Statements
Mission
The mission of the Frist Art Museum is to present and originate high-quality exhibitions with related educational programs and community engagement activities. The vision is to inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways.
Background
The Frist Art Museum (FAM) opened in 2001 in a beautifully restored 1934 Art Deco building located in downtown Nashville following a community-wide "visioning process" that engaged thousands of citizens in discussions about the future of the city and its surrounding areas.
FAM has since become Nashville's premier visual arts institution, receiving over 4 million visitors and gaining international recognition for its exhibitions and programs. FAM is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is on the forefront of ethical museum practice. FAM is committed to its mission of presenting and originating high-quality exhibitions with related educational programs and community engagement activities that inspire people to look at their world in new ways through art. A non-collecting nonprofit museum, FAM presents 12-15 exhibitions annually to an average of more than 200,000 visitors. Most FAM visitors will experience and engage with new art every time they walk through the museum's doors.
To bring the world's finest art to Middle Tennessee, FAM leaders and curators have established collaborative working relationships with leading artists and institutions around the world. FAM has presented art from some of the world's most respected art museums, including the Musee d'Orsay, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Musee national Picasso-Paris, and the British Museum. FAM maintains an average of 10,000 member households, and general email and mail communications are sent to more than 30,000 subscribers in Middle Tennessee and beyond. FAM achieved record attendance in 2019, welcoming over 359,000 guests to the museum.
Impact
In 2022 FAM welcomed 143,148 guests to wide-ranging exhibitions that presented the work of 243 artists from around the world. Exhibitions included ON THE HORIZON: CONTEMPORARY CUBAN ART FROM THE PEREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI; ALMA W. THOMAS: EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL; LIGHT, SPACE, SURFACE: WORKS FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART; KNIGHTS IN ARMOR; and WEAVING SPLENDOR: TREASURES FROM THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART. The museum's Contemporary Artist Project Gallery featured the work of LeXander Bryant and Virginia Overton, and the Conte Community Arts Gallery showcased the talent of local artists in two exhibitions: NASHVILLE ART TEACHERS: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM and YOUNG TENNESSEE ARTISTS 2022.
Exhibitions at FAM are enriched by public programs designed to educate, delight, and inform an intergenerational and diverse audience. These take place in-person and online and include gallery talks, lectures, and tours; live performances; hands-on artmaking workshops for all ages; programs for people with dementia and their caregivers; and family programs. In 2022, 13,351 people participated in docent-led, self-guided, or online tours, 92 public programs drew 5,157 guests, and education and community engagement programs reached 8,650 participants. Over the course of the year 99,347 guests visited the award-winning Martin ArtQuest interactive artmaking gallery - an essential entry point for families and children to explore art, creativity, and imagination.
Education and community engagement are integral to FAM's mission, and the museum prioritizes accessibility so that visitors experience the arts regardless of prior knowledge, socioeconomic status, or physical ability. A network of over 60 Community Partners enables FAM to reach diverse audiences and provide off-site arts programming in the community. Admission is always free for guests 18 and under and FAM welcomed 20,796 youth to the museum in 2022. FAM programs engage youth in the visual arts through field trips, school art shows, teen programs, and internships and fellowships.
CEO Statement
I am thrilled to join the incredible team at the Frist Art Museum, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented, mission-driven staff, devoted board, and supportive community in Nashville. Together, we will continue to ensure the Frist is a vibrant source of inspiration and meaningful connection for people throughout the region and beyond.
With a deep appreciation for the city's culture and ambition, I have long admired how the Frist has developed its exhibitions and programs to enable visitors to experience a diversity of cultures from around the world and work by artists from the region. Over the years, I have had the great fortune of collaborating with the excellent staff at the Frist on planning touring exhibitions, and I am consistently inspired by the team's collegiality, creativity, and drive. This opportunity is the fulfillment of a long-term dream. I am profoundly honored and elated to come home to serve a community and state that I love.
Seth Feman, PhD
Executive Director and CEO
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Art Museums |
| Secondary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Visual Arts |
| Tertiary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Museums |
Areas Served
The Frist Art Museum primarily serves the city of Nashville, the 13 surrounding Middle Tennessee counties, Southern Kentucky, and Northern Alabama regions, though we advertise statewide and nationally.
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Macon |
| TN - Cannon |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Trousdale |
