The Ultimate Art Lover’s Guide to Nashville
Where to Find Nashville’s Best Art?
For the best art in Nashville, hit Downtown’s 5th Avenue of the Arts district which is a short stroll from the late-night honky-tonks of Broadway. Here, you’ll find several eminent galleries which are patrons of the First Saturday Art Crawl, a popular monthly event that offers local artists and designers a vital space to show their work.
Out on the streets, you’ll find plenty of exciting art installations, statues, and murals including Musica, What Lifts You, and The Nations Silo. Nashville might be the “Country Music Capital of the World” but this storied Southern city is also celebrated for its illustrious arts scene, so grab your camera and go exploring.
1. Chauvet Arts
Championing the art of the American South
Good for: Shoppers, Couples
A short walk from the banks of the Cumberland River, Chauvet Arts is a contemporary gallery that supports emerging and established artists who’ve been shaped by the American South. Art lovers flock here to peruse a vast collection of modern pieces spanning traditional oil paintings and avant-garde sculptures, as well as mixed-media collages and monochrome photographs.
Set inside a historic building, Chauvet Arts hosts exclusive exhibitions and pop-ups like Letterpress Preacher featuring the work of Kevin Bradley, and Civilization, a celebration of art from Rococo through to retro. Top-selling artists include photographer John Sharp, painter Greer Wilkins, and mixed-media talent Denise Stewart-Sanabria.
Location: 215 Rep. John Lewis Way N, Nashville, TN 37219, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 615-254-2040
Chauvet Arts
2. What Lifts You
A prime selfie spot
Good for: Budget, Photo
Located on 11th Avenue in Nashville’s upscale Gulch neighborhood, Kelsey Montague’s What Lifts You is a 23-foot (7-meter) high mural that adorns the side of the Mediterranean restaurant, Taziki. Popular with Instagrammers, the work features 2 huge white wings painted onto a midnight black background, and visitors are encouraged to stand in the middle and have their photograph taken.
Share the image on social media with the hashtag #WhatLiftsYou and tell your followers what inspires you the most. Afterwards, grab a table inside the restaurant for a hearty Greek feast of watermelon and feta salad and spicy chicken gyros.
Location: 302 11th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
What Lifts You
3. Zeitgeist
A melting pot of modern pieces
Good for: Shoppers, Couples
One of the city’s most prominent galleries, Zeitgeist is set in the Wedgewood Houston district, also known as WeHo, an up-and-coming arts enclave with a storied factory past. Inside this cavernous industrial space, visitors can peruse works by artists like Jeremiah Ariaz, Sai Clayton, Lanie Gannon, and Brady Haston, who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary art.
Previous exhibitions include The Ability to See Ghosts, a group show that explored themes like myths and actualities, and the seen and unseen, and Rooted Chronicles, a comprehensive ensemble event featuring artists from marginalized backgrounds. Zeitgeist is also part of the WeHo Art Crawl, which draws creatives from all walks of life on the first Saturday of every month.
Location: 516 Hagan St #100, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
Open: Thursday–Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm (closed on Sunday–Wednesday)
Phone: +1 615-256-4805
Zeitgeist
4. Musica
A mammoth statue in the heart of Music Row
Good for: Budget, Photo
Set on a picturesque grassy knoll along Nashville’s Music Row, Musica is purported to be one of the world’s largest bronze figure groups. Standing 40 ft (12 meters) high, this epic artwork was designed by American sculptor Alan LeQuire, who is known for his colossal clay and metal masterpieces. Other notable works include a bronze of Jack Daniel.
This striking celebration of dancing musicians draws tourists from all over the city, who drop by to admire its green-tinged figures and take photographs in front of it. It’s in close proximity to major landmarks, too, which are all within walking distance, like RCA Studio B and the Ryman Auditorium.
Location: Roundabout Plaza, 1600 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
Musica
5. Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machineworks
An extraordinary avant-garde installation
Good for: Photo, Unusual
Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machineworks is a visually arresting public art installation on the edges of the Cumberland River in Nashville’s Wasioto Park. Designed by Alice Aycock, an American sculptor who’s famed for her enormous metal pieces, this 100-ft (30-meter) beast resembles the fragments of a roller coaster.
Glimpse cherry-red Ghost Ballet from the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge or walk down to the riverbank to admire it up close. The installation is situated next to River Queen Voyages, a company that rents kayaks to outdoor enthusiasts and offers sightseeing cruises on a BYOB boat.
