About the Arts & Business Council

OUR MISSION

The Arts & Business Council is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that leverages and unites the unique resources of the arts and business communities to create a thriving, sustainable creative culture in Nashville.

What We Do

  • We create mutually beneficial partnerships between arts and business.
  • We provide direct services, key opportunities, and education to the creative community to help them master the business of art.
  • We inspire workplace creativity in businesses to demonstrate the impact of the arts through tangible benefits and develop life-long arts participants and supporters.

OUR VISION AND CORE VALUES

As the hub for building more sustainable arts businesses and creative enterprises:

  • Investing in artists is central to the Arts & Business Council’s long-­term vision of a community where artists are valued as critical assets to be engaged, supported, and empowered.
  • The Arts & Business Council believes having a large population of engaged, capable artists will lead to both a more just and equitable society.
  • The Arts & Business Council believes a strong sector of creative businesses will enhance the overall economic profile of the Greater Nashville area. A thriving arts community: attracts businesses to Nashville; makes for a healthy, happy population; and creates strong, innovative solutions to social, business, and civic challenges.

OUR IMPACT

The impact of our programs continues to increase year-after-year as we remain flexible, responsive, and innovative in the fulfillment of our mission to cultivate Nashville’s creative community. Download a recent annual report to learn more!

 

FY2022 Annual Report

BOARD

HONORARY CHAIRMAN

Martha Ingram, Ingram Industries

CHAIR

Thor Urness, Bradley

VICE CHAIR

Kirsten Jacobson, Asurion

TREASURER

Mike Koupal, Elliott Davis

DIRECTORS

Larry Abel, Abel McCallister Abel

Caroline Allison, Photographer

Libby Callaway, The Callaway

Brittany Cole, Career Thrivers

Chan Dillon, WC Dillon Company

Stephen Eaves, Belmont University

Lucia Folk, The Change Agent·cy

Cara Greene, Dryden Architecture & Design

Tré Hardin, Don Hardin Group

Khrys Hatch, Launch Tennessee

Jined Lamata Holladay, Holladay Ventures

Jamie Kent, The BAM Group

John Leal, Brace Artist Management

Emmanuel LeGrair, R.H. Boyd & The Commonwealth

Rory Levine, Academy of Country Music

Courtney Little, Musician & Arts Administrator

Marcia Masulla, Nashville Fashion Week & Roar Nashville

Kearstin Patterson, HCA Healthcare

Brynn Plummer, AllianceBernstein

Tracy D. Sharpley-Whiting, Vanderbilt University

J. Robert Valentine, Concord

Hon. Nancy VanReece, Metro Council & LDG Development

Trent Yates, Sagemont Real Estate

Anna Zeitlin, Fanny & June & Zeitgeist Gallery

Ethan Zoubek, Atari

 

YOUNG LEADERS COUNCIL INTERNS

Joanna Paszek, CBRE

Jacob Tudor, Nashville Symphony

Are you interested in serving on an arts nonprofit board? Check out our Arts Board Matching program! If you’d like to learn more about serving on the Arts & Business Council’s board specifically, please email our Executive Director.

STAFF

Jill McMillan Palm, Executive Director

Jonathan Harwell-Dye, Director of Programs

Jackie Johnson Tidwell, Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives

Jennifer “Ennie” Brosius, Program Manager

Kate Formway, Volunteer Services Specialist

The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville is a nonprofit-in-residence at Belmont University. Learn more about Belmont University here.