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Metro Nashville’s Public Art Collection is made up of over 230 permanent artworks found all over the city. Artworks are publicly accessible and may be enjoyed at no charge. From colorful transit shelters to playful bike racks, from iconic sculptures to  vibrant library walls , Metro Arts is on a mission to bring art to all the spaces where Nashvillians live, work, and play.

Using the public art map and individual artwork descriptions (click on any artwork image), you can explore Nashville public art in person at our city’s libraries, community centers, parks, office buildings, and along transportation routes. The entire collection may also be experienced online through our website, videos, blog, and educational resources. 

 

Through the artworks and the artists included in our collection, we strive to build a more inclusive and vibrant city that celebrates the city’s diversity, creative spirit, history, and future. We support a strong and vibrant professional artistic community, with a focus in the last ten years on local artists. Over 90% of the artists are Tennessee-based and 81% are Nashville residents. Their work represents visual arts in a range of media, styles, and techniques—a collective expression of what art can be!  

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What kinds of artworks are in Metro’s Public Art Collection? 
 

• Large-scale and iconic pieces like Light Meander and Stix in downtown Nashville 

• Neighborhood-focused artworks such as Sky Lake at Smith Springs Community Center 

• Reflective artworks like Emergence at Hartman Park, part of the Watermarks series created after the 2010 flood 

• Fun and functional bike racks designed by local artists, such as Microphone at the Music Row Roundabout 

• Wall-hung artworks by local artists at the Historic Courthouse, Metro Office Building, Lindsley Hall, and Metro Southeast, including Sam Dunson’s Domestic Relations at the Historic Courthouse 

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In addition to visiting our existing Metro Public Art Collection, you can: 

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• Report a Public Art Repair or Maintenance Need. Metro Public Art maintains the public art collection through routine maintenance as well as repair and restoration work.

• Learn “best practices” with Public Art Toolkits (see below), written for artists, property owners, and community groups, which focus on creation of murals, bike racks public, and public art in private development,.  

• Explore upcoming Metro Arts public art projects through our Calls for Artists.  

• Contribute to the city’s public art by either Donating Artwork to Metro or proposing Temporary Artwork on Metro Property. Proposed projects must be approved by multiple departments and Metro Arts coordinates this process. 

• Discover more in our Metro Public Art Guidelines and the Executive Summary of our 2017 Public Art Community Investment Plan.