3 min read Following the Christmas Day explosion in Downtown Nashville, the construction zone has been bleak. With Let’s Color Nashville, several companies, organizations, and artists came together to bring light back to the 2nd Avenue corridor on May 7-8, 2021. We are a part of the team for planning the next steps for 2nd Avenue with the community, but this project showcases joy and resilience in the meantime.

2nd Avenue is Nashville’s Main Street

Our organization was founded 20 years ago, and for the past 17 years our home has been on 2nd Avenue N in Downtown Nashville. 2nd Avenue is special. Historically it had an important role under its former name, Market Street, where it held a myriad of businesses selling their wares at this destination location in close proximity to where goods were delivered on the Cumberland.

*Gary Gaston shares why 2nd Avenue is special to the community at Let’s Color Nashville*

Much of that history is embedded in the bricks, the architectural facades of the buildings, and the overall energy of the tree-lined street. Those elements are what make 2nd Avenue people’s favorite street in Nashville. After working closely with the Mayor’s Office and the Planning Department to host a series of public listening and visioning sessions following the explosion it became clear that this was the case.

2nd Avenue is our Main Street and it is easy to see why. Even with the damage caused by the bomb, the beauty is still here. We can and we will rebuild an even more beautiful and functional street for all of Nashville, Middle Tennessee residents and visitors to enjoy and love for generations to come.

Public art shows resilience

A major aspect of Public Art is to inspire people and bring them together, particularly during challenging times – to uplift and to bring feelings of hope and joy.

The goal of Let’s Color Nashville is exactly that – to help provide a spirit of reflection and joy to an area that was devastated by an act of senseless violence. While 2nd Avenue may take years to fully recover from the bombing, public art can have an immediate impact on helping the healing process for business owners and residents, as well as bringing together citizens across Nashville as we continue the public engagement process to envision the future of our most beloved street.

A sample of public art that was destroyed during the Christmas Day explosion on 2nd Avenue (Read more at Nashville Public Art Blog) — *A sample of public art that was destroyed during the Christmas Day explosion on 2nd Avenue* (Read more at Nashville Public Art Blog)

Beyond the restorative benefits of public art, this project also came about due to the history of public art installations along 2nd Avenue. In 2018, a public art series by all women artists was installed on the facade of the now-destroyed AT&T building. The series was curated by Ashley Bergeron of Swipe Right Art and The Studio 208.

The art was completely destroyed along with the building facade. Let’s Color Nashville may not bring that art back to 2nd Avenue, but it provides new art to inspire the future.

*Ashley Bergeron introduces the artists for Let’s Color Nashville on Installation Day*

What started as an idea at the end of January 2021 really became a reality only about six weeks before the mural installation when the partnership formed with AkzoNobel, Hoover Paint Store, and LKQ! We couldn't be more grateful and excited to share the details.

Let’s Color Nashville involved local artists and nearly 100 volunteers creating works of art on plywood panels that cover the broken windows along 2nd Avenue, stretching from the top of 2nd Avenue and Union Street, all the way to the bottom of the Avenue. Each artist applied creative freedom to express in their own style how they feel about Nashville and our community. Each artist agreed to bring their talents to add joy, love, peace, and vibrancy to the damaged buildings, which will help encourage guests, tourists, residents, and business owners to walk the street with a lighter step as they pass the beautiful art.

We also see Let’s Color Nashville as an important economic development engine – as now more people are getting out following the isolation of COVID-19 – to encourage people to come back The District and patronize the businesses along the street.