The story of Art Beat began in the fall of 2021 with a gift store and gallery in the Gulch. Two things quickly became obvious to me: rent prices were only going up, and what I loved the most about Art Beat was this community of artists I had come to know, their talent, who they were, and how it felt to be with them in community.
It was like going to a concert and loving the opening band, and that is how I see art in Nashville. Art takes side stage to the unique and incredibly talented music scene we have here, but it deserves opportunities to be the opening act. It is that good.
An online marketplace gives artists a stage 365 days of the year. But I think it is really more than a stage. It is a home. It is home for me, and I hope it feels like a home to everyone who comes through our virtual doors. I see it as the beginning of many doors opening as we grow, whether it is a pop-up, an art crawl, an event, coming into your home to talk about art that works on your walls, or giving you an inside view of the heart, homes, and studios of the artists who color our city.
Is everything on here from Nashville? The majority of art is from artists who live in Nashville or the surrounding areas. But there will be artists sprinkled in from all parts of Tennessee over time.
Art Beat is energized by my love for my lifelong home of Nashville, my admiration and respect for the many local artists I know, and the countless more I have yet to meet. I am honored to be part of Nashvilles well-established art community!
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