Nashville unveils its new cultural landmark on East Bank
- Jake Nicholas
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Nashville has officially pulled back the curtain on the next defining landmark of its East Bank transformation as the Tennessee Performing Arts Center unveiled first renderings of its long-planned relocation.
Designed by Denmark-based Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with William Rawn Associates and Nashville-based Hastings, the new TPAC campus will rise on a 4.4-acre riverfront site adjacent to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and the future Titans stadium. Spanning approximately 370,000 square feet, the venue is envisioned as a civic anchor that extends culture beyond its walls and into the public realm.
The multi-theater complex will include a grand main hall, a mid-size theater, and a flexible performance space, all directly connected to pedestrian infrastructure and surrounded by plaza spaces designed for year-round programming and community use. Outdoor gathering areas and park connectivity are core to the site plan, reinforcing TPAC’s role as both a performance destination and a public-facing cultural hub.
