces of business and industry. While Nashville as a brand is first known as Music City, we are also known as “the Athens of the South,” comparing ours to a city which, at its height, was known for openness, new thinking and as the birthplace of democracy.

For the past three decades, in the new era of Nashville, community leaders have fought tirelessly to develop and build destinations in honor of the arts. Today, we celebrate the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the Frist Art Museum, the Noah Liff Opera Center and many more. The downtown core has also welcomed numerous galleries and hotels dedicated to the visual arts. The key to these developments lies not just in sharing our cultural centers with our visitors, but in bringing art to a greater segment of the city. As the arts grow in one area, the movement ripples out to Nashville’s other historic or growing neighborhoods.

In this issue, we explore some of Nashville’s artistic institutions — those beloved for their celebration of movement and music. We take readers into the community enrichment programs of the Nashville Symphony, OZ Arts, TSU, Nashville Ballet and more. David Ewing guides us along a tour of galleries and artists of North Nashville, and we hit the road to explore the artistic side of Arkansas. Anne Brown takes us through three decades of the arts in Nashville in our 30 Years of Nfocus. Whitney Clay takes us for a step inside the new Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Nashville to explore their luxe offerings and the new-to-Tennessee brand, Pietro Simone, and we attend some summertime celebrations like Legacy Ball and the Whitland Fourth of July parade.

Nashville is at a precipice in its current growth. As we celebrate and support the classical arts institutions of Nashville, we are welcoming new ideas and innovative movements to the city. While we lift up our musical artists, a burgeoning generation of visual and performing artists shine a new light on Music City. To continue developing our intellectual and artistic culture, Nashville must now strike an equilibrium between its past and its future — and ask how it would like to be known as a city.

staff photographer

Angelina Castillo contributing photographers

Michael Scott Evans, Peyton Hoge, Lorenzo Huerta, Hamilton Matthew Masters graphic designers

Sandi Harrison, Mary Louise Meadors, Tracey Starck

Marketing events and marketing director

Olivia Moye Britton marketing and promotions manager

Robin Fomusa

Advertising publisher

Jennifer Trsinar Jezewski advertising solutions consultants

Teresa Birdsong, Michael Jezewski, Deborah Laufer, Carla Mathis, Allie Muirhead, Heather Cantrell Mullins, Niki Tyree, Alissa Wetzel, Keith Wright sales operations manager

Chelon Hasty advertising solutions associates

Audry Houle, Jack Stejskal

Circulation circulation manager

Gary Minnis

Business president

BY JANET KURTZ

Janet moved to Nashville 24 years ago. She is an avid reader, traveler and collector of fountain pens and lives in downtown Nashville with her husband, Ron, and their dog, Julep.

Email her at jkurtz@nfocusmagazine.com.

Mike Smith chief financial officer

Todd Patton IT director

John Schaeffer

Owner FW Publishing, LLC

Bill Freeman

Nfocus is published monthly by FW Publishing, LLC. Advertising deadline for the next issue is Thursday, August 17, 2023. A limited number of free copies, one per reader, are available at select retail establishments, listed on the website: nfocusmagazine.com.

First-class subscriptions are available for $99 per year. Send your name and address along with a check or credit card number and expiration date to: GARY MINNIS, FW PUBLISHING, 210 12th Ave. S., Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37203 or call Gary at 615-844-9307.

For advertising information, call JENNIFER TRSINAR JEZEWSKI at 615-844-9261. Copyright ©2023 FW Publishing, LLC.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Cultivating Space for Courageous Creators Behind the scenes with Metro Arts’ Daniel Phoenix Singh Editor’s Note: Editor-in-Chief Janet Kurtz sits on the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, where Daniel is the executive director.

Born in Chennai, India, Daniel Phoenix Singh found an early The Basics fascination with technology and took a clear career path, Name: Daniel Phoenix Singh majoring in computer sciencTitle: Executive Director, es. Well into his time in higher Metro Nashville Arts education, and much later Commission than is typical, Daniel discovHometown: Chennai, India ered the unexpected — a pasYears in Nashville: One sion for dance — and decided Number of Art Forms You in his senior year to stay lonParticipate In: Two (dance, writing), but I appreciate ger, pursuing dance as a major. them all.

Daniel pioneered a syncretic dance style that combined his two loves — Western modern dance and Bharata Natyam, one of eight Indian classical dance forms — that culminated Daniel Singh photographed in front of The Legacy Mural by Woke3 in the Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company, Dakshina. As he brought these cultural ideas together, he encountered pushback from mainstream critics and donors; even audiences had to be conWhat did you initially want to be when you nities like the Arts Administrators of Color Network vinced that this art was as worthwhile as typical grew up? By ninth grade, I’d developed an interand the Goldenrod Arts Collective. Most influential, est in computer science; always a nerd in every though, are the artists and community leaders of Western artforms. Between the institutional difsense of the word, I’m still fascinated by the subMetro Nashville. They inspire me to keep dreaming. ficulties that can accompany interdisciplinary ject and its applications. studies and the initial cool reception of Dakshina, How do recent intentional steps toward DEIA Daniel realized the importance of actively chamWhat have been some of your goals as Metro (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility) seem Arts’ executive director? My goal was “get to to be shifting the current landscape of the arts? pioning diversity and accessibility for the arts. know this community,” and it’s been deeply enrichDEIA efforts became increasingly visible around After living in Washington, D.C., for 30 years, ing. I’ve been able to attend a Bharata Natyam #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and racial injustices Daniel took the position of executive director at performance at the Sri Ganesha Temple, local artists amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. What I’m Metro Nashville Arts Commission — colloquially Thaxton Waters and Elisheba Mrozik took me on an learning from these efforts — and what is shifting art crawl through North Nashville, I’ve experienced in the current landscape — is the importance of known as Metro Arts. He works to examine and shows at TPAC, and more. understanding which efforts perpetuate current remedy systemic obstacles to creative spaces and inequities and systemic divides, and which ones is committed to the redistribution of resources, What opportunities and trends are you seeing are moving towards a true reform and new sysaccess and acknowledgement to underserved in the Nashville arts community? Metro Nashville tems that are community-led and co-created. is ripe for a triennial festival to bring artists and At Metro Arts, I have worked hard to center artists and arts communities. The artists of Metro communities together around shared projects and the community of artists in all decision-making Nashville teach and inspire Daniel to embrace the programs. I also see opportunities for dedicated and processes, to find equitable and restorative ways role of “servant leader,” and he hopes to be back in collaborative arts journalism. of advancing our mission, and to understand my dance classes and choreographing soon. Daniel is Technology advancements are transforming the own privilege and power — how I may be comarts community through newer mediums — like plicit in systemic problems. Artists — acting as a single parent to his amazing four-year old twins digital and virtual art — and through conversations community advocates — have guided and inspired and says the pair, “teach him to be a better huabout artificial-intelligence-based art generators. I me through their commitment to place-keeping in man daily.” would love for Nashville artists to be involved early their communities.

BY KARIN MATHIS PHOTOGRAPH BY LORENZO HUERTA The Legacy Mural can be viewed at 27th Ave. N. and Jefferson Street. More about Woke3 and his work can be found at WokeThree.com and LiberatedGrounds.com

in this discussion and decide how — and if — they want to participate in these new mediums.

An underground arts community is burgeoning in Nashville: They get permits in temporary spaces, set up pop-up events, create a buzz within and through their networks, and — to rave reviews — open and close a show within one week. We should be paying attention to and helping support those pop-ups: These artists are valuable, up-andcoming innovators and researchers. They are where young adults are going for their arts exposure.

Where do you find inspiration? I listen to podcasts voraciously — thank you, Nashville traffic — and I stay informed through supportive commu-

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How would you recommend people get involved in the local art scene? We are so immersed in the arts that we forget how lucky we are, so let’s pause and reframe this question: How could we better recognize the ways we are surrounded by — and interact with — the arts?

People unconsciously interact with art every day: Look to the talents of grandparents who quilt; the intentionality behind your father’s favorite soup recipe; the creativity in a child’s improvisational skills as they play “dinosaur-mermaid-pirateprincess.” As you read this article, you’re actively appreciating photograph placement and the readability of fonts — art!

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STEP INSIDE

A Day at the Spa Step inside The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Nashville Entering The Spa at Four Seasons Nashville, the scents of lavender and eucalyptus permeate the air. The decor — soothing shades of beige, taupe and ivory with accents of soft blue — makes the spa the perfect place to decompress and de-stress. Above all, prepare to be pampered. With six treatment rooms — many of which offer spectacular views of downtown — the space is still pin-drop quiet. You’d never imagine Broadway is a short stroll away.

As one would expect from a Four Seasons Hotel, the spa’s offerings are indulgent, including experiences like a brightening facial using a 24-karat gold activation peel or a full-body exfoliating salt scrub made with Tennessee honey and whiskey. The spa offers hot stone, mother-to-be and couples' massages, but it is the products — paired with the expertise of the team — which make the experiences truly special.

