Celebrity panel announced for Periscope Pitch + Artist Entrepreneur Showcase

Live crowdfunding event gets community invested in Nashville’s emerging artists

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 20, 2019) — The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville presents the Periscope Pitch & Artist Entrepreneur Showcase on Wednesday, September 4, 2019, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at OZ Arts Nashville, 6172 Cockrill Bend Cir, Nashville, TN 37209.

The Periscope Pitch & Artist Entrepreneur Showcase is the culmination of the Arts & Business Council’s Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training program, which is now in its sixth year. At the event, the artist-entrepreneurs from this year’s cohort will showcase their work and business plans to the public. The showcase highlights the business acumen and artistic excellence of Nashville’s emerging artists, makers, and creative entrepreneurs across an array of artistic disciplines.

Then, nine Periscope artists from this year’s class will present their business plans to the public in a “Shark Tank”-meets-“TED”-talk live Pitch competition. An all-star panel of judges, including Patrick Carney, Maneet Chauhan, Richard Upchurch, and Caroline Randall Williams, will provide feedback and scores in order to award a number of cash prizes at the end of the evening. Attendees can also participate in live voting to help determine which artists will walk away with capital to build their creative businesses.

Tickets are $20 in advance and available via Eventbrite. Tickets are $25 at the door, pending availability, as Periscope Pitch often sells out in advance. All event proceeds go directly to winning artists. Press tickets available upon request.

The 2019 Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training cohort includes Alan Fey (music), Amber Lelli* (multidisciplinary), Anna Haas* (multidisciplinary), Carolyn Boutwell (sculpture), Coretta King (music), Dorinda Walker (choreography/music business), Emily Tyndall (music), Erin Connally* (illustration), Helen Stackhouse a.k.a. AM HASSAN (visual art), John Mahler (clockmaking), Keavy Murphree* (sculpture), Kelly Savoca* (fashion/lifestyle), Lindsay Walker* (jewelry), Lou Oshay* (music production), Mayter Scott (photography), Mirrah Johnson (fibers), Roz “Rightnow” Welch* (music), Sadie Hart (music/lifestyle), and Will Winton* (functional sculpture).

*Indicates artist will present live during the Periscope Pitch competition.

Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training is an annual professional development program that provides a cohort of professional artists with the tools they need to see their artistic vision through an entrepreneurial lens and take their creative business to the next level. The Arts & Business Council created and delivers Periscope with four key partners: The Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Metro Arts, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor’s Office of Economic & Community Development. Periscope is also made possible with support from Southwest Airlines, Tennessee Arts Commission, Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, and Bongo Java.

About Patrick Carney

Patrick Carney is the drummer of the Grammy Award-winning band The Black Keys. Originally from Akron, OH, Patrick now lives in Nashville, TN where he enjoys taking long walks with his Irish Wolfhound (when he’s not playing arenas on a worldwide tour). The Black Keys’ ninth studio album, ​Let’s Rock​, was released on June 28 via Easy Eye Sound/Nonesuch Records. The band released their debut album, ​The Big Come Up​, in 2002, followed by ​Thickfreakness (2003) and ​Rubber Factory ​(2004). In 2006 they signed to Nonesuch Records and released their fourth album, ​Magic Potion​, which was followed by ​Attack & Release in 2008. Subsequent albums include ​Brothers (2010), El Camino (2011), and ​Turn Blue (2014). The band has won 6 total Grammy Awards and now has 15 total nominations. ​Turn Blue was named #3 Best Album of 2014 by Rolling Stone, which called it “the sound of America’s most innovative arena rockers in full command.” In addition, Patrick has produced albums for artists such as Tobias Jesso Jr, Tennis, The Black Lips, Michelle Branch, The Sheepdogs and The Black Keys early albums. Recently, he contributed the main title music to 2014’s critically-acclaimed show “Bojack Horseman” on Netflix. He also hosts a radio show every month called “Serious Boredom” on XMU. Photo: Danny Clinch.

About Maneet Chauhan

Chef Maneet Chauhan is the founding partner and president of Morph Hospitality Group in Nashville, TN. She is a recipient of the 2012 James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award for her role as a permanent judge on Food Network’s “Chopped,” and sits on the panel of judges for Food Network’s “Wedding Cake Championship”. She has also written her own cookbook, Flavors of My World. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Chauhan worked in some of the finest hotels in India before the start of her professional career in the States. Lauded by print and broadcast media, Chef Chauhan has been featured in publications such as Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, The Local Palate, Wine Enthusiast, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Post, Times of India, The Telegraph and more. Her television appearances include “The View” (ABC), “CBS This Morning’s The Dish” (CBS), “Designing Spaces” (Lifetime), “Iron Chef” and “Next Iron Chef” (Food Network). Chauhan is the founding partner of Morph Hospitality Group in Nashville, TN, which includes restaurants Chauhan Ale & Masala House, Tànsuŏ, The Mockingbird, and Chaatable. She is also the co-owner of Mantra Artisan Ales in Franklin, TN. Photo: Amelia J. Moore.

About Richard Upchurch

Richard Upchurch is the creator of BrandNewNoise sound gadgets, simple sound objects for kids and rock-stars alike. Richard was born in Tupelo, MS, BrandNewNoise was born in Brooklyn NY, and now, both reside in Dallas, TX. BrandNewNoise is the intersection of a decade of experience as a touring musician, a BFA in studio art from Wake Forest University, and graduate studies in Audio Technology at New York University. Here’s the story: He built one for his nephew. He built five for his nephew’s teachers. He built 10 for his first online store. He is still building today, almost 10 years later. Richard has collaborated with artists such as The Black Keys, Flaming Lips, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Shantell Martin, and Tedeschi Trucks Band. His work has been seen in the New York Times, Vogue, WIRED, and can be spotted on episode two of the new season of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” BrandNewNoise has received honors from the Museum of Modern Art and garnered Best in Show in July at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in Nashville. Besides his parents, BrandNewNoise is loved by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Jimmy Fallon, David Byrne, Phillip Glass, Jennifer Garner, Susan Tedeschi, Seth Rogen and other kids worldwide. Photo: Lauren Kallen.

About Caroline Randall Williams

Caroline Randall Williams is a multi-genre writer, educator, performance artist and amateur restaurateur in Nashville, TN. She is co-author of the NAACP Image Award-winning cookbook Soul Food Love, and curator of the All-African American Cookbook Store in Nashville’s Woolworth on 5th Restaurant, of which she is part owner, and where her recipes feature on the menu. Her debut collection of poetry, Lucy Negro, Redux has been turned into a ballet by the Nashville Ballet — Caroline performed her poetry as an integral member of the cast, all set to an original score by multiple time Grammy-nominee Rhiannon Giddens. Named by Southern Living as “One of the 50 People Changing the South,” the Cave Canem fellow has been published and featured in multiple journals, essay collections, and news outlets, including The Iowa Review, The Massachusetts Review, CherryBombe, Garden and Gun, Essence, and New York Times.

About the Arts & Business CouncilThe Arts & Business Council (ABC) is a 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 and beyond. To deliver its mission, ABC offers four core programs: Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, Education for the Creative Community, Arts Board Matching, and Fiscal Sponsorship. More information is available at www.ABCNashville.org.