The Forge Nashville is a nonprofit organization founded in 2012 with their mission to advocate for artists and makers and provide a pathway and place to pursue their craft in the community.

Located on 217 Willow Street, The Forge offers a makerspace, wood and metal shops, art gallery, private creative offices, and artist studios. This Saturday The Forge Front Lawn will be a celebration of all the makers and artists who call The Forge their creative home and future makers of the space.

Stay;Fest is a one day, multi-genre festival happening this Saturday (Sept 13) promotes mental health resources in the Middle Tennessee area through music with the goal to help build community and ending the stigma of getting help.

Rebekah Cole, event promoter for RAC Books Nashville, says she's struggled with mental health since she was a kid and music has always been a safe refuge. She knew she wanted to bring the two together, but it wasn't a one person thing. As soon as she met Zhaklina Spencer, founder of Mental Health Songwriter Nights in Nashville, it all came together in a perfect marriage.

Shades of Black Theatre Festival came together in 2006 when Shawn Whitsell was apart of a theatre company called Dream 7 Productions. They booked the Darkhorse Theater at the same time as production company Sista Style and Robin’s Nest, which were all owned and operated by black artists. They thought it was a unique coincidence and decided that they were going to help each other promote each other’s shows. That idea grew into some events and workshops and eventually turned into a festival. Its purpose is to provide an outlet to uplift the voices of Black artists.

For The Black Keys Radio Special WNXP’s Jason Moon Wilkins sat down with the Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney at Easy Eye Sound studio around the release of their new album No Rain, No Flowers. The duo share how Nashville changed the way they make music, how they’re highly publicized tour cancellation changed their approach to the music business and share their unique perspective on the Old Nashville vs New Nashville debate.

Nashville artist Daniel Donato went from busking on Lower Broadway as a teenager to a regular gig at a honky tonk and now brings his "Cosmic Country" band and brand to way bigger stages, like that of the revered Ryman Auditorium, just paces away from where he got his start playing guitar. His new record, the third studio LP, is called Horizons.

This Saturday August 30 is also Play Music on the Porch Day. The idea behind the international event is what if everybody took one day and stopped and we all just listened to music. One of the places participating in the day is Prospect House Music, located in the historic Edgehill area. Sunny McClure, home owner and facilitator of Prospect House hopes to provide a creative space where musicians from all over can come together. 

Alabama native Jahnah Camille released her 'My Sunny Oath' EP in June, having worked with one of her favorite producers Alex Farrar in Asheville, North Carolina to write and record this batch of six songs. Sourcing some softer lo-fi sounds and also emulating fierce female rockers from multiple generations, like Liz Phair and Paramore, Camille continues to evolve her songwriting and embrace touring.

This week we feature Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s Summer Shakespeare performances of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" happening Thursdays through Sundays from August 21 to September 21 on The Yard at OneCity. The Nashville Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1988 by a group of actors who wanted to do Shakespeare free-of-charge in Centennial Park. Growing over the last 37 years to be what it is today, the mission of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival is to educate and entertain the Mid-South community through professional theatrical experiences. 

Artsy Fartsy is a semi-annual event started by Nashvillian Morganne Allen. It began in her front yard in 2022 with three bands and three vendors. After her landlord threatened to evict her if she did it again, she expanded to venues all across Nashville.

Happening this Thursday (August 14) at Brooklyn Bowl, each event aims to raise funds for local charities through raffles or canned food drives while featuring live performances from artists such as Avalon, Summer Joy and Jarren Blair alongside vendors including visual artists, chefs and tattoo artists. The fest is designed to ensure that all people have the opportunity to share their talents in a welcoming and accessible space.

This week is the 2025 Tomato Art Fest on Friday and Saturday in East Nashville’s Five Points. Featuring activities and contests, the parade, Bloody Mary Garden Party, of course tomato art, and musician performances from Nashville artists Brennan Wedl, Gee Slab, Pressure Heaven, BEAN., and more. If you are looking for pre Tomato Art Fest activities, there’s a pre-view party on Thursday. An unofficial Tomato Art Fest celebration is Pre-Mater Party happening at the East Room on Thursday (August 7).