Metro Human Relations Commissions agrees to settle Metro Arts funding complaints

Metro Nashville's Humans Relations Commission this week agreed to settle a complaint against the Metro Arts Commission while the city implements changes it says will improve the grant funding process at the heart of the complaint and ensuing controversy.

Approving the proposed conciliation agreement is an early step toward compromise between the Arts Commission and MHRC, who was tasked with investigating formal Title VII complaints after the Arts Commission clawed back funds that it had promised to historically underserved artists as part of a new and more equitable funding model in 2023. MHRC said in March it found probable cause for discrimination by the Arts Commission.

The MHRC approved the agreement at its meeting Monday night. Under the proposed agreement, Metro Legal — which first advised Metro Arts that its vote to give the funding to underserved artists was unconstitutional because commissioners had discussed race before voting, leading the commission to reverse its vote — will pay $565,000 to muralists and small arts organizations, according to a news release from Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office.

O'Connell called the agreement a fresh start for the arts in Nashville, the news release states.

“This is an important step forward, and I appreciate everyone who worked to fully fund our artists and set a framework for future equitable arts grant programs,” O’Connell said. “Nashville is a strong community of thriving arts organizations and artists. Our creative class is an instrumental part of the fabric of the community and makes us uniquely Nashville.”

The proposed conciliation agreement also states that the Metro Legal and Metro Finance will work with the Arts Commission, MHRC, Metro Council and others to find a legal path to protect the "Thrive Program" or something similar which also "allows for payments to individual and independent artists," according to the news release.

MHRC Director Davie Tucker said reaching the agreement meant all involved had to be committed "to resolve this issue and to not focus on the faults of one side or another."

"Yesterday’s conciliated agreement speaks to what is possible in a city of divergent ideas and the many societal issues that we face," Tucker said.

The Arts Commission will vote on the proposed conciliation agreement at a future meeting.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.