About Metro Arts
Metro Nashville Arts Commission or “Metro Arts” is the office of Arts + Culture for Nashville and Davidson County. We believe that arts drive a more vibrant and equitable community. We strive to ensure that all Nashvillians have access to a creative life through community investments, artist and organizational training, public art and creative placemaking coordination and direct programs that involve residents in all forms of arts and culture.
Public Art Call to Artists
Open Request for Qualifications:
Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment
Public Art Wall Sculpture
Metro Arts is issuing an Open Request for Qualifications to design, fabricate and install an interior, permanent Public Artwork Wall Sculpture for the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment (NYCE) in Nashville, Tennessee. The new youth campus will replace the existing juvenile court located at 100 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37213. The new site is located at 1354 Brick Church Pike, 2.5 miles north of the original site, near the intersection of I-24 and Trinity Lane. The total artist budget allocated for the new public art sculpture at the juvenile justice center is $400,000.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The chosen artist or team of artists will undertake the design, fabrication, and installation of a permanent public artwork in the form of a wall sculpture for the main lobby of NYCE. This initiative emphasizes the creation of a three-dimensional piece, distinguishing it from traditional two-dimensional artworks. The sculpture will be prominently positioned inside the main entrance of the courthouse campus, facilitating access to its multi-level complex and various spaces. The designated area for the art installation encompasses approximately 1,300 cubic feet of wall space and is strategically positioned to take advantage of natural light, provided by the expansive glass windows.
CAMPUS PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment (NYCE) is poised to make a transformative impact when it opens its doors in early 2027. Spanning 14 acres, this facility is designed to uplift the residents of Nashville-Davidson County who are seeking support through essential public services for children and adolescents, foster care, child safety, and the family and juvenile court systems. Located at 1354 Brick Church Pike, just 2.5 miles north of the existing juvenile court on Woodland St, the NYCE site is conveniently situated near the intersection of I-24 and Trinity Lane. More than just a juvenile court, the NYCE facility is a beacon of hope, featuring a thoughtfully designed environment that focuses on empowering youth and families. Additionally, the campus will collaborate with local non-profits to provide trauma-informed services and restorative classes, fostering engagement and support for both youth and their families. This initiative is the vision of Juvenile Court Judge, Sheila Calloway, a dedicated community leader who has passionately advocated for this project for years.
The Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment is not just a court building; it embodies a mission to empower and provide vital resources that will guide youth and families toward a brighter future. By creating a nurturing environment, the NYCE aims to inspire resilience and advancement, helping individuals navigate their paths with confidence and purpose.
All Submissions must be submitted via Submittable and are due Monday, June 23, 2025, by 11:59 P.M. (CST).
For more information or to apply to this opportunity please click here.
Public Art
Call for Community Panelists
Call for Community Panelists Guidelines
Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment (NYCE)
Metro Arts is seeking engaged community members to participate in the artist selection panel for an upcoming public art project. Selected panelists will evaluate and score artist applications and interviews during three required rounds. The scoring process is facilitated by Metro Arts staff and monitored by the Metro Purchasing Agent. The artists selection panel includes a member of the Arts Commission or Public Art Committee (panel chair, non-voting) and Metro site sponsor(s) (voting). This is a paid opportunity for community members to be a part of Metro's Public Art process.
PANELISTS PARTICIPATION/COMMITMENT
The selection panelists will be required to engage in three distinct rounds during the overall selection process for the artist or artist team. Please note that this is a closed procurement process. In order to prevent outside interference with the process and maintain an environment of objectivity, panelists may not discuss the process with those outside of the panel. Panelists will be required to sign a panelist agreement and complete a conflict of interest form.
TIMELINE
Round 1 - Online scoring, July - August 2025*
Round 2 - In-person scoring (one full, 8-hour day between 8am - 4pm), August 2025*
Round 3 - In-person scoring and selection of final artist (one full, 8-hour day between 8am - 4pm), September - October 2025*
*Specific dates, times, and location are to be determined. Lunch will be provided for in-person scoring rounds. We will attempt to accommodate individual dietary requests.
STIPEND
A total stipend of $840.00 will be awarded to each community panelist after the completions of all three rounds of scoring. Panelists will be required to register with Metro Finance
PANELIST ELIGIBILITY/REQUIREMENTS
- At least 18 years of age
- Resident of Nashville-Davidson County
- Available and committed to the entire panel selection process
- Complete all of the application questions
- Register with Metro Finance
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
- Employees of the Metro Nashville Arts Commission are ineligible to apply to be a community panelist. Their family and household members are also ineligible to apply.
