Maker Meet-Ups 

Third Thursday of select months from 6:00-7:30PM
Please join us at our next Maker Meet-Up (also known as our  member meetings) to connect with our community.

Free and open to all members
Our meetings are designed to provide professional development opportunities for all of our members, along with opportunities to network and build community around the creative process.  

​Check the schedule below ​for additional details and contact us if you have any questions - or ideas!

Nashville & Community Arts
Thursday, April 27 at 6:00 pm CST
Kreate Hub Nashville, 309 Plus Park Blvd, Nashville, TN 37217

TN Craft Midstate artist Ashley Mintz and Metro Arts Grants Manager Jonathan Saad shared their experiences in community art over the years through an engaging conversation led by Stephanie Davis, TN Craft Midstate Membership Chair. This Maker Meetup was hosted by Kreate Hub Nashville, which is a collaborative, creative environment for fellow artists, makers, technologists, and entrepreneurs. Kreate Hub has studio spaces available to rent and offers a 10% discount to TN Craft members.

We were unable to record the event, but some highlights of the conversation included learning more about the Thrive funding program at Metro Arts, discussing challenges of past community art projects and advice for funding new projects. Metro Arts also shared some information about their new program Cultivate, which aims to support artists in professional development as well as during emergencies and natural disasters.
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From left to right: Ashley Mintz, Jonathan Saad, and Stephanie Davis in the gallery space at Kreate Hub Nashville
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Karlota Contreras-Koterbay
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Stephanie Davis
Karlota Contreras-Koterbay & the Black Craft TN History Project
Thursday, February 23 at 6:30 pm CST
Frist Art Museum (Studio B), 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

Our FIRST Maker Meet-Up in 2023 allowed us to explore and celebrate the history of Black craft artists in Tennessee. We met in person for this event and our guest, Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, connected with us virtually from Johnson City to discuss her Black Craft TN History project.
 
Karlota Contreras-Koterbay is an award-winning sculptor and accomplished curator focusing on regional, emerging, and nationally-renowned women, BIPOC, LGBTQ, and Appalachian artists. She is the Director of the Tipton and Slocumb Galleries at ETSU and has recently been leading research on the work and contributions of Black craft artists in Tennessee since 1920. 
 
You are invited to join Karlota's project by recommending Black artists working in traditional craft mediums in Tennessee over the past century. Share your information for the project at: tennesseecraft.org/blackcraftartists.

Watch a recording of this event here online - https://youtu.be/KAHYf7dcujM​. 
Upcoming Events

June 15 | Maker Meet-Up: Self-Care for the Artist
Organized by Ashley Mintz (Member) and Stephanie Davis (Membership Chair); more details coming soon.

July 1 | 3rd Annual Brentwood Library Exhibit Opens
A curated opportunity for TN Craft Midstate artists for the month of July 2023 at the John P. Holt Brentwood Library.

August 4 | Opening Reception for The Art of Craft at Centennial Arts Center
This curated exhibit will exclusively feature TN Craft Midstate artists from Aug 4-Sep 21 at Centennial Arts Center Gallery.

September 14 | Opening Reception for Tennessee Craft: A Statewide Member Exhibition
A juried exhibit celebrating Tennessee Craft members and hosted by Customs House Museum in Clarksville Sep 1-Oct 26.