Say “Nashville” and most people will think of country music, cowboy boots and honky-tonk bars. But what most people don’t know is that Nashville is home to a burgeoning arts scene, made up of creative communities that produce, showcase and celebrate a variety of art.

From professional organizations like the Nashville American Marketing Association and the American Advertising Federation in Nashville, to grassroots community groups, Nossi College of Art students have many opportunities to network with industry professionals and develop as an artist.

In this environment, Nossi College of Art focuses on providing as many opportunities as possible for our students to be part of Nashville’s burgeoning art culture, professionally and socially. Recent examples of how Nossi students have contributed to Nashville’s arts culture include:

• Work exhibited at the Nashville International Airport with the award-winning Arts in the Airport program.
• Students have been commissioned to design a panel for the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Racetrack.
• Students have volunteered to photograph the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Event.
• Worked the Riverfront Stage at 102.9’s Summer BuzzFest.
• Painted a mural for SPA – Safe Place for Animals, a Nashville non-profit.

Nashville is an ideal place to study art because it provides a creative culture in which to learn, live and create. Contemporary, modern and alternative artists frequently display their work in local coffee shops, restaurants and galleries. East Nashville and Hillsboro Village are creative hot spots with unique venues for independent films, musicians and artists, not to mention great coffee shops and lively nightlife. Nossi students can live in these neighborhoods, visit these venues and be inspired by or even contribute to the local creativity.

Nashville’s thriving food scene lends to the creative energy in the city. Neighborhood restaurants make national media lists for infusing fresh, Tennessee-grown products with international flavors. Food trucks offering everything from marshmallows to gourmet-grilled cheese add a sense of community as locals use Twitter to track their favorite foods. Nossi students don’t have to employ their GPS’s to find a truck though; many roll right up to the school on a regular basis.

Almost every neighborhood has its own farmers’ market, and the year-round Nashville Farmers’ Market is a staple for local produce, baked goods and flowers.

The Nashville Opera, Nashville Symphony and Nashville Ballet deliver classic and modern performances throughout the year, while the Frist Center for the Visual Arts features touring exhibitions, permanent collections and free seminars on visual arts, music and culture.

Songwriters and musicians record countless albums in studios on Music Row, and Centennial Park is a beautifully maintained public park where people of all ages come to relax, exercise and attend free events like Movies in the Park.

Whether your passion is for fine art, food, indie rock or history, as a Nossi student, you’ll find it in Nashville. Don’t be intimidated by the neon lights of Lower Broadway; Nashville is where all types of artists come to learn, grow and create.