Manager and massage therapist Coleman Phillips likes to incorporate some of the tricks of his trade into various facials and says, “Whenever you work the muscles in the face, it helps to tighten the skin, along with other benefits.” He chose to bring in two skincare lines that fit well with his philosophy: an Italian line by Pietro Simone — exclusively offered at the spa and nowhere else in Tennessee — and the Hungarian line Omorovicza. Both products, he says, are results driven.

Pietro, in town recently, says he’s very particular about who carries his products. He has worked with Coleman in the past and happily agreed to have his products available at The Spa because of their collaborative working relationship. Pietro has already been here once before for training sessions, has consulted with staff virtually, and plans to come to town at least a few times a year. Pietro's products — as well as the Omorovicza line — are also used in various spa treatments.

Growing up in Italy and interested in skin care at an early age, Pietro says his grandmother was his “guinea pig” as he experimented with various compounds and applications. He remembers her stories about childhood during World War II: She and her friends didn’t have the money to purchase beauty products, so the group scoured a nearby textile factory for leftover fabrics and threads, using the findings to exfoliate their skin. Pietro expanded on the concept by creating his organic cotton thread technique, used in a regenerating treatment involving lymphatic drainage, that he combines with a peel to retexturize the skin. It is one of seven facials on the menu. In addition to the skincare and body treatments, there will be a salon offering haircuts, blowouts, manicures and pedicures.

BY WHITNEY CLAY PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NASHVILLE

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DAY AT THE SPA Guests may enjoy a host of treatments at the spa, located on the seventh floor, and then discover an outdoor oasis — complete with a pool and al fresco dining — on that same level.

While many hotels reserve the pool exclusively for guests, visitors to The Spa at Four Seasons are welcome to take a dip and then enjoy lunch or dinner at Rivière Rooftop. Inspired by the French Riviera, guests find a host of tempting dishes, reminiscent of a leisurely afternoon in France. Menu items include octopus tacos, a Wagyu burger and grilled branzino. Rivière also offers a craft cocktail menu, which includes zero-proof offerings.

BRAND RECOGNITION Both Pietro Simone and Omorovicza are highly respected brands with loyal fans. The latter, based in Budapest, is already carried locally and is quite popular with Nashvillians. Omorovicza is known for its science-driven mineral healing products. There is a deep-cleansing facial which utilizes mineral-rich Hungarian moor mud, known to detoxify and help rid the skin of impurities. Combined with a traditional Hungarian facial massage, the process lifts and firms the skin. The premium anti-aging Blue Diamond Facial, with a cooling eye treatment, also includes a Hungarian facial massage.

NASHVILLE LOVE Pietro recently opened House of Pietro Simone, a skincare clinic in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. He’s been called the Italian skincare maestro and you could say his latest collection, Fierce — with its advanced formulation and cutting-edge technology — is his magnum opus. It’s available at The Spa at Four Seasons Nashville. “There is something about Nashville,” says Pietro, “the city, the up-and-coming, the green, the story. I love music. I love Miley Cyrus. I love Dolly Parton … Nashville is a place I want to be.”

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NSTYLE

His Style Unpacking packing

Hi. My name is Bentley, and I am a recovering overpacker. Gents … it was bad. Weekend trip to Chattanooga? Two weeks in Europe? Same amount of clothes. I laughed in the face of baggage weight limits, and honestly, I regret nothing. But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten better. Here are a few packing tips to consider as you set out on your last gasp summer excursion.

Please grant me the…

Serenity to plan ahead: It’s 11 p.m. Your flight leaves at 9 a.m. the next morning. You’re bingeing the last little bit of Ted Lasso and haven’t even thought about packing. Next thing you know, you’re scrambling to figure out what to pack and are throwing in anything and everything to get you out the door.

Last-minute packing correlates to overpacking, but there’s a trick: Planning. Before pulling out the suitcase, create a list of outfits for each day you’ll be away — considering the weather and activities you have planned.

Map it out ahead of time, and you’ll save yourself the headache. Packing list templates are available online to help you start — thank a Type A personality for those.

The courage to pack what I need: We’ve all been there when heading on a vacation for some much-needed rest and relaxation. You grab a book that’s been gathering dust on the shelf for months and never crack it open.

The same concept applies to clothes: If you haven’t worn that article of clothing in the past 3 months, you’re not likely to wear it on vacation. Leave it in the closet!

Pro-tip: Toss a bunch of clothes you love wearing into your suitcase and edit the pile down to absolute necessities. This ensures that you have exactly what you need — and want — to wear and nothing you don’t.

And the wisdom to know before I go: This is a bit of a no-brainer but research the climate you’re traveling to and pack accordingly. For example, if you’re traveling to Mexico in the summer, opt for lighter fabrics and lighter colors. If you’re taking an autumn trip to the UK in the fall, opt for heavier fabrics that are more weatherresistant. This strategy will keep you from packing unnecessary garments. Trust me, you’re not going to need hiking boots for the beaches of Tulum. You might not even need clothes…

Remember, pack what you need. Leave what you don’t.

Oftentimes, you’ll find you didn’t need all that much anyway — except underwear. You always need more underwear than you think. Safe travels, my friends!

BY BENTLEY CALDWELL

Bentley Caldwell is a Nashville-based men’s personal stylist who helps guys up their style and confidence and take the guesswork out of dressing themselves. Have a fashion or styling question? Visit his website: BentleyCaldwellStyling.com or follow him on Instagram @bentleycaldwell

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NSTYLE

Her Style

Summer style and some travel tips Sweet summertime can quickly turn into the busiest travel season of the year. With this in mind, I thought it would be helpful to share my packing process and some of the top tips that I use to ensure a perfectly styled wardrobe — no matter the destination.

Re-wear, new flair: It might seem gauche to wear the same clothes over and over but trust me: This tip is key when it comes to packing smart, stylish and light. One of the easiest ways to change a look — without adding extra bulk to your suitcase — is a silk scarf or twilly.

This can incorporate a pop of color and elevate otherwise basic looks; you can even wear it as a hair accessory, tie it on a handbag or use it as a luggage tag!

Location, luggage, itinerary: This may sound like a no-brainer, but before you even start pulling clothes out of your closet, I want you to consider a few things that build the foundation of what goes and what stays: 1) The location and weather forecast for your trip, 2) The luggage you plan on using, and 3) Your daily plans and length of stay.

Quality over quantity: This is not the time to bring five pairs of jeans because — let’s be honest — you’ll end up wearing your favorite pair anyway. When traveling, we’re already out of our element and ultimately want to feel our best, so only pack your favorite option from any category.

“Travel day” outfits: We all want to feel comfortable and put together on hectic travel days. Whether plane, train or automobile, these days can come with added stress, so feeling polished can start a vacation on a positive note.

This is a great opportunity to free up precious suitcase space. Wear shoes that will be used on other days of your trip. Can you wear a third piece while traveling? Think about options like a blazer, denim jacket or wrap that could easily work across a few outfits.

Create a “lookbook” on your phone: This might seem like an unnecessary step, but it’s a game-changer to have on hand. It only takes an extra few minutes while packing, but it is totally worth it! Simply lay out each outfit for items on your itinerary, snap a photo on your phone, and move them into a trip-specific album.

This is particularly helpful if you’re also packing for others. You can create a shared album for kiddos — and invite other caretakers to join — so there’s never any guessing on what they should wear each day.

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BY CARSON LOVE

Carson Love is a wardrobe & personal stylist based in Nashville. Her main goal is to help clients present and feel like their best selves, so they are ready for whatever life brings them. Find her online: CarsonLove.com or follow her on Instagram @carsonmlove

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4 Beds | 3\1 Baths 3,967 Sq. Ft.

$2,600,000 Allen DeCuyper

2022 - #1 Individual Agent, PARKS in Green Hills 2022 - Top 10 PARKS Agent

615.300.5971 TNLIC # 257474

22 >> AUGUST 2023 | nfocusmagazine.com

COMING SOON

Price TBD 2020 - Top Agent, PARKS in Green Hills 2020 - #2 Individual Agent, PARKS Top 1% Agents in Mid TN | Realtor Relocation Specialists SRS, LRE | Diamond Sales Award Lifetime Platinum Sales Award

4025 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 601 Nashville, TN 37215 | 615.383.6600 parksathome.com | FIRM #261044

2

d

sts

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424 LYNNWOOD BOULEVARD Belle Meade

3731 MEADOWBROOK AVENUE

Historic Richland– West End

418 33RD AVENUE NORTH Hilltop Contemporary/ Downtown Views

4 Beds | 3 Baths 3,832 Sq. Ft.

4 Beds | 3/1 Baths 3,212 Sq. Ft.

$1,519,000

$1,295,000

4 Beds | 3/1 Baths 4,244 Sq. Ft.

$2,400,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

235 BURLINGTON PLACE

4400 BELMONT PARK TERRACE #178

4382 CHICKERING LANE

1404 CEDAR LANE

Chickering Estates

Historic Belmont/Hillsboro

5 Beds | 5/1 Baths 6,176 Sq. Ft.

5 Beds | 4/1 Baths 4,921 Sq. Ft.

$2,700,000

$2,310,000

Green Hills\Burlington 4 Beds | 4 Baths 4,068 Sq. Ft.

