The Frist Center for the Visual Arts Celebrates Ten Year Anniversary

April 8-10, 2011, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts celebrates 10 years of stellar art exhibitions, education and enrichment programs, outreach and service to the community with a weekend of celebration, including two free days of admission, a day of art-making activities, a salute to the Frist Center's volunteers and a reception for donors and those involved in the founding of the institution.

"Ten years of operation marks an exciting milestone for us," said Frist Center Executive Director Susan H. Edwards, Ph.D. "We are humbled by the incredible community support that has brought us this far, and we are grateful. This is also a benchmark for Nashville and Middle Tennessee, which today are considered to be among the most creative and desirable places to live in the country. The Frist Center has come to national and international prominence over the past decade and we hope to be an integral part of the dynamic future of our city and state.

"The Frist Center for the Visual Arts exists because our founders believed in the power of art to change people's lives. Now, after 10 years, we live the wisdom of that commitment every day as we welcome children, families, students, seniors and people from every part of the community and from every walk of life into our beautiful historic building. This weekend is an opportunity to celebrate that vision and thank the people of Nashville and Middle Tennessee for supporting us," she concluded.

Friday, April 8 (the actual 10th anniversary), and Saturday, April 9, will be free admission days at the Frist. The Frist Center will remain open until 9:00 p.m. Friday night with the Belmont Bluegrass Ensemble offering entertainment in the Grand Lobby from 6:00-8:00 p.m. 

Several hundred guests are expected to attend a private reception Friday evening celebrating the institution's founding team, the Circle Members- the more than 800 Frist Center members whohave consistently supported the Frist Center at the Friend Level or higher for the entire 10
years-and others whose generosity has helped serve and sustain the Frist Center mission
throughout the last decade.

Saturday, April 9, will be filled with art making, as visitors are invited to recreate the community
art project, Carving the Carousel, a Family Day activity that took place in 2004 during the Red
Grooms exhibition. Artist and former board member James Threalkill and Michael McBride,
artist and current board member, will guide visitors in a collaborative effort to replicate a work
first made on April 8, 2001, to celebrate the Frist Center's opening day. Visitors will also be able to craft a souvenir reminder of a favorite artist or art exhibition seen at the Frist Center during the last decade.

Frist Center volunteers will be celebrated at a reception Sunday, April 10, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Frist Center Auditorium. Since its founding, thousands of volunteers have devoted their time and energies to the Frist Center, serving as docents, working in the Martin ArtQuest Gallery, visitor services, community outreach, education, the gift shop, administrative offices, speaking engagements and at special events. This volunteer effort translates to the more than 150,000 hours of time, time that is valued at more than 2.5 million dollars contributed by the Frist Center volunteers.

 

 

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