Location: E Bank Greenway, Nashville, TN 37213, USA
Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machineworks
6. Bennett Galleries Nashville
A family-owned space showing established and emerging artists
Good for: Luxury, Couples
You’ll find Bennett Galleries Nashville in affluent Green Hills, a neighborhood that teems with manor-lined streets, upscale boutiques, and iconic country music bars like the Bluebird Cafe. Specializing in contemporary pieces from veteran artists, as well as works by forthcoming talent, this family-operated venture has been open since the 70s.
Bennett Galleries deals predominantly in paintings, studio ceramics, and abstract sculptures, and offers a custom archival framing service to the city’s avid collectors. Swing by for pop-up exhibitions, seasonal showcases, and wonderful discoveries from an eclectic pool of artists like Brenda Coldwell, Polly Cook, and Hessam Abrishami.
Location: 2104 Crestmoor Rd Suite 101, Nashville, TN 37215, USA
Open: Monday–Friday from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, Saturday from 9.30 am to 5 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 615-297-3201
Bennett Galleries Nashville
7. Red Arrow Gallery
A hub of undiscovered talent
Good for: Luxury, Couples
Red Arrow Gallery, in suburban Eastwood, is set in an industrial-style space that’s all clean lines, high ceilings, exposed brick, and white walls. Step inside to admire the works of emerging contemporary artists like Eleanor Aldrich, Josh Paul Keslin, Marcus Maddox, and Kahri Turner who entrance collectors with their eye-popping works.
Previous shows have exhibited pieces by Brett Douglas Hunter and Jeremy Shockley; think large-scale face sculptures and galaxy backdrops, as well as collections exploring psychedelia, cosmic connection, and optical illusions. Swing by during opening hours or book an appointment with one of the team members for a private viewing.
Location: 919 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206, USA
Open: Thursday–Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm (closed on Sunday–Wednesday)
Phone: +1 615-236-6575
Red Arrow Gallery
8. The Nations Silo
An architectural relic that’s been revamped as an artwork
Good for: Photo, Couples
A throwback to Nashville’s industrial past, The Nations Silo is an abandoned Gillette Company grain tower that looms ominously over the Tennessee landscape. This historic feat of architecture showcases the portrait of 91-year-old resident Lee Estes, as well as 2 young children with their backs turned.
Commissioned by the Nashville Walls Project, The Nations Silo mural is the brainchild of Australian creative Guido Van Helten, who captures street art enthusiasts with his photorealistic depictions. The silo looks particularly striking on warm weather days when it’s backed by blue skies, sunshine, and the occasional cloud. Make sure you bring your camera, as photos are a must.
Location: 1499 51st Ave N, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
The Nations Silo
9. Frist Art Museum
An eminent exhibition hall filled with an abundance of masterworks
Good for: Families, Couples
Previously known as the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, the historic Frist Art Museum houses an impressive archive of pieces from regional, national, and global artists. Set inside Nashville’s landmark U.S. Post Office building, it hosts up to 15 shows every year, featuring art from the world’s most prestigious collections.
When you’re not gazing at works by David C. Driskell, Paul Gauguin, M. Florine Démosthène, and Alexander McQueen, you can dine at Café Cheeserie, the museum’s onsite eatery. Enjoy whipped feta baguettes, pear and gorgonzola salad, and signature dishes like chicken pot pie, along with a solid menu of enticing refreshments.
Location: 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
Open: Monday from 10 am to 5.30 pm, Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday–Saturday from 10 am to 5.30 pm, Sunday from 1 pm to 5.30 pm (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Phone: +1 615-244-3340
Frist Art Museum
10. Reflection
Nashville’s famous songbird
Good for: Budget, Families
Situated in leafy Shelby Park, Reflection is one of Nashville’s most beautiful art installations. Revealed in 2012 by artist Lawrence Argent, this glimmering work draws sculpture lovers and families alike with its mirror-like mockingbird, which perches elegantly on a block of onyx-hued granite in the middle of a well-kempt lawn.
From certain angles, the bird appears to be made of liquid with giant silver droplets cascading off its wings and beak. Opposite, you’ll find a mysterious black cube, which is hollowed out with a vortex-style opening that suggests a portal to another dimension.
Location: Shelby Park Greenway, Nashville, TN 37206, USA
Open: Daily from 6 am to 11 pm
Reflection
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