$1,100,000

Arden Place 3 Beds | 3 Baths 2,102 Sq. Ft.

$758,000 Allen DeCuyper

2022 - #1 Individual Agent, PARKS in Green Hills 2022 - Top 10 PARKS Agent

615.300.5971 TNLIC # 257474

SOLD

2020 - Top Agent, PARKS in Green Hills 2020 - #2 Individual Agent, PARKS Top 1% Agents in Mid TN | Realtor Relocation Specialists SRS, LRE | Diamond Sales Award Lifetime Platinum Sales Award

4025 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 601 Nashville, TN 37215 | 615.383.6600 parksathome.com | FIRM #261044

nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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ON THE MARKET

ON THE MARKET

3710 Woodlawn Drive | Woodland

8126 Boiling Springs Place | Primm Farm

6 BD | 6/2 BA | 8,778 SF | $4,650,000 Scott Cornett & Keith Dowd 615.400.7151

5 BD | 5/2 BA | 5,471 SF | $3,699,900 Susan Gregory 615.207.5600

ON THE MARKET

4020 Estes Road | Nashville

3 BD | 4/1 BA | 5,574 SF | $3,225,000 Susan Gregory 615.207.5600

ON THE MARKET

6300 Cairo Bend Road | Old Hickory Lake

4 BD | 4 BA | 4,400 SF | 10 Acres | $2,950,000 Laurie Marks 615.943.2779

1014 16th Avenue South | Music Row Condos from $499,000 - $1,500,000 Kindy Hensler 615.828.4064

SOLD

ON THE MARKET

2313 Vaulx Lane | 12 South

4 BR | 3/1 BA | 2,473 SF | $1,350,000 Maggie Bond 615.481.9203

ON THE MARKET

1613 Holly Street | Lockeland Springs

127 Gallagher Drive | Polk Place, Franklin

4 BR | 3 BA | 2,694 SF | $1,150,000 Maggie Bond 615.481.9203

4 BD | 3/1 BA | 3,222 SF | $794,900 Mary Brown 615.260.8885

SOLD

ON THE MARKET

3507 Wood Bridge Drive | Priest Lake Park 4 BD | 2 BA | 2,354 SF | $525,000 Tina Self 615.293.3996

SOLD*

7041 Cotton Blossom Lane | Rolling River Estates 3 BD | 2 BA | 1,593 SF | $513,000 Andrea Franden 914.255.6928

MAGGIE BOND

SOLD

MARY BROWN

ON THE MARKET

700 Nesbitt Court | Ozark Hills

3 BD | 3 BA | 1,944 SF | $510,000 Andrea Franden 914.255.6928 *Represented Buyer

SCOTT CORNETT

KEITH DOWD

ANDREA FRANDEN

SUSAN GREGORY

104 Bonnie Briar Lane | Belmont/Hillsboro Village 2 BR | 2 BA | 1,339 SF | $485,000 Maggie Bond 615.481.9203

KINDY HENSLER

LAURIE MARKS

parksathome.com | BRENTWOOD 615.370.8669 | BROADWEST 615.522.5100 | HILLSBORO VILLAGE 615.383.6964 24 >> AUGUST 2023 | nfocusmagazine.com

TINA SELF

F E AT U R E

MOVEMENT & MUSIC Celebrating the arts in Nashville

While Nashville is known as Music City, it is a variety of performing and visual arts that truly bring character to Nashville. This year we profiled just some of the incredible organizations dedicated to music and movement that elevate the city.

Since their inception, these organizations have helped Nashville’s light shine brighter and to bring arts to a greater section of the community. Step inside as we talk history, legacy and the future with some of Nashville’s institutions of music and movement.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

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NASHVILLE SYMPHONY So much has changed since the Nashville Symphony was first established back in 1946. But throughout the years, the organization’s commitment to outreach and education has remained constant.

“Community engagement and education have been a key part of our mission from the very beginning,” says Alan D. Valentine, Nashville Symphony’s president and CEO, who has spent more than 40 years working as an orchestra administrator. “We are here to serve the community, first and foremost — whether it’s through free concerts such as the annual Let Freedom Sing celebration, educational programs like our Young People’s Concerts, or community-based collaborations like The Jonah People, which just recently premiered at the Schermerhorn. But we couldn’t support any of these incredible programs without the generosity of our donors. When you look at fundraising events like the Symphony Ball or the Fashion Show, that’s what those events are about.”

Alan says he is particularly proud of the Symphony’s Accelerando initiative — a comprehensive educational program designed to give students from under-represented communities and backgrounds the opportunity to pursue a career in music. Students accepted into the program receive intensive instruction, coursework, mentorship and other resources — all free of charge. And the results are hard to deny. The five seniors who graduated from the program this year accepted a combined $572,204 in scholarship funds — to attend the University of Louisville, Vanderbilt University, Yale University, Eastman School of Music and Montclair State University. That

brings the total scholarship money — accepted by 15 students over the last five years — up to $1.83 million.

“We’re so very proud of the Accelerando program,” Alan says. “I feel like it’s qualitative versus quantitative. We’re changing real lives here, offering students a bridge to a future they might not otherwise have. But it’s not just about investing in these young artists; we’re also changing the depth and breadth of the application pool to better reflect our changing community.”

In fact, as the city continues to grow, the Symphony has renewed its commitment to community engagement, expanding its efforts in fresh and meaningful ways. For example, Music in My Neighborhood is a new neighborhood residency program that offers free ensemble performances, educational activities and innovative partnerships that highlight a community’s unique history and culture.

“We were proud to present the inaugural Music in My Neighborhood … in the Edgehill neighborhood, reaching over 1,700 local residents,” Alan says. “A culminating community celebration invited residents to gather for food, performances, artwork and interactive activities highlighting their neighborhood’s unique arts and culture scene. Music in My Neighborhood is helping the Symphony to serve the city of Nashville by working with the community to make music for the community. When you think about how much Nashville is growing and changing, it’s more important than ever for us to find new ways to listen to and engage with the community, so that we can continue to meet its expectations and serve its needs.”

BY AMY STUMPFL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NASHVILLE SYMPHONY

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FISK JUBILEE SINGERS Jefferson Street has been the home of internationally celebrated music since 1871 when a group of formerly enslaved students formed the famous Fisk Jubilee Singers and traveled the world bringing their unique sound and songs. The name Music City originates from the global attention this group brought to Nashville based on their extraordinary singing skills.

The Fisk Jubilee Singers were formed to raise money for the newly formed college. The songs of hope they performed were those from their formerly enslaved days and are the foundation of Gospel music today.

The origins of the Fisk Jubilee Singers started with a concert in Cincinnati on Oct. 7, 1871. The group performed in front of a modest crowd, and they made only $40 from that performance. When they left the stage, they heard about the Great Chicago Fire which had burned over 2,000 acres of the city. The singers met and decided to give 100 percent of their proceeds from their first concert to a fund created to help Chicago rebuild. These students and their school did not have much money, but they believed Chicago needed the money more than they did. After such a poor start, the students considered quitting and returning to Nashville. George White — the treasurer of Fisk and founder of the group — went to bed that night and prayed for the students and for more inspiration for the tour. Through prayer, George felt inspired to add a biblical name for the group: Jubilee, meaning a time in the Bible in which enslaved people gained their freedom.

In this meditation, he found a new name and new excitement for the group.

The incredible act of kindness to the city of Chicago came back to them tenfold. Newspapers across the country covered this generosity and the group soon received invitations to sing from larger cities and venues. The ensemble became so popular that an impostor group was formed to take advantage of the Fisk Jubilee Singers’ fame. Groups emerged with names like “The Nashville Students,” “Tennessee Jubilee Singers” and “Jubilee Gospel Singers,” but it was the authentic Fisk Jubilee Singers that were carried on to fame. The most famous people known nationwide from Nashville in the 19th century were Andrew Jackson and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

The Jubilee Singers have performed at the White House for several United States presidents and — most famously — for Queen Victoria in 1873. The Queen, so impressed by the students, commissioned her royal portrait artist to paint a full-size painting of the singers, which she gave to the students and still hangs in Jubilee Hall today.

Their 1873 European tour raised over $200,000, helping build Jubilee Hall — named in their honor — which was the first permanent dorm built for African Americans in the United States and remains a national landmark.

In 2021, the Fisk Jubilee Singers celebrated its 150th anniversary with their first GRAMMY Award for their performance “Celebrating Fisk,” recorded live at the Ryman Auditorium. It is fitting that the Singers’ Ryman performance gained such attention because — when the Ryman opened in 1892 — the Fisk Jubilee Singers had one of the first concerts in the new building as a fundraiser for Captain Ryman’s tabernacle.

