Line-up Revealed For OZ Arts Nashville's 10th Annual Signature Benefit CONVERSATIONS AT OZ
Rapper and songwriter Breland, renowned visual artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Mayor Freddie O'Connell, and more will perform.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jan. 29, 2025
OZ Arts Nashville has revealed the line-up of civic and business leaders, singular artistic voices, and lively personalities as conversation hosts for the 10th installment of its signature benefit, Conversations at OZ. The vibrant event will once again be held in the organization's chic Creative Warehouse on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 6:30 pm. The annual fundraiser celebrates the art of conversation with an illustrious list of more than two dozen community leaders, each leading an insightful dialogue over dinner and cocktails. The list of iconic Nashvillians who will guide the intimate conversations at each table is now live on the OZ Arts website and includes current Mayor Freddie O'Connell, legendary photographer and musician Lynn Goldsmith, renowned visual and performance artist María Magdalena Compos-Pons, former United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, acclaimed architect Kem Hinton, and more.
Conversations at OZ is one of the most dynamic annual benefits in Nashville, inviting guests to engage in an evening of cocktails, dinner and insightful dialogue on a range of contemporary topics, including arts and culture, social issues, business and government. Presenting sponsors for Conversations at OZ are Amazon, HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health, and Sandra Schatten Foundation. A few of the most anticipated topics for this year's patrons to discuss include "The Role of Artificial Intelligence from Present to Future" with SwitchPoint Ventures CEO Ray Guzman, "The Importance of Provocation in Art" with Nashville Scene arts editor and curator Laura Hutson Hunter, and "Practical Theory & Thought for Making Change When It Feels Impossible" with Mosaic Changemakers founder and president Renata Soto.
Conversations at OZ 2025 is co-chaired by a diverse group of local leaders who have made extraordinary impacts on the Nashville community, including: Dr. LaDonna Boyd, President & CEO of R.H. Boyd, and Waddell Wright, President of Henderick, Inc.; Wendy Burch, COO of The Future of Free Speech, and Stephen Burch, Director of Infrastructure for LP3 Solutions; and Monica Cintado, VP of Corporate Development at HCA Healthcare, and Daniel Scokin, MD of US Anesthesia Partners.
Among the illustrious list of Nashville's most prominent leaders who will lead dialogues at Conversations at OZ are:
- Breland, rapper and singer-songwriter
- Dr. LaDonna Boyd, President & CEO of R.H. Boyd
- Kacey Cardin, Founder of EnQ: Energetic Intelligence, and Jeff Zacharski, Founder & CEO of Sea-Level Retreats
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons, visual and performance artist and Founder of the Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice (EADJ)
- Brian Dorfman, Owner and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Outback Presents
- Lynn Goldsmith, photographer, musician, and film director
- Alberto Gonzales, former United States Attorney General and Professor of Law at Belmont
- Cesar Gueikian, President & CEO of Gibson Brands
- Ray Guzman, CEO of SwitchPoint Ventures
- Ashley Hampton, Co-Founder & Clinical Director of Hampton House Counseling and Executive Director of Healing in the Margins
- Kem Hinton, Architect
- Monchiere' Holmes-Jones, CEO & Chief Brand Curator of MOJO Marketing + PR
- Hugh Howser, event designer and comedian
- Laura Hutson Hunter, Arts Editor for Nashville Scene and visual arts curator
- Candice McQueen, President of Lipscomb University; former TN Commissioner of Education
- Jerome Moore, Founder of Explore Social Change and Host & Producer at Nashville PBS
- Freddie O'Connell, Mayor of Nashville
- David Osborn, Senior VP, Account Management and Sales at Healthtrust Purchasing Group
- Suzanne Phifer Pavitt, CEO + Founder of Phifer Pavitt Wine
- Seema Prasad, Proprietor of Miel
- Donna Roberts, Chief Human Resource Officer at Cracker Barrel
- Anas Saba, Founder of Nashville Hidden Gems
- Audrey Shulman, author and screenwriter
- Stephanie Silverman, Executive Director of the Belcourt Theatre
- Renata Soto, Founder & President of Mosaic Changemakers
- Ryan Valdez, US Army Green Beret
"Conversations at OZ always gathers many of the most impactful voices in Nashville for a lively evening of dialogue, and this year's line-up reminds us of the incredible leaders who make our city so great," said Tim Ozgener, Co-Founder and President of OZ Arts Nashville. "We don't take this special evening for granted - and we hope many supporters, new and old alike, will be able to join us for these timely conversations and an unforgettable evening."
Organizations committed to the growth and development of Nashville's arts scene and sponsoring this unmissable evening are led by Presenting Sponsors Amazon, HCA Healthcare / Tri-Star Health, and Sandra Schatten Foundation. Supporting sponsors include AllianceBernstein, Zander Insurance, August Bioservices, Chazin & Company, INSBANK, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Holland & Knight, Providence Title, Puryear & Noonan, R.H. Boyd, and UBS - The Wallace Group.
Wine, beer, and spirits will be provided by Lipman Brothers, and the event will be catered by Kristen Winston Catering. For those interested in sponsoring and supporting this year's event, please contact Nicholas Gulick, OZ Arts Nashville's Director of Development, at nick@ozartsnashville.org.
Benefit tickets are now on sale on the OZ Arts website. This year's event once again features two support levels to choose from: the patron level ($500 per person) includes access to an exclusive, hour-long reception with all Conversation Hosts before the main cocktail hour begins, and the standard level ($250 per person) includes the main cocktail hour beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by the seated dinner with your selected host. All proceeds from Conversations at OZ support OZ Arts' mission to create innovative and accessible artistic opportunities for artists, audiences and students in Middle Tennessee and beyond. To learn more about upcoming performances, please visit https://www.ozartsnashville.org/.
About OZ Arts Nashville
Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the Southeast's most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual artworks by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts' unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 70,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ's 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org.
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