LOCATION: Within the grassy triangle at the intersection of Clarksville Highway and Rosa L. Parks Blvd in North Nashville. The site is in District 2 (Councilmember Kyonzté Toombs) and is neighbored by District 1 (Councilmember Joy Kimbrough).
 

SCHEDULE: This project is currently in the artist selection step. This year, the selected semi-finalist artists will prepare conceptual proposals for community feedback and community panelist review. Additionally, Metro Arts and the Nashville Department of Transportation will work with Tennessee Department of Transportation through the excess land approval process.

BACKGROUND: The existing "Welcome to Bordeaux" sign was installed c. 2008, a community project led by former State Senator Brenda Gilmore. The welcome sign established a formal entryway into the historic, affluent, and predominately Black community. In recent years, Judge Rachel Bell and Beautification Commissioner Eric Capehart have served as stewards of the site, providing routine lawncare and organizing community clean-up events.
 

As part of the 2022 Mayor Participatory Budget cycle, the Bordeaux-North Nashville Participatory Budgeting steering committee led multiple community engagements to solicit ideas for needed improvements throughout North Nashville communities. Of the many recommendations, a new public art installation at the Bordeaux Gateway site was one of the projects receiving the most votes and selected for funding. From there, management of the public art project moved to Metro Arts using the process outlined in the Public Art Guidelines.
 

STAKEHOLDERS: This public art project is the is a collaboration between Metro Arts and the Nashville Department of Transportation. As owners of the traffic triangle, the Tennessee Department of Transportation will review application for a public art installation. 
 

COMMUNITY INPUT: With the support of neighboring advocacy groups and the North Nashville Bordeaux Chamber, Metro Arts conducted several community input meetings and online community survey to collect project feedback and recommendations from community members and residents.
 

ARTIST SELECTION: In 2023, Metro Arts released a local Call for Artists and Call for Community Panelists whose residency are in North Nashville/Bordeaux district as part of the qualifications process. Four local artist semi-finalists have been approved to move forward with concept submission. They are Shabazz Larkin, Prado Studios, James Threalkill and team Omari Booker and Steve Hutchens. In the coming months, North Nashville/Bordeaux members and residents will have the opportunity to view concepts from our semi-finalists and provide valued comment and feedback to be shared with the community selection panel.
 

CONNECT: For questions, email Masonya Osei at Masonya.Osei@Nashville.gov, or Atilio Murga at Atilio.Murga@Nashville.gov. To subscribe to Metro Arts e-newsletter, go to this link and sign up. Follow Metro Arts on Instagram @MetroArtsNash.