Popular Downtown Art Crawl to Grow Under New Sponsorship

Popular downtown art crawl to grow under new sponsorship

Lizzy Alfs
Tennessean
Published 6:00 p.m. CT Oct. 4, 2018

A downtown Nashville art crawl that draws thousands of attendees each month is poised for growth this year after getting financial support from FirstBank.

The Nashville-based bank has been named the primary sponsor of the First Saturday Art Crawl Downtown, which will be renamed FirstBank First Saturday Art Crawl Downtown.

The three-year sponsorship kicks off Oct. 6 and will include new branding initiatives and more programming across all art genres, including live art, musical and theatrical performances, and literary and culinary arts. The event also will expand to Third and Fourth avenues, the Gulch and other nearby areas.

“As residents of downtown Nashville, it is extremely important to Jim and me to support the local arts,” Janet Ayers, president of the Ayers Foundation and wife of FirstBank Executive Chairman Jim Ayers, said in a statement. “We are proud to be a part of the bank’s dedication to the vibrant art community and look forward to seeing how it continues to grow and develop.”

The First Saturday Art Crawl Downtown launched in 2006 with art galleries on and around the 5th Avenue of the Arts. It has since become one of Nashville’s most popular free art events, with about 20 galleries opening their doors to some 2,000 attendees each month. Many of the galleries serve wine and other refreshments.

Nashville Downtown Partnership will continue its role as the presenting sponsor of the event, and the Gray Line will continue to sponsor the free Art Crawl Trolley for attendees.

“The Art Crawl brings family and friends together every month, and FirstBank is adding to the overall experience and helping to make Art Downtown Nashville an even more established destination for the arts,” Tom Turner, CEO of Nashville Downtown Partnership, said in a statement.

The remaining 2018 art crawl dates are 6-9 p.m. Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1.