BY DAVID EWING PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FISK UNIVERSITY

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F E AT U R E

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC ENGLAND

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F E AT U R E

OZ ARTS NASHVILLE The culture of Nashville is ever-expanding, and contributing greatly to the growth and depth of our beloved city is OZ Arts, a nonprofit arts center celebrating the world of performing and visual arts.

The history of OZ Arts is truly unique and inspirational. The Ozgener family, first generation Turkish-American immigrants and Nashville residents since 1968, ran a very successful cigar company called CAO Cigars. Their widely accredited creations were extremely inventive and artistic — from sculpted Meerschaum pipes that look like they belong in prominent art museums, to solid cherry wood boxes custom designed to house Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship rings in 1997 and 1998.

When it came time to sell the cigar company, Tim Ozgener, co-founder & president of OZ Arts Nashville, saw the opportunity to continue his family’s entrepreneurial efforts in an artistic manner. As a native Nashvillian, he noticed Nashville needed a home for performing and visual arts. Ozgener was inspired by certain warehouses in Brooklyn and Miami that had been converted into art centers. In 2013, the cigar warehouse and headquarters were transformed into the OZ Arts we know and love today.

Crucial to the success of OZ Arts is Mark Murphy, the Executive and Artistic Director, who has been with the organization since 2019. His impressive career in the arts has propelled the organization’s programming. Murphy’s mission has been increasing attendance and introducing more regional and international artists, while still fostering relationships and creating opportunities for local artists. By providing Nashville with access to these diverse acts, Tim noted, “It’s a gift to the community. Instead of getting on a plane … you can see the world just by coming here.”

The performances at OZ Arts are so much more than song and dance. They are interactive and intimate experiences where the audiences form an emotional connection with the art form.

The guests and the artists feel like they’re part of the same community. Tim even mentioned that during some Q&As after a performance, audiences have been moved to tears.

This year, OZ Arts is gearing up for their 10-year anniversary. The annual benefit “Conversations at OZ” will be decadethemed — looking back ten years and looking forward to what the next ten years may hold. Next spring, they will host a big birthday bash; it’s sure to be a grand soirée, but the reality is every day at OZ Arts is a celebration.

BY EMILY BACHE & ABIGAIL BRESLIN PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF OZ ARTS NASHVILLE

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TSU ARISTOCRAT OF BANDS Less than a mile down Jefferson Street from Fisk, Tennessee State University also has a legacy of graduating students that have flourished and become well-trained musicians.

TSU Aristocrat of Bands’ groundbreaking music and style has a tradition of attracting the attention of presidents. In 1961, the band was invited to perform at President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade — a first for a historically black college band.

The TSU Aristocrat of Bands returned to D.C. in 2016 when President Obama asked them to perform on the White House’s South Lawn in celebration of the opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

TSU Aristocrat of Bands’ Assistant Director Larry Jenkins recalls that famed music producer Quincy Jones exclaimed, “The band is incredible!” Larry remembers auditioning for the band as a high school student from Virginia. It was his time in the famous band that Larry said, “prepared me for what I would experience for the rest of my life.”

2023 has been the greatest year in the history of the band.

Their album, Urban Hymnal, won the GRAMMY Award for Best Roots Gospel Album and was recorded by the band on campus in the band and percussion rooms. Aristocrat of Bands beat category nominees Willie Nelson and the Gaither Vocal Band.

Larry’s cellphone was constantly buzzing after the TSU band’s historic win. Word quickly spread on campus, and

pandemonium broke out in the dorms and classrooms. Larry says, “Students were running out of classrooms during class, celebrating in the halls.” The moment the band made history was very emotional, exciting and humbling for the assistant director, who had once been a trumpet section leader and drum major in the band. Larry felt most excited for his students as they were honored with the recognition that only the best performers receive. This spring, President Biden invited the band back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for a South Lawn performance in the inaugural Juneteenth concert. The group’s 100-member performance at the White House was another once-in-a-lifetime experience for this class of students.

Like the North Nashville students who strove to integrate the four lunch counters on Rep. John Lewis Way, the band is composed of young college students who have brought national attention and acclaim to their university.

Tennessee State University has a lot to celebrate this year.

This well-known historically black college has seen recordsetting enrollment rates, and it is beloved by alumni and the Nashville community. In 2023, Oprah Winfrey, TSU’s most famous alumna, returned to campus to give the commencement address, and TSU President Dr. Glenda Glover welcomed her sorority sister — Vice President Kamala Harris — to give remarks to the graduating class of 2022.

BY DAVID EWING PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC ENGLAND AND HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

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F E AT U R E

NASHVILLE BALLET One performance company in town is keeping audiences on their toes, while simultaneously keeping their feet firmly on the ground. The Nashville Ballet has been dazzling audiences since 1986, continuously evolving in the worlds of classical and contemporary ballet.

Since its inception, the company has reached many milestones, from international touring and Kennedy Center performances, to Emmy and TELLY Award-winning productions. These achievements were guided by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling and the incredible team at the Nashville Ballet.

This year, Paul retired, setting the stage for Nick Mullikin to take the reins.

Nick credits the company’s success to their dedication to the mission statement: “We create, perform, teach and promote dance as an essential and inspiring element of our community.”

The company reflects the uniqueness and creativity that exists in Nashville. “We don’t try to thrust our voice onto this community, necessarily,” Nick says. “We listen to what is being said, and we do that through a lot of community engagement.”

The Nashville Ballet stays connected with the city through programs in libraries and public schools, collaborations with local musicians, and free opportunities for audiences to come see the second company, NB2, at the Martin Center. Their wide range of voices and diverse styles also captivates audiences around the globe: They have received recognition through their digital work, getting views as far away as Japan. Online viewers have really enjoyed Nashville’s Nutcracker for the past few years.

Accessibility to the Ballet is the key to the future of this organization — not just for the dancers, but for audiences as well. With backing from the community and the forward thinking of Mullikin, Nashville Ballet hopes to deepen their virtual presence, expand national distribution and create tuition discount opportunities for students. “This support will allow us to take risks and chances,” Nick says, “so everybody can feel this art form is evolving and growing with a city that’s evolving and growing.”

With Nick at the helm of the Nashville Ballet, they will commit to classical work while continuing to make leaps and bounds into the future. He says, “Everything we do here in this city seems to be about expression and carrying stories forward, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that in our own way.” Be it classical or contemporary, we know the Nashville Ballet will stay on point.

BY EMILY BACHE & ABIGAIL BRESLIN PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC ENGLAND AND COURTESY OF NASHVILLE BALLET

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NASHVILLE OPERA Nashville Opera is widely known for celebrating international works and artists. When it comes to education and outreach, however, this thriving company has set its sights much closer to home.

“It used to be that most opera companies focused on producing a handful of main stage pieces each season, and that was that,” says John Hoomes, Nashville Opera’s CEO and artistic director, who joined the company in 1995. “But there’s been a real shift in thinking over the years, which I’ve been so happy to see. After all, we’re not just a performing arts organization — we also want to be a strong community partner.

We’re always looking for new ways to serve people throughout the region.”

Nashville Opera has a long history of giving back, reaching thousands of children each year through its innovative programming and touring productions. But with the launch of Opera on Wheels in 2021, the company has literally been taking its music to the streets, rolling out a series of free, pop-up performances that are presented from a sleek, mobile stage.

“We’d been talking about the idea of a mobile stage for a while, but — when everything shut down during the pandemic — we knew the time was right,” John says. “Opera on Wheels allows us to serve so many different neighborhoods and audiences. We’ve done a number of public performances at parks, festivals and other places, but we’ve also worked with private groups, such as Girl Scouts of the USA and the senior living community of Abe’s Garden. The response has been amazing,

and we’re already looking to expand the program to reach more Middle Tennessee residents. Best of all, it’s all made possible through generous donations.”

John points to All-Access Opera as another success story.

Designed to build on the Opera’s annual educational tour, this unique program was developed in conjunction with Vanderbilt University’s Treatment and Research Institute of Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD), boosting accessibility for children with autism and other learning differences.

“We’ve created toolkits for all of our children’s shows, ensuring that everyone can experience the opera in a safe, inclusive way,” John says. “These toolkits include storyboards, which help children prepare for the performance and even follow along as they watch — going through the story stepby-step, letting them know about any loud noises or bright lights, so there are no surprises. It’s been a great success, and — because we were the first test group for the program — other companies around the country have been able to use our template to start their own programs.”

“I’m so proud of the work we’re doing with both our education and outreach programs,” he adds. “And I’m really humbled by the generosity of our donors. Whether it’s reaching more students and schools, supporting emerging artists through our HBCU Fellowship, or just helping more people to experience and enjoy the opera through our Opera on Wheels performances, we’re working to build something really special for the city of Nashville.”

BY AMY STUMPFL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NASHVILLE OPERA

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC ENGLAND

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC ENGLAND

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F E AT U R E

W.O. SMITH MUSIC SCHOOL It would not be Music City if music was not made available to everyone. For the past 40 years, W.O. Smith Music School has orchestrated opportunities for children to experience musical education and a safe and welcoming community.

