#public art program

Frannie Lee

Years ago, I was blessed to have 'Microphone' selected by the Public Art Program to be displayed on Music Row.  Today, I have been selected as a member of the Metro Nashville Arts Commission.  I could go on and on about how my passion for our great Music City inspired 'Microphone,' or how important art is to the growth of Nashville, but I'm just going to get straight to the point.  Too many talented artists in Nashville don't know about the Public Art Program.  I want to change this by telling my story.

  I didn’t come from a household that appreciated art, a cultural conundrum for a young person growing up in Nashville.  My family told me from an early age that art was not a reliable career, so I’d assumed my life would be a constant battle of practicality vs. happiness.  When I turned 18, I moved into a cheap apartment with friends, and struggled to make ends meet waiting tables and taking art classes.

 I didn’t learn about the Metro Nashville Arts Commission (Metro Arts) until I fell sick in 2011.  I had pneumonia, and with no health insurance, I didn’t even want to think about my choices.  When an acquaintance told me about Metro Arts’ Insurance for the Creative Community, I nearly cried.  Not only would I be able to go to the hospital and receive covered treatment, but I could have a yearly check-up, a cost I hadn’t considered in a long time.  For the first time, I felt like I was valued and appreciated as an artist.  It was then that I knew Nashville valued its art community.

Shortly after receiving treatment, I began saving money by taking free art classes offered by Metro Arts.  It was there I heard of the Public Art Program, and applied on a whim.

One of the Public Art Program’s major endeavors is displaying community artwork on public sites.  The city sets aside 1 percent of capital improvement project funds to grow and encourage public art.  The program aims to unite art and practical economic growth of the city by displaying art from the community in renovated and new projects.  I guess the commission saw my passion for the city in "Microphone," and it's now displayed at a major traffic point on the famed Music Row and Demonbreun.