This Artober, we’re celebrating the arts—and the impact they make across Nashville and Tennessee. From supporting local jobs and businesses to expanding opportunities for students, arts and culture help our communities thrive. 

Sustaining that impact takes all of us: elected leaders, businesses, foundations, and individuals. Nashville’s arts ecosystem needs to be seen, supported, and invested in to keep creativity at the heart of our city.

As the Arts + Business Council celebrates 20 years, this month’s 20 for 20 highlights why the arts deserve our attention, investment, and participation. Explore the facts below, then consider how you can help sustain the creativity that makes Nashville special.

Help shape the future of the arts in Nashville. Tell local civic and business leaders why arts and culture matter to you, keep arts and culture in mind at the ballot box, and show your support by attending a local arts event (we hope you’ll join us at Big Night for the Arts!)

Looking for more ways to celebrate this month? Explore our Artober events calendar to find local arts events and make plans to experience Nashville’s creative community firsthand.

1. The greater Nashville area ranks in the top 1% nationwide for arts & culture employees per capita, arts firms per capita, and program revenue.
2. Often referred to as “Music City,” data confirms Nashville holds the highest concentration of independent artists among all large sized communities in the south, scoring within the top 2% nationally.
3. Nashville is one of the Top 10 Most Arts-Vibrant Communities in 2024, landing at #8 in the country.
4. Nashville has appeared in the Arts Vibrancy Index rankings every single year since 2015, demonstrating sustained commitment to arts and culture through changing economic conditions and evolving cultural landscapes.
5. Nashville is ranked 4th nationally for arts providers, including independent artists, nonprofits, firms, and employees.
6. The Greater Nashville nonprofit arts & culture sector drives over $588 million into our economy every year.
7. Arts & culture support 16,228 full-time jobs across Middle Tennessee.
8. The arts generate $31.8 million in state government revenue, supporting schools, infrastructure, and services.
9. Music Capital of the Nation- Tennessee ranks #1 for music employment concentration, more than twice the national average, and #5 in the U.S. for total employment in entertainment production
10. Nearly 10,000 students graduated in creative fields at Tennessee schools in the last five years
11. Motion picture & video production in Tennessee grew 126% over the last decade
12. Entertainment production cluster jobs in TN grew 11% since 2019
13. Music industry employment grew 95% since 2014 and is projected to grow 21% more in the next 10 years
14. Tennessee’s film sector produced $728M in 2024, a 43% increase in 5 years
15. The Nashville MSA ranks #4 in the U.S. for entertainment production employment
16. Americans are 3 times more likely to vote for a candidate who wants to increase federal spending on nonprofit arts and culture organizations from 62 cents to $1 per person.
17. While 9-in-10 people believe students should receive an education in the arts, only 52% agree that students have enough opportunities to take classes in the arts.
18. 83% of Americans support government funding of arts education programs in schools for grades pre-K to 12 students.
19. 72% of Americans favor government funding of arts and culture to address jobs and economic development issues.
20. 70% of Americans approve of local government funding nonprofit arts and culture organizations.

Your voice belongs in the conversation. Tennessee’s voter registration deadline for the November 3 election is October 5. Visit GoVoteTN.gov to check your registration and find voting information, and explore ArtsVote for resources connecting the arts and civic participation. Celebrating our creative community can also mean helping shape its future.