The school’s founder and namesake, William Oscar Smith, was a gifted jazz musician. After spending time in Nashville, Smith noticed the lack of opportunity for low-income children to learn music. With the help of local volunteers and partners, he was able to open the W.O. Smith Music School in 1984. For just 50 cents, a student was given a private lesson, access to instruments, sheet music and a place to go after school. To this day, lessons still only cost 50 cents.

It is no secret that Nashville is abundant with musical talent.

Thankfully, many of these music lovers care about sharing their passions and knowledge. In fact, the school’s instructors are all volunteers, ranging from professionals to enthusiasts. Their generosity allows the school to allocate funds to their state-ofthe-art building, instruments, equipment and programming.

Jonah Rabinowitz — who has been with the school for 30 years — is currently at the helm, and his longevity is a testament

to his dedication and love for what he does. One of Jonah’s best and most successful qualities is that he listens, and this allows Jonah and his faculty to really hear what it is the students want.

Their ever-changing needs help guide the programming offered at W.O Smith Music School. Just like jazz music, the ability to improvise is a key element of the organization.

In an industry that often harps on perfection, it is refreshing to know that the mission at this school is not about achieving excellence, nor is it about “good” or “bad” music. Jonah explains that it’s about “honoring the creation of music.” He urges the students to discover their individuality and to simply enjoy the process.

The future for W.O. Smith Music School is a harmonious blend of traditional and modern musical expression: From DJ lessons and audio engineering to choir and steel drum bands, the school offers a truly eclectic education. Each year, the staff eagerly anticipates the students’ fresh ideas and aspirations.

One thing is certain; W.O. Smith Music School will continue to think outside the music box and evolve — for 50 cents and the love of music.

BY EMILY BACHE & ABIGAIL BRESLIN PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF W.O. SMITH MUSIC SCHOOL

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Active $799,000 723 Clematis Dr Emily McNeilly +1 615-731-3160

Active $3,395,000 749 W Meade Dr John Clayton +1 615-294-6065

Active $3,295,000 2156 Golf Club Ln Amy Jackson Smith +1 615-300-1025

Sold $995,000 2178 Golf Club Ln Robert Schwartz +1 615-419-9615

Active $2,400,000 2207 Old Hickory Blvd Neal Clayton +1 615-300-8585 Co listed: John Clayton

Represented the buyer $355,000 504 Loyola Dr Robert Schwartz +1 615-419-9615

Active $490,000 105 Leake Ave #61 Murray Clayton +1 615-812-1831

Active $895,000 5432 Stone Box Lane Sheila Reuther +1 615-485-0669

Active $799,000 342 Forrest Valley Drive Sheila Reuther +1 615-485-0669

Under Contract $419,000 105 Leake Ave #67 Murray Clayton +1 615-812-1831

Sold $645,000 2932 Wellesley Trace Robert Schwartz +1 615-419-9615

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Represented the buyer $1,365,000 5111 Woodland Hills Sheila Reuther +1 615-485-0669

Under Contract $435,000 105 Leake Ave #72 Murray Clayton +1 615-812-1831

F E AT U R E

NORTHERN LIGHTS Throughout the growth of Nashville’s artistic community and institutions, art has always found a home across the city. On what was formerly downtown's Fifth Avenue, art galleries began to emerge and led to the birth of Fifth Avenue of the Arts and its subsequent art crawl. This burgeoning culture of the arts spread through the city, and the legacy that began in areas like Fifth Avenue now offer opportunities for residents and visitors alike to engage with expanded artistic expressions.

The neighborhood of North Nashville has been home to a variety of arts and cultural institutions, and Jefferson Street in particular has developed a vibrancy and light that’s all its own. For decades, the community has come together to celebrate the historical significance of this neighborhood through art in all formats and mediums. Join us as we step inside the art galleries of North Nashville.

BY DAVID EWING

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

PAINTING BY ELISHEBA ISRAEL MROZIK

The art galleries of North Nashville

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F E AT U R E

Muralist Elisheba Israel Mrozik After graduating from Memphis College of Art, Elisheba Israel Mrozik settled in Nashville in 2007. At that time, North Nashville was still affordable for a developing artist, and she quickly found many like-minded creators in the area.

Elisheba — renowned as a tattoo artist at her studio, Queen Bee Ink — enjoys bringing her art to a larger canvas by creating murals in North Nashville.

Her work can be found on buildings and inside schools like Napier Elementary and Jones Paideia Elementary. “With my art," Elisheba says, "I can put a message out and make the community better as they can see art every day.”

Named one of Nashville’s Emerging Leaders in 2020, Elisheba gives back to the community by helping new artists as the president of the North Nashville Arts Coalition. This grassroots group was founded in 2015 to promote the Jefferson Street Art Crawl, and their mission is to provide BIPOC artists with “access and opportunity to equitably thrive and to foster a community that enriches the legacy of art in Tennessee.”

Later this year, the North Nashville Cultural Crawl will return across 37208, spanning Jefferson Street, Buchanan Street — where Elisheba’s Queen Bee Ink is located — and Germantown’s 100 Taylor Arts Market.

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F E AT U R E

Carl Van Vechten Gallery Fisk University — in addition to being Nashville's oldest institute of higher education and the birthplace of the Fisk Jubilee Singers — is also home to the Carl Van Vechten Gallery. Housed in a beautiful historic brick building on campus, the gallery showcases a collection from prominent African American artists.

Additionally, the gallery is the beneficiary of a donation — bestowed by famed artist Georgia O’Keeffe — of works collected by Alfred Stieglitz. This generous gift included many of Georgia’s own works, along with paintings by Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, Marsden Hartley and Diego Rivera. Today, this collection is shared between the prestigious Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, and rotates between the two institutions. Jamaal Sheats has been the director and curator of Fisk University Galleries since 2015 and has curated 20 exhibitions.

44 >> AUGUST 2023 | nfocusmagazine.com

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IVY VICK REAL ESTATE ADVISOR 615.485.0963 IVY.VICK@EVREALESTATE.COM nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 << 45

F E AT U R E

Woodcuts Art Gallery Woodcuts Art Gallery on Jefferson Street was founded by Nathaniel “Nate” Harris in 1987 to combine his love of art, woodworking and framing. After graduating from Tennessee State University, Nate made cabinets for Genesco’s Jarman Shoe storefronts.

When the woodworking shop in his garage started to take over the whole house, Nate’s wife suggested he find a retail location to expand his business. “A cut above the rest,” Woodcuts Gallery and Framing has showcased artists including James Threalkill, Jamaal Sheats, Michael McBride and Gregory Ridley.

Woodcuts was an important first stop for Elisheba when she came to Nashville: She quickly felt at home as Nate welcomed her and other newcomers to the Jefferson Street art scene. According to Elisheba, “Nate brings Black art and gives it a place to be seen. Woodcuts brings together great artists and uplifts their art.”

Earlier this year, community leaders gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of Nate and Woodcuts, unveiling a historic marker outside the shop at 1613 Jefferson Street to commend this staple of the Nashville arts community. Among a slew of supporters, former Mayor Bill Purcell, Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood, and Metro Councilmembers Sharon Hurt and Freddie O’Connell honored the contributions made by Woodcuts Gallery and Framing.

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F E AT U R E

An Escape With a Goal Fit Farm offers an all-inclusive fitness experience in Castalian Springs If you’ve been considering a week or more away to focus on your health, you’ve probably been eyeing beloved wellness retreats — like Canyon Ranch — that involve a cross-country plane ride. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with distant getaways, but if you want to stay closer to home, you can, thanks to Rock Springs Retreat Center (RSRC) and their Fit Farm fitness retreats in Castalian Springs.

Less than an hour from Nashville, Fit Farm is an all-inclusive retreat where participants focus on their health and fitness goals. For many, that goal is weight loss, while others set their sights on building muscle, gaining mobility or recovering from an injury. Personal reasons are various and layered, like the couple who came to Fit Farm as their first postretirement trip to solidify wellness strategies before embarking on their travels together.

Another reason arrived with a mother who brought her college-age sons: one wanted to lose the “Freshman 15,” while the other looked to bulk up. Sometimes, women want to intentionally focus on their own health, so they book a fitness retreat at RSRC after years of being caretakers to others.

Kristin Intress gets it. The founder of Fit Farm at Rock Springs Retreat Center, Kristin opened the resort in honor of her late mother — a therapist — who counseled people to take care of themselves first, so they could better care for others. As the adage reminds us, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

The Fit Farm formula involves seven hours of movement per day — which can sound intimidating to newcomers. But movement comes through a cross-section of activities. As different muscle groups are engaged, guests are exposed to many kinds of exercise to find just the right personal formula. Activities include weight training, pickleball, basketball, boxing, water aerobics, yoga, running and various high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes. Groups can hike to nearby Bledsoe Creek State Park, and sometimes there are fun outings to obstacle courses and zip lines in the area. Trainers use Apple Watches and Fitbits to help folks track their movement on a regular basis.

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F E AT U R E

In between the fitness and movement activities, there are workshops — more like conversations than lectures — about fitness, nutrition, cooking, mental health and more.

