Community Voices celebrated the histories of thirteen communities throughout Nashville. Between the Frist Art Museum’s opening in April 2001, and the opening of this exhibition, more than 200 youth and nine artists have contributed to thirteen murals that portrayed the neighborhoods in which they live. The mural program was intended to encourage youth to express their ideas and to exercise ownership in their communities through discussion and the creation of art.
Led by experienced local artists, the youth portrayed the past and represented the daily lives, dreams, and diversity of each neighborhood. As murals throughout history have been tools for social, political, and communal expression, the Community Voices murals documented the past and communicated the hopes of youth throughout the Nashville metropolitan area.
This exhibition was comprised of nine murals from the following organizations and community Centers: United Way Family Resource Centers:Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, Bordeaux, Cora Howe, Fall Hamilton, Maplewood, McKissak, McGruder, Napier, Pearl-Cohn.
The mural projects supported the missions of the Frist Art Museum and the United Way by involving youth in the arts, serving the community, and building on the strengths of each local neighborhood. This collaboration provided an excellent example of how community partnerships can work to educate, inspire, and foster a sense of identity and pride in the community.
