From morning to night, Cheekwood will celebrate Black artists with music, dance, spoken word, visual art, and more. Attendees have the opportunity to explore and experience the many forms of Black musical expression and traditions, including gospel, R&B, and funk. Other offerings include a community quilt activity, story time and hands-on activities for the kids, and southern home-cooked favorites made by local Black chefs available for purchase. In addition, an exhibition of art from emerging and established artists will be on view in the Frist Learning Center.
“Black Arts Bash is a celebration of Black homegrown talent,” said Christiana Afotey, Advisory Committee member and owner of Threads by Dreads. “Our city has become a refuge for people from all over the world. Cheekwood offers local artists a home for their crafts, a safe space for Black artists to connect and thrive, and a platform and audience to share their stories with.”
Activities include performances by Southern Word, Sankofa African Drum and Dance, and the McCrary Sisters, and other talented artists.
Also included is the Black Arts Bash Fine Art exhibition which will happen at the Frist Learning Center Great Hall. In celebrating Black art of all forms, the 2023 Black Arts Bash Fine Arts Exhibition is the visual component, featuring both emerging and established artists, and aims to tell stories from the mundane to the powerful. The show provides a platform for artists as well as a mentoring opportunity. Featured artists include Higgins Bond, DaShawn Lewis, Kimberly Manson, Eric Nyamor, Shadale Smith, and X Payne. A panel discussion will take place with the established artists from 5:30–6:30 pm. High school and university artists will be available for drop-in visits from 11:30–12:30 pm, and 4–5 pm.
The show opens concurrently with Black Arts Bash on August 19 and runs through August 31. For this intergenerational exhibition, Cheekwood is still seeking work (painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, fashion, etc.) made by artists in the Greater Nashville Area who identify as Black or mixed-race. Interested applicants can apply through July 29 at <cheekwood.org/learn/school- programs/black-arts-bash-fine-art-exhibition/>.
Other activities include food vendors, arts and goods vendors, African Textile quilt activities, and family storytime.
Black Arts Bash takes place Saturday, August 19, from 9 am–10 pm. Tickets are on sale now. The event is free for Cheekwood members.
Black Arts Bash is presented by Bank of America. The event is sponsored by HCA and Asurion and supported by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