New Yorker Lizzie Tucker has been to Fit Farm nine times — sometimes for a weekend, sometimes longer: “I could go to Rome, I could go to Paris, I could go to all these other places, but I’m not interested in that. This place changed my life. It is just amazing knowing that I can come here, get hugs, get encouragement. I get friendships, healthy food, awesome workout classes and beautiful scenery.”

That scenery is thanks to Rock Springs’ 200 acres of land — much of it undeveloped — offering rolling hills for walks, runs and views of the sunset from the deck of the main lodge.

Part of the Fit Farm philosophy is that everyone works out together, often with partners. Someone pushing their deadlift personal record can rotate with someone who has never lifted weights before.

Together, they encourage each other, are exposed to other perspectives, and learn proper form and injury prevention. “It is a nice common denominator; everything else slips away,” Lizzie says.

Paul Kiger agrees. He first came to Fit Farm from Indiana seeking help losing the 30 to 40 pounds he had gained after getting sober. Paul wanted somewhere that would provide nutrition strategies for the long-term, and the fact that he could bring his dog with him was an added bonus.

“It became way more than fitness and nutrition.

It helped me on my spiritual growth journey. And

now I go back,” Paul says, “but not just for fitness.

I go back to refill my soul. I go back because of the trainers, because of the fellowship.”

Those trainers and other staff are on-site most of the day, and they are energetic, inclusive, nonjudgmental and encouraging; this isn’t the kind of place where a trainer will yell at you. They might suggest that you add more weight for your bicep curls, but no one is berating you. Trainers are able to offer modifications for everything — bad knees, injured shoulders, fear of water; whatever it may be, they’ll help you replicate the movement in a way that won’t hurt you.

Staff members also forge connections with guests, remembering their names and their interests, despite meeting many new people every week.

“A company is never about the owner. I’m good at fixing things. I’m good at seeing processes. I’m good at seeing strategy. But ultimately, it’s the people that make the difference,” Kristin says of her staff and their importance. “I can’t replicate a person. I can replicate the process. I can build a building, I can design something, but ultimately, it’s the people that aren’t replicable.”

Sessions are available for long weekends (weekend warriors) and week or multi-week stays.

Nashville-area residents can buy day passes, too.

Classes are small — currently the total capacity is 40 people — and class size is often around 12 people, allowing guests to get individual attention and build relationships. “I wanted people to feel like it was about them, not about numbers,” Kristin says.

Nothing at Fit Farm is mandatory; one attendee jokes, “It’s not prison.” If you don’t want to wake up for the pre-breakfast run-squats session, don’t.

You can opt instead to walk along the rolling hills of the property to visit the horses or check out the vegetable garden — which is integrated into meal prep. There’s Wi-Fi throughout the property and plenty of space to work, whether in your room or in common areas with various views and vibes.

The resident dog, named Tucker, can often be seen roaming the farm and in one of the buildings where Kristin featured his portrait in a mural she painted. The pup is just another member of the community and helps people relax in a new environment. For those going through a major change in their health, having their dog with them can be supportive. As Paul learned, some of the accommodations are dog-friendly — not all are, though, so people with allergies have no need to worry.

Kristin concludes: “The other tough thing about a place like this — and this is why there’s not a lot of [businesses like ours] out there — is that you have to be in the right place in your life to come here. Financially, you have to have a little bit of money, and you have to have time. And that’s the perfect triad: when those three factors align, it’s kind of like an eclipse.”

BY MARGARET LITTMAN PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FIT FARM AND MARGARET LITTMAN

nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

49

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50 >> AUGUST 2023 | nfocusmagazine.com

TRAVEL

Artistic Arkansas Explore the artistic side of The Natural State

The state of Arkansas is a nature lover's paradise. Filled with natural beauty like the Ozarks in the north and Hot Springs in the center, the state has worked tirelessly to preserve its precious natural landmarks. While The Natural State is a cyclist's paradise with miles of bike paths woven over the landscape, it is also a land for artists and art lovers to explore and find inspiration. Step inside as we take an artistic journey across Arkansas.

BY JANET KURTZ

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF VISIT EUREKA SPRINGS, 21C MUSEUM HOTEL BENTONVILLE, LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, MURPHY ARTS DISTRICT

nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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TR AV E L

Bentonville While officially known as the birthplace of the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, the town of Bentonville offers travelers a plethora of artistic attractions to fill any aesthete’s time. This year, the city celebrates 150 years of history and heritage. For art lovers, the city offers an impressive amount of art per square foot. The revered Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art treats guests to a massive display of artistic mastery. Crystal Bridges is nestled on 120 acres of forest in the Ozarks with five miles of trails to wander, so guests can spend hours exploring both the exhibits — housed within stunning architecture — and the natural landscape. Additional attractions include the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden, the Momentary, the Museum of Native American History, Art On The Square and much more.

At night, the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville offers a boutique combination of respite and art; their galleries are available to the public for free every day of the year.

There are rotating exhibitions, so repeat guests will find thought-provoking new pieces with each visit, and — located conveniently within the 21c Museum Hotel — The Hive offers destination dining surrounded by art.

Even chefs in Bentonville create with an artistic flair. Venues like The Preacher’s Son and hidden bar Undercroft — housed in the same skillfully reimagined church — offer elevated casual dining and creative cocktails.

Eureka Springs When traveling from Nashville to Arkansas, Eureka Springs makes a natural first stop on an artistic tour of the Natural State. Fondly referred to as “quirky,” Eureka Springs abounds with art. What began as a pilgrimage for the afflicted to bathe in the healing waters of the mountains became a permanent residence for those who fell in love with the natural stillness of the area. The town is full of well-preserved Victorian-era buildings, and the architecture alone will delight design enthusiasts.

Visitors can explore Flatiron Flats, the Crescent Hotel & Spa, the Palace Hotel & Bath House and much more. In addition to architecture, the town is full of public art to be enjoyed by locals and out-of-towners alike.

Eureka Springs is known for its penchant for eccentricities, especially with regards to The Art Colony. Here, you can get up close as creators ply their craft — like a chef's table but for artists. Visitors can stroll through the 14 studios dotted throughout the property and watch artists work on anything from stained glass, scrimshaw, music, chainsaw sculpture, glassblowing, painting and more.

After a long day of exploring this whimsical town, visitors can relax in an array of charming inns, bed-and-breakfasts, or historic hotels like the Crescent Hotel & Spa. This property — a member of Historic Hotels of America — offers dining, yoga, a sundae bar and a self-guided scavenger hunt as well as familyand pet-friendly accommodations to relax and unwind after a full day of art exploration. The list of opportunities is endless; for a statewide tour, Eureka Springs is a crown jewel.

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TRAVEL

El Dorado Just two-and-a-half hours south of Little Rock lies the town of El Dorado. Known since 1921 as a key city for oil production and refinement, El Dorado has enjoyed a rich and unique history in south-central Arkansas.

In 2017, El Doradoan civic and business leaders gathered to create the Murphy Arts District (MAD), providing the region with outlets for creative expression. Initially transforming a 1920s kit-car showroom into a cabaret stage, adjoining amphitheater and playscape, MAD blossomed into a unique event and concert destination for headliners and up-andcoming performers from across the nation.

In addition to arts venues, El Dorado’s town square is dotted with charming, locally owned cafes and luncheonettes that line the perimeter. While a true escape for performing arts, the city also offers natural escapes like walking and biking greenways — part of a web of trails connecting the entire state.

This walkway labyrinth includes the South Arkansas Arboretum Loop: an easy, three-quarter-mile route that is beginner-friendly and perfect for tiny hikers.

For rest and relaxation, The Haywood El Dorado is the perfect spot to recharge after a day of exploring this golden city.

Little Rock In addition to a fantastic dining scene that suggests a mildly well-kept foodie secret — Little Rock has a robust art scene. The city is bursting with museums, galleries and gardens to explore. Works from both nationally and locally known artists are celebrated citywide. Designed by Chicago-based Studio Gang, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Art (AMFA) has long been an acclaimed center for visual and performing arts, as well as for educational experiences. The stunning modern design houses a 14,000-object permanent collection as well as rotating exhibits and performances for all. As a bonus, admission is always free.

In addition to the AMFA, the city offers Gallery 26, highlighting artists of Central Arkansas; Galleries at Library Square; and Windgate Gallery, just to name a few. For the more outdoor-minded, the blossoming Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden is a perfect option; stroll along the banks of the Arkansas River and take in nearly 100 works. This garden of public sculpture grows annually, thanks to a competition funded by the Sculpture at the River Market nonprofit.

For unique lodging, the impressive Capital Hotel is ideal. Born of the days of grand hotels, the property — called “the front porch of Little Rock” — has a stately and imposing presence while offering outstanding luxury and “Southern Comfortable” service. The Capital Hotel is steps away from fun nightlife and dining experiences, making this a must-stay for a well-rounded visit.

nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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F E AT U R E

Flower Power The Hermitage Hotel honors history with the return of the Yellow Rose Tea

B

efore women had the right to vote, before the Food and Drug Administration was created in 1906 due to the efforts of a largely female-led campaign, before “spillin’ tea” became a colloquialism, and before opportunities for women to officially participate in politics existed, women found ingenious ways for their voices to be heard and to transfer talk into activism. One of these methods was the tradition of afternoon tea.

