Metro Parks’ Centennial Art Center (CAC) is a Historic Building located in the 25th Avenue North and Park Plaza corner of Nashville, Tennessee's beautiful Centennial Park. Originally built as a swimming complex in 1932; it closed permanently during the unrest of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. In 1972 CAC became the first Metro Nashville owned structure rehabilitated for “Adaptive Reuse.” It reopened in 1972 as an art gallery and visual arts teaching facility that includes painting and pottery studios. In 2022, Centennial Art Center celebrated its 50th anniversary as a visual arts facility. See the Metro Parks Visual Arts brochure. Visit us in Centennial Park (Centennial Park map).
Metro Parks' Visual Arts offers popular, affordable painting and pottery classes in Centennial Art Center, Bellevue Regional Community Center and West Park Community Center. In addition to Visual Arts Classes, Centennial Art Center displays local art in the Centennial Art Center’s Gallery and has an outdoor Courtyard and Herb Garden that is open to the public Monday - Friday.
The mission of Metro Parks and Recreation's Visual Arts Program is to provide and expand quality art and cultural experiences within Metro Parks' facilities via classes, workshops, art exhibitions and gallery/museum field trips for the citizens and visitors of Metro Nashville, Davidson County.
For details on how to support the mission and programs of Metro Parks Visual Arts and Centennial Art Center, please visit our Friends Group Creative Parks Nashville.
The unveiling of the historical marker designating Centennial Art Center as an important site in Nashville’s Civil Rights history is a milestone for the city, the Parks Department and Centennial Park.
Unveiling of Civil Rights Marker Invitation
In 2022, Centennial Art Center celebrated its 50th Anniversary. See Centennial Art Center 50th Anniversary for more information on this significant achievement. Watch the Centennial Art Center History slideshow to find out more about the history of the building.
Visit Metro Parks Visual Arts Workshops and Mini-Courses for learning opportunities.
Path to A Higher Note - a public a public sculpture commemorating Juneteenth now sits on the grounds of Metro Parks Centennial Art Center in the northeast corner of Centennial Park. View Centennial Arts Center's New Sculpture Rooted in History - a Talk of the Town video by Tuwanda Coleman, NewsChannel 5.
