The Arts at Center Street

Local, Original, & Meaningful.

The Arts at Center Street is a performing arts center and home to the Arts at Center Street Theatre Company, located in Nashville, TN.

Just a couple miles south of Old Hickory Village in the Hermitage area, The Arts at Center Street sits in the historic Hopewell neighborhood. A dynamic venue for hosting the Arts, be it dance, music, theater, poetry or public speaking, this newly renovated facility on Center Street has become a hub for creative endeavors of all kinds.  This new locale for social and creative networking is a one of kind venue with original productions and host of groundbreaking artists. 


The venue

The Arts at Center Street is a performing arts venue and home to The Center Street Theatre Company.

The venue hosts a range of acts from bands to poets, musicals and plays. With a seating capacity of 80 - 100, the venue is a unique size to the area, as other nearby theatres have a seating capacity of 30, or 200, but nothing in between. The theatre is equipped with  state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment, including the ability to record every show's audio to Protools, and digitally automate light shows for any production. The venue also has 4k video equipment for visually recording any work performed on the stage.

The performance area is a proscenium stage with an apron, totalling 24' x 24' [16' x 24' upstage, and 8' x 24' on the apron]. The stage is versatile enough to host smaller productions as well as large cast productions and still get an intimate feel with the audience, as the tiered seating allows for even the back row to see facial expressions of performers.

A full service bar is also available to patrons before and at the intermission of performances. 

For the most up to date events happening at The Arts at Center Street, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr!

At the Arts at Center Street, we do not seek to create art simply for its own sake, or to produce something “beautiful” without evaluating the cost. Rather, we recognize art as a tool to communicate values, to provoke emotion and lead to introspection and beneficial conversation. To this end, we foster opportunities for education and performance in dance, music, theater, and poetry and public speaking. We accept the challenge of creating entertainment that is characterized by meaning and substance, that will affect people deeply and play a part in the transformation of their lives for the better.

 

Creatives in Residence

GREGG D. GARNER:
FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, WRITER AND DIRECTOR

Gregg D. Garner is the Founder and Creative Director of The Arts at Center Street and the Center Street Theatre Company. Over the years, he has used his skills as an artist, particularly in the realm of music, photography, and journalism, to benefit audiences both nationally and internationally. He has performed in over a dozen countries and has written songs in five languages. He writes his music and stage plays with the intention to provoke dialogue and propel people to action.

 
BENJAMIN REESE: Resident Poet & Event HostBenjamin Reese is The Arts at Center Street’s resident poet. He performed regularly in Chicago and has continued to write and perform since coming to Nashville in 2009. He’s headlined several poetry nigh…

BENJAMIN REESE:
Resident Poet & Event Host

Benjamin Reese is The Arts at Center Street’s resident poet. He performed regularly in Chicago and has continued to write and perform since coming to Nashville in 2009. He’s headlined several poetry nights at the The Arts. Benjamin has also written and directed two one-acts for the The Arts, The Arch Imperial and It All Comes Together in the End.


When he’s not working with The Arts at Center Street, Benjamin puts his performative spirit into his work as a teacher, teaching writing, literature, drama, and poetry. When Benjamin has outlived his use to society, he plans to retreat to a secluded library and happily roam the stacks for the rest of his days.

SARA DAVIS: PRODUCtion CoordinatorSara Davis has been involved with The Arts at Center Street since its beginning. She enjoys overseeing projects as they develop from beginning to end, and appreciates stage play as a medium for impactful communicati…

SARA DAVIS:
Production Coordinator

Sara Davis has been involved with The Arts at Center Street since its beginning. She enjoys overseeing projects as they develop from beginning to end, and appreciates stage play as a medium for impactful communication. She has assisted Garner in the production of each of his plays, and has been privileged to also take part in the live band of ALIEN: The Musical and BREATHE, A New Musical as a cellist. Sara manages the Center Street Dance Academy, a program of The Arts at Center Street.

 

The Center Street Theatre Company

The Center Street Theatre Company was birthed out of a desire to see quality and meaningful theatre return to the stage.  All of our theatre productions are original, and written and performed by Nashville locals. We strive to provide entertainment that is affordable, accessible and engaging. We utilize the medium of theatre to communicate societal commentary and provoke audiences to thought and emotion.

Not just a benefit to our audiences, the Center Street Theatre Company utilizes both professionals and actors who may have never set foot on a stage, teaching them to communicate effectively and learn to work in tandem with others.

The Arts at Center Street  |  401 Center St  |  Nashville, TN 37138  |  (615) 541-9719