In parlors and sitting rooms throughout the United States, women would gather with friends to take tea and — at times — take action. In 1848, five key founders of the women’s suffrage movement sat down for an afternoon tea with friends. The topic of conversation was the plight of women and the need for their own right to vote. Like wildfire, the topic took hold and became a national discussion — one that women began advocating for both at home and in the streets.

Locally, women like Anne Dallas Dudley — mother of Guilford Dudley, former president of Life & Casualty — became passionate advocates for women’s right to vote. The pivotal decision granting women nationwide the right to vote came down to Tennessee, the state which delivered the 36th and final state approval. During the

scorching summer of 1920 — in the weeks leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment — Anne and her friends gathered across the street from the State Capitol at The Hermitage Hotel with an embattled mix of pro- and anti-suffragists, legislators and lobbyists.

With anti-ratification forces squaring off against pro-suffrage campaigners — each side wearing red and yellow roses, respectively — the suffrage struggle at The Hermitage Hotel came to be known as “The War of the Roses.”

This August, The Hermitage Hotel will once more honor the suffragists’ work to support the rights of women with the return of their signature Yellow Rose Tea. Sitting down to sip afternoon tea in the historic setting, guests will enjoy delicious tea sandwiches, scones and an array of pastries while listening to entertaining stories told by an interpreter playing Anne Dallas Dudley, founder of the Nashville Equal Suffrage League and Vice President of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. “Anne” will visit tables to teach guests about the events that transpired inside The Hermitage Hotel, leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Guests will leave with a yellow rose and commemorative menu to mark the occasion.

BY JANET KURTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY LORENZO HUERTA AND DANIEL MEIGS

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nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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PA R T I E S

An Evening of Excellence The Legacy Ball celebrates 127 years of community

A

Eddie and Michelle Alford

Sankofa

LaDonna Boyd

Co-chairs Clarke and Kevin Byard, Co-chairs Joseph and Stephanie Walker

Veronica Marable Johnson, Haleigh Johnson, Yvette Boyd, Penny Lockhart

Charlane Oliver, Delbrita Greene

s guests of the second annual Legacy Ball were welcomed by a red-carpet interview, the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel Nashville came alive with the sounds of friends and fellowship. This black-tie affair — the concept of LaDonna Boyd, fifth-generation President/CEO of the R.H. Boyd family of companies — benefits the R.H. Boyd Family Endowment Fund and celebrates 127 years of legacy with dinner, live music and dancing.

Local and national leaders gathered to give back in preparation for future generations. The evening’s master of ceremonies, comedian TC Cope, invited the gathered crowd to join their voices as: “Thank You for Being a Friend” rang out, Sankofa delivered a performance commemorating Juneteenth, and CoJo Ko serenaded a delicious meal.

After dinner, Yvette Boyd began to present the endowments, noting that the Fund — which provides scholarships and grants to university students and community organizations — is “not only critical, but timely and urgent.” Ravyn Moore received the undergraduate scholarship, and the Rejoice School of Ballet — the Boyd Endowment Grant recipient — gave a special demonstration. “[R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation] was founded by my great-great-grandfather during a time when education was illegal for African Americans. We count it an honor to be able to offer scholarships to minority students who are seeking to advance themselves and the world around them,” said LaDonna. She and Veronica Marable Johnson presented the 2023 R.H. Boyd Awards, with the Humanitarian Award going to Purpose Preparatory Academy. Justin Jones received the Service Award, and Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands received the R.H. Boyd Excellence Award.

Yvette reminded guests that “R.H. Boyd paves the way for excellence, and excellence is our habit.” Indeed it is, as — since 1981 — the Fund has given more than $500,000 in scholarships, helped numerous nonprofit organizations further their missions, and given oversight to the Historic Boyd House renovation on the campus of Fisk University as it is converted to academic spaces for students.

BY KARIN MATHIS PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

Harold and Leah Love, Virginia and Lester McClain

nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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PA R T I E S

Joel and Carolyn Waller, Amanda and Nathan Burton

Deborah Webster-Clair, D. Billy Sanders

Yvette Boyd

CoJo Ko

Chezare Warren, Melissa Porter, Jylana Sheats, Angela Williams, Jasper Hendricks

Tunisia Scott, Vivian Adams

Alfred Degrafinreid, Charles Sueing

58 >> AUGUST 2023 | nfocusmagazine.com

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Shalaé Boyd

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nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

59

PA R T I E S

Whitland of the Free The Whitland Avenue Fourth of July celebration beats the heat

A

nyone who has ever thrown a birthday party for a bestie knows that it is a challenge to celebrate a friend — especially one who’s turning more than 240 years old — but the residents of the historic Whitland Area Neighborhood are up for the task.

The hosts of the Whitland Avenue Fourth of July celebration self-identify as “Patriots,” and they’ve been embracing their annual festivities for almost half a century. On Whitland, Independence Day fanfare kicks off well in advance of July 4.

This year, that meant gathering for a cocktail supper at the Whitland Avenue home of Patriots Fran and Cyril Stewart, who have long been organizers of the neighborhood’s beloved celebration. These days, a second generation of Stewarts run the show: David and Tessa are at the helm, marshaling the Avenue in its charming parade, sing-along, speeches and cookout — the blend of which takes a year of planning and production.

Fortunately, the preparation is fun work — with periodic living-room gatherings and the aforementioned, event-opening supper — ultimately culminating in the early-morning heavylifting to close the street and line the sidewalks with canoes of cold drinks and a phalanx of grills for hot dogs. This year, longtime Patriot Julie Mosley led the parade as grand marshal, flanked by members of the neighborhood fire hall and followed by a robust legion of candidates for public office. After a red, white and blue procession of kids aboard trikes, little red wagons and a miniature train, Metro Fire Department Chief William Swann delivered a keynote address under the leafy canopy and led the crowd in a patriotic sing-along, accompanied by the heat-resistant Greatest Band in America.

Per tradition, eloquent Chip Arnold delivered his booming recitation of the Declaration of Independence, and the crowd migrated to the sweltering buffet of what must be acknowledged as the best hot dogs of the year.

No one really takes a headcount, but it’s possible this was the biggest and best year ever on Whitland Avenue. The same sentiment will likely be true next year. Fortunately, some traditions never change.

BY CARRINGTON FOX PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC ENGLAND

William and Connie Swann

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Victoria Hulan, Charlie Tollison, Dallas Lewis, Kody Watkins, Darren Purcell, Jonathan Puckett

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PA R T I E S

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nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

63

PA R T I E S

Sugar Vise

Michael Danziger, Joyce Vise with Sugar, Bree Miller

Sugar High Friends celebrate years of joy

A

s the saying goes, “There are good ships and wood ships and ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships and may they always be.” On an early summer’s afternoon, friendship was on full display at BrickTop’s as revelers gathered to celebrate Joyce and Sugar Vise. Joyce — whose father escaped the Holocaust — celebrates life with zeal and joy, and she invited close friends to celebrate years of stories and the day’s main attraction: Sugar.

Sugar came to Joyce as a tiny ball of white fluff. Today, at 13 years old, Sugar sat calmly, regally accepting the love and birthday wishes that were showered upon her. Sugar, a regular at friends’ homes, has graced the pages of Nfocus numerous times. She is one of the many beloved bichons of Belle Meade.

This afternoon, as guests lingered over tuna tartare and BrickTop’s spinach dip — a crowd favorite — any onlooker could see true examples of friendships that have lasted for years, carrying each of the guests through loss and life. There was an abundance of laughter at past escapades and memories of friends. With her radiant smile, Joyce said, “I believe in waking up each day with joy. I learned that from my father.

Because of what he taught me, I live life to the fullest and surround myself with dear friends.” And really, isn’t that what it should all be about?

Sugar Vise

Sandra Lipman

Joyce Vise with Sugar

BY JANET KURTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIC ENGLAND AND COURTESY OF JOYCE VISE

Michael Danziger, Joyce Vise with Sugar, Janet Kurtz, Sandra Lipman, Janet Bentz, Bree Miller

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nfocusmagazine.com | AUGUST 2023 <<

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30 YEARS

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30 YEARS

Arts in Nashville Nashville’s commitment to the arts and culture

As we celebrate 30 years of Nfocus, we have asked our friends in the community — many of whom have been with us since the beginning — to tell their story in their own words.

Throughout the year, readers will hear from those who have graced our pages and supported our stories.

This month, we reached out to a dear friend and pioneer of the arts community, Anne Brown, to discuss 30 years of arts in Nashville.

The arts scene in downtown Nashville began to develop around 1970 when the Chamber of Commerce commissioned a survey in response to “what the community then felt it needed and wanted in the way of cultural facilities in the area.” The Chamber Committee’s objective was to make Nashville a “stronger economic and cultural hub of a broader and more prosperous region.”

