Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carrie Anderson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Carrie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Yes! I’m very happy working in the creative sector. I didn’t necessarily set out to have a “creative” career, but in a serendipitous turn of events, found a job right out of college working with Rowanne McKnight of the Nashville Artist Collective (NAC). When Rowanne left to make a career change, I took over as the NAC Director and haven’t looked back!

My daily responsibilities vary. Apart from curating artwork for sales, shows and events, I select pieces for commercial and residential projects. It’s wonderful to interact with artists, clients and lots of interesting creative people from around Nashville. I’m most proud of the community of artists that we have built; we’re very much like a family and all love being together. I’ve found that the NAC provides for our artists with sales – very important! – but also acts as an amazing resource for them via peer advice and support on different levels. This community piece is also important as creating can be a lonely world.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m originally from Louisville, KY – the youngest sister in a family of four girls. I graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2017 with a degree in psychology and education. I also played field hockey – go, Tigers! Sewanee has a strong connection with Nashville and I visited often during my college years. There was no doubt about where I wanted to live after school! I started with the Nashville Artist Collective in 2017, assisting the former Director, Rowanne McKnight.

The Artist Collective was founded by Allison Williamson in 2010. It’s headquartered in Charleston, SC with a strong online presence and sister collectives in Atlanta, Nashville, Washington, DC and Palm Beach. We represent over 80 artists from across the Southeast and a portion of our proceeds are donated to non-profit organizations in the local markets. I took over as NAC Director in the fall of 2022 and work closely with Allison, the other Directors and of course, our local Nashville artists.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Support local artists! This would be my top suggestion on how society can energize a thriving creative ecosystem. Support can of course mean purchasing original pieces of art from local talent, but can also be recommending a favorite artist/gallery to friends from out of town, including artists in larger events – maybe there is an element of live painting or a themed exhibition within a larger production – and so on. A few examples: We worked with the developers of the Hyatt Centric Hotel to select local art for their rooms and public spaces. Very cool! Recently, the production team for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s “Friends in Low Places” chose pieces from our gallery to hang in their space on Lower Broadway. This was super exciting and we loved the national exposure from the show. There are many opportunities for all sorts of people and businesses to get behind local art. It just gives a city (or small town) community real character.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I think having all five Artist Collectives – over 80 artists from across the Southeast – working together in harmony is the basis of our larger mission to collaborate with others to keep the “Art Scene” top of mind in our communities. We’re a small business, but we’ve grown and thrived by partnering with all kinds of people and brands – from design and fashion to entertainment and hospitality. We want original art to be approachable, affordable and something for everyone to enjoy. This “more the merrier” mindset can apply to life AND art!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nashville.artistcollectives.org/
• Instagram: @nashvilleartistcollective
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-anderson-4aba59b3
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits

Charlotte Elizabeth Photographer
Leigh Webber Photography