As part of its ongoing commitment to improve equity and access, Metro Arts is hosting three listening sessions to continue conversations about grants, programs and funding disparities. The goal is to better understand the barriers to participation in funding or programming and center community recommendations.
“With such a diverse and growing arts community, it’s important that we meet everyone where they are to truly begin laying the foundations for equity and inclusion.” said CJ Ochoco, co-founder and president of Breaking Wave Theatre Company. Ochoco was part of last fall’s grant editing panel.
Metro Arts’ upcoming listening sessions are open to artists, arts organizations, arts administrators, educators, youth and anyone who wants to share their experience as part of Nashville's arts ecosystem. Available dates are:
- Monday, April 24, 5-7 p.m. (in-person at East Park Community Center, includes dinner)
- Tuesday, April 25, 12-2 p.m. (in-person at East Park Community Center, includes lunch)
- Wednesday, May 3, 10-11 a.m., virtual
Learn more and register here: Metro Arts Listening Sessions Flyers are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Kurdish:
- Listening Session Flyer in English
- Listening Session Flyer in Spanish
- Listening Session Flyer in Arabic
- Listening Session Flyer in Kurdish
The registration deadline for April sessions is Thursday, Apr 20. The registration deadline for the May session is Tuesday, May 2.
Last fall, Metro Arts began a community-driven, trust-based grant simplification process with the goal of making funding more equitable. The move to this approach was built on community feedback, past grant reports, emerging trends from the pandemic and current practices for inclusive grantmaking.
Key changes included:
- A shift to a flat-funding model, which provides more stable and less competitive funding to artists and organizations.
- Elimination of matching requirements.
- Simplified grant applications and reports.
- Grant workshops and 1:1 clinics to provide support during the application process.
- Transition support for organizations as they move to a new funding category.
LeAndra Crystal is an independent artist, therapeutic art life coach, and president of the Board of Tennessee Art League who also participated in last fall’s grant editing process.
“What Metro Arts is doing to bring resources and equitability to artists - so we can do what we love - is a beautiful thing,” Crystal said.