Thus, the elevation of the arts in the civic and cultural Nashville as we know it today began in the 1970s and ‘80s. Martha Ingram — a cultural and civic leader — and then-governor Ned McWherter agreed to locate a new Tennessee Performing Arts Center in a new state building underway. The Tennessee State Museum was moved into that space as well.

In the 1970s, national, state and local arts agencies emerged, providing more support for the arts as an industry. The Tennessee Arts Commission and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission added to the ongoing civil and cultural dynamic that “We the People” continued to pursue.

Under the direction of Mayor Richard Fulton, the Metro Arts Commission progressed and expanded in the 1980s. He was devoted to making the arts and cultural activities evolve in Nashville. Fulton actively supported the annual Summer Lights Festival, a new enterprise to bring legions of people downtown to be involved in the new changes happening. The distinguished mayor encouraged increased funding for public arts in the community. Fulton also supported Metro Arts’ other civic and cultural opportunities, engaging more Nashvillians through initiatives like Arts at the Airport, the addition of three public art galleries downtown and more.

City leaders of the ‘90s and ‘00s devoted efforts to fulfill the original challenge from the Chamber of Commerce: “to make Nashville a stronger economic and cultural hub of a more prosperous region.”

All hell broke loose as downtown Nashville became a prime location for the arts and culture. The Frist Art Museum, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the downtown branch of Nashville Public Library, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum all opened between 2000 and 2005.

Since then, the National Museum of African American Music opened — directly across the street from the Ryman — to celebrate the history of Black music in the American soundtrack. These developments are the amazing results of plans proposed in the ’70s — plans which took seriously the will of the people to make Nashville a hub of civic and cultural activity. Who knows what good things are to come out of Nashville’s commitment to the arts in the next few decades? I look forward to seeing what the next generation adds to the ever-changing landscape.

BY ANNE BROWN PHOTOGRAPHS FROM NFOCUS ARCHIVES AND COURTESY OF FRIST ART MUSEUM AND NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

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TA K I N G V O W S

wder Ashley Go Marries htar Hany Muk

Professional soccer player Hany Mukhtar met Ashley Gowder in Nashville through mutual friends. He proposed on a trip to the Florida Keys in March 2022, surprising Ashley as they sailed at scenic Key Largo. Later that year, following an incredible season, Hany was named MVP for Major League Soccer and won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the league.

They married in March 2023 at Geodis Park, home stadium of Hany’s Nashville Soccer Club. “With the field as our blank canvas,” said Ashley, “we brought our vision to life, creating a truly unforgettable atmosphere in the city that brought us together.” Hosting fewer than 100 guests, the bride said the day was “a private, stress-free wedding, [spent] enjoying the company of our families and close friends, many of whom had traveled from overseas. It was magical to see our cultures collide and to share such an intimate moment together.”

They kicked off the wedding day’s festivities with a pickleball tournament and brunch at the stadium. “We had a custom pickleball arena built,” said the bride. Puma supplied matching tracksuits and sneakers to complete the look. Afterwards, Hany and Ashley went their separate ways, getting ready in their own separate locker rooms.

Ashley wore a one-of-a-kind gown by Olia Zavozina — uniquely designed for the bride’s personality and aesthetic — paired with Christian Louboutin shoes. “Honestly, I could have married Hany in sweatpants and been the happiest girl in the world,” she said. Hany sported a Baynes + Baker tuxedo with Giuseppe Zanotti shoes. He surprised Ashley, opening his tuxedo jacket to reveal its custom lining, adorned with photos of their journey together.

Echoes of Eden Florals created the bride’s bouquet and all the florals.

According to Ashley, the couple looked to soften the space by bringing a “fresh, garden feel inside the industrial stadium.” White Door Events decorated the venue, and Amy and I helped coordinate. Guests enjoyed a seated five-course dinner, then enjoyed cake and sang “Happy Birthday” to Hany.

During the 2022 off-season, the couple began their pre-wedding journey in Istanbul, traveled to Dubai and London, then continued to Munich and Hamburg. They concluded their journey with a visit to Hany’s hometown of Berlin where they caught up with family. Parents are Lisa and Brett Gowder of Woodstock, Georgia, and Ursula and Abubakr Mukhtar of Berlin, Germany.

BY SANDRA NELSON PHOTOGRAPHS BY NICK BASTOKY

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PENCIL IN

N A S H V I L L E JOIN US ON A JOURNEY OF HOPE AS WE TAKE FLIGHT AGAINST CANCER

11.04.2023 JET LINX NASHVILLE

AN EVENING BENEFITING THE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION HOPE LODGE

AUGUST MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS

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BROADWAY BRUNCH AUGUST 13

The 8th annual Broadway Brunch — benefiting the Nashville Repertory Theatre — is the best musical brunch of the year! This marvelous party celebrates the power of live theater with a delectable brunch, bottomless cocktails, a remarkable live auction, complimentary valet parking and a dazzling musical performance

by Nashville’s sensational theatrical talent! All proceeds from Broadway Brunch go to Nashville Repertory Theatre and its commitment to inspire empathy and expand the creative capacity of our community.

NashvilleRep.org

FOR TABLE SALES OR SPONSORSHIP PLEASE EMAIL KEILLIAN.CARPENTER@CANCER.ORG

As Nashville’s most trusted source for social and lifestyle coverage, Nfocus takes readers inside more events than any other publication in town.

30YEARS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT NFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM. @NfocusMagazine

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MOST POWERFUL WOMEN AUGUST 30

Nashville Post and Nfocus are pairing their respective “Most Powerful Women” and “Model Behavior” programs to spotlight community luminaries and reveal the Model Behavior 2023 honorees. Launched in 2011, the Most Powerful Women series has convened female leaders from all corners of Middle Tennessee’s economy to share their stories of growth and success with peers and future community leaders.

This year’s star-studded panel includes some of the city’s most accomplished and inspiring leaders in the arts, education and outreach sectors: Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools; Deana Ivey, president & CEO of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp; Candice Lee, Vanderbilt University’s athletics director and vice chancellor of Athletics and University Affairs; and Jennifer Turner, president & CEO of Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

Though their careers and skill sets may vary, the one thing that unites them is their commitment to serving others. To learn more about these impressive women and their thoughts on leadership, join us at City Winery for this year’s luncheon. FWPublishing.com/MPW

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PRESENTED BY

08.30.23 C I T Y W I NE RY / 11- 2 Nashville Post and Nfocus are pairing their respective “Most Powerful Women” and “Model Behavior” programs to spotlight community luminaries. Launched in 2011, the Most Powerful Women series has convened female leaders from all corners of Middle Tennessee’s economy to share their stories of growth and success with peers and future community leaders. Our star-studded panel this year includes some of the city’s most accomplished and inspiring leaders in the arts, outreach and education sectors. Though their careers and skill sets may vary, the one thing that unites them is their commitment to serving others. To learn more about these impressive women and their thoughts on leadership, join us at City Winery for this year’s event.

MEET THE PANELISTS

Dr. Adrienne Battle

Deana Ivey

Director of Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools

President & CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Candice Lee

Jennifer Turner

Vice Chancellor, Athletics and University Affairs Athletics Director, Vanderbilt University

President & CEO, Tennessee Performing Arts Center

TICKETS ON SALE NOW INDIVIDUAL S TA N D A R D T I C K E T

INDIVIDUAL VIP TICKET

S TA N D A R D A N D V I P TA B L E S P O N S O R

Standard Tickets include access to the panel luncheon, a gift bag from our sponsors, the opportunity to bid in our silent auction, complimentary valet and more.

VIP Tickets include all the perks of a standard ticket, plus exclusive access to mix and mingle with the panelists after the luncheon, a VIP tote bag, champagne toast, photos and more.

Table Sponsorships include a full table (10 guests), company logo recognition on your table, sponsorship inclusion in our program guide and more.

SPONSORED BY

GIFT BAG SPONSOR

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A Love of the Arts Begins Early Nashville Children’s Theatre has cultivated young voices for over 90 years In the early 1930s, The Junior League fulfilled commitments to establish children’s theaters in many U.S. cities. Originally called The Nashville Academy Theatre, Nashville Children’s Theatre was established in 1931 by the Junior League of Nashville, opening with the production of Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. For years, Nashville Children’s Theatre performed in numerous local landmarks, including Belcourt Theatre, and at Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities.

In the late 1950s, Ann Stahlman Hill — with many other civic-minded individuals — undertook the monumental task of creating a permanent home for Nashville Children’s Theatre. While under Ann’s leadership, the group effectively petitioned legislatures and engaged in successful fundraising — and NCT opened permanent facilities downtown in 1960.

Spurred by this new location, Nashville Children’s Theatre metamorphosed in the 1970s from a volunteer-led, largely amateur theater to its present state: a professional organization which strategically plans for growth of programs, staff and facilities. NCT has adapted and evolved over nearly a century, facing internal and external organizational issues with creative solutions, community outreach and theater magic.

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