- Members of the Metro Nashville Arts Commission and the Public Art Committee are ineligible to apply to be a community panelist. Their family and household members are also ineligible to apply.
- Employees of the Metro Nashville Government and Metro Nashville Public Schools are ineligible to apply to be a community panelist.
- An artist is precluded from having his/her work considered for a public art commission or project once selected for or while serving on a selection panel.
- Family or household members of an artist applying for this public art project are ineligible to apply to be a community panelist.
- Those who have a business relationship with an artists applying for this public art project is ineligible to apply to be a community panelist. Business relationships include but are not limited to gallery owners, brokers, artist representatives, agents, fabricators, suppliers, and employers.
PANELIST SELECTION
Each panelist application will be reviewed by the internal staff of Metro Arts. Applicants will be selected based on the answers given in the questionnaire. Items of interest, but not limited to, are past experiences, skill sets, connection to the related themes of the NYCE project, and panel composition need. If you're not selected this time, we encourage you to apply for future opportunities.
PANEL COMPOSITION
The selection panel for this project will have between five and eleven members including at least one visual artist, and may include a design professional, a project/architect/landscape architect, community representatives, and one member representing the site sponsor.
The chairperson of the selection panel will be the Public Art Committee chair or designee, serving as an ex-officio, non-voting panel member. The Metro Purchasing Agent will assign a Contract Specialist to the project who will serve as a non-voting advisory member of the selection panel and is charged with the responsibility of monitoring the Procurement process.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Full submission instructions are available HERE,
Please read through carefully before submitting. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. No submissions will be accepted beyond the specified deadline. Individuals may submit only one entry. Technical questions about the online submission process (Submittable account set-up, etc.) should be directed to www.submittable.com/help/submitter
RESOURCES FOR QUESTIONS
Direct all non-technical questions related to the call for community panelists to atilio.murga@nashville.gov with NYCE Lobby Public Art Selection Panel in the subject line or call Atilio Murga at 615-862-6733.
DEADLINE
All submissions must be submitted via Submittable and are due on Monday, July 7, 2025, by 11:59pm (CST).
To Apply, please click HERE
Grants Committee Update
The Grants Committee met on Thursday, March 27th and discussed the status of the FY25 grant cycle and tentative plans for FY26 cycle. You can watch the meeting recording HERE.
These are the documents the Commission discussed:
The following links are the event slides with questions to prompt the group discussions in our community conversations and also information about the FY25 cycle outcomes.
*FY26 Engagement Discussion Questions
*FY26 Community Engagement Slides for April 2025 events.
If you have more questions and ideas to share, you can provide direct feedback for grants staff in the survey below.
April 2025 Community Engagement Survey
Updates on FY25 Grants (General Operating & Thrive)
We are happy to report that the Metro Council approved the FY25 Grant and Funding Policies on January 21, 2025. You can find updated information, FAQs, and important documents on the Operating and Thrive pages. This grant cycle is for applications that were submitted in January 2024. You can expect more information about FY26 in the coming weeks.
We know that the delays in funding have caused hardship for artists and the communities they serve, and we deeply regret the challenges you have faced because of these delays and the lack of communication from Metro Arts. The Metro Arts Commission is committed to ensuring that future grant cycles are free of these kinds of delays, and that artists receive the communication and support they need to succeed.
Please review this information update and FAQ about the policies, new guidelines, and what to expect.
Please read this Fiscal Sponsorship FAQ if you are a Thrive applicant or if you are a nonprofit organization that may be interested in serving as a fiscal sponsor.
Experience
Art in Nashville
Nashville's Public Art Collection can be found all over the city. From imaginative outdoor seating to playful bike racks, from skyscraping sculptures to vibrant library walls, Metro Arts is on a mission to bring art to all the spaces Nashvillians live, work, and play.
We're adding even more artwork to the city collection this summer! Find Metro Arts around Nashville by following us on socials and signing up for the Arts Alert!
OUR IMPACT
Learn more on how we are connecting the community with the arts.
METRO ARTS IS FUNDED IN PART BY
The arts are getting cut from state budgets across America. In Tennessee, we are fortunate to have an additional source of funding. The extra revenue we receive from specialty and personalized license plate sales has been key to funding the arts in Tennessee. More than 70% of the money used to fund the 800+ grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission last year was from the sale of these specialty license plates.
Support the Arts with a Specialty License Plate
