Downtown Public Art and Murals

Nashville is known for its music, but the city’s art scene is equally dynamic. Along this tour you will see art related to the Greek gods, music icons, and everything in between. Some of the art you will see has been sponsored by private commissions while others are pieces of public art sponsored and managed by the Metro Arts Commission. Metro Arts advocates for public art, provides guidance and resources, and fosters connections between the arts and the larger community. ​​

​​In addition to classic sculptures, fountains, and art galleries—murals are also making quite the splash in the downtown area. According to travel writer, Carole Guttery, “Nashville is doing street art in a whole new way. While they do have guerrilla works and graffiti, more of the street art you’ll find in Nashville has sprung from deliberate, commissioned projects organized by collectives. All of this gives Nashville’s mural scene a clean, bright look that is very Instagrammable, making it popular with a broad cross section of the population.” ​​ ​​

Hello, I am Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel, executive director of Nashville Sites, and I taught the class here at Belmont University that researched and wrote this tour. They include Sarah Travis, Sara Scanell, Crystal Lemus, Riley Wymer, Madison Manns, Sydney Whitten, and Holly Pyles. Join us as we learn about art and murals in downtown Nashville. We’d also like to give you full permission to take or pose for photos as you read and listen to the tour. So let us begin, right here in the heart of Smashville. ​​

​​Begin the tour outside 526 Demonbruen Avenue at the Nissan SoBro Entrance to Bridgestone. On the wall to the RIGHT of the entrance is the "I Believe in Smashville" mural, just past the corner of Demonbruen and Fifth Avenue.​​