Program areas at TPAC
Tpac entered into an agreement with the state of Tennessee & the Tennessee Performing Arts foundation in 1978. The initial agreement established tpac principally for the purpose of presenting quality Arts entertainment & education to Tennessee residents through the operation of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Tpac has administrative control over the operations and functions of the four theaters located in two buildings in downtown nashville. In addition to its role with the state of Tennessee, tpac operates several program initiatives including seven Arts education programs, public offerings such as a broadway series, concerts, comedy shows, etc. Additionally, tpac rents its facilities to three Performing Arts resident companies - the nashville opera association, nashville ballet, and the nashville repertory theatre, all three of which are non-profit organizations. Tpac also rents its facilities to outside promoters for events in which the promoters are at risk, and to the state of Tennessee (with rent waived) for state events. To support public programming, tpac operates its own ticketing services. Tpac supports its mission of providing Arts, culture and education for the community by fundraising from individuals, corporations, government and foundations.
During the 2024 fiscal year, the season for young people (previously called humanities outreach in Tennessee) presented professional performances of theater, dance and music for student audiences. The season included live performances at tpac as well as virtual performances available for students to view remotely from their classroom. Tpac also provided interactive virtual workshops for educators and artist discussions with students. During the 2023-2024 academic year, 45,527 students and teachers from 295 school groups attended season for young people performances (23,193 students and teachers from 203 school groups during the 2022-2023 academic year).
Disney musicals in schools ("dmis") develops sustainable musical theatre programs in public elementary and middle schools. The program provides school faculty with the training and tools necessary to support student performance and production and to empower them to do so. Participating schools receive (at no cost) a performance license to any disney kids musical, showkit materials, including directors guides, student scripts, accompaniment and vocal cds and a choreography dvd, and cross-curricular activities. Schools also receive support from teams of two tpac teaching artists during after-school residencies that run for 20 weeks. In 2023-2024 dmis teaching artist first-year residencies took place in five schools in mnps/davidson, bedford and coffee counties. Seven additional school teams completed disney musicals under their own direction and with support from the dmis program model. Including attendance at the student share day at tpac, 909 students and teachers participated in dmis in 2023-24. (in 2022-23, 1,243 students and teachers participated in dmis.)
Tpac's wolf trap early learning through the Arts program brings arts-based classroom residencies to preschools and head start centers. Teaching artists and teachers use Arts instruction to target early childhood developmental goals and help children learn. A total of 759 children and teachers participated in wolf trap in 2023-2024 at no charge to them (761 children and teachers in 2022-2023).
Insideout program activities provide opportunities for adults who want to grow in their knowledge and enjoyment of the Performing Arts. Events at tpac, in community locations, and through virtual options provided opportunities for audiences of all ages to interact with the Performing Arts. 1,182 life-long learners viewed and participated in tpac's education and community engagement public programming in 2023-24. Virtual and in-person panel discussions and presentations highlighted local Arts and community groups; classes explored musical theater, dance and acting, and webinars and podcasts reached remote participants. (1,958 individuals participated in insideout during 2022-2023).
Arts integration programs in schools (working title) was launched in 2021 following the discontinuation of the artsmart program. This initiative supports multi-year partnerships planned with a limited number of schools in a whole-school model. One school engaged in a whole-school partnership in 2023-24. A total of 385 students and teachers at warner elementary participated in Arts integrated residencies and professional development provided by tpac in 2023-2024 (400 students and teachers at warner elementary participated in 2022-2023).
The spotlight awards celebrates, supports, and grows the artistry and capacity of high school musical theatre programs in Tennessee. Through the program, high school theatre students and teachers participate in workshops and development opportunities with theatre professionals, and their school musicals are evaluated by a diverse panel of adjudicators. The program culminates in may when exemplary work is recognized with the spotlight awards ceremony at tpac, where the top contenders for "outstanding musical" perform and honors are presented in a variety of categories, including two who are recognized as "outstanding lead performer." The recipients of these two awards then move on to national consideration for the jimmy awards in new york. In 2023-2024, 53 Tennessee high schools and 3,082 students participated in the program, including more than 1,800 attending the live spotlight awards ceremony at tpac. (in 2022-23, 44 high schools and 3,738 students participated in spotlight activities provided by tpac.)
Camps & adventures build interest and engagement in the Performing Arts for families and youth. Tpac's summer musical theater camps started in july of 2022. In the summer of 2024, camp tpac offered seven week-long day camps to immerse children aged 8-18 in musical theater performance and traditions. Arts adventures provided 90-minute immersive workshops for youth on a series of weekends in tpac's johnson theater. Tpac's camps and adventures reached 411 youth and families in 2023-24. (329 youth and families participated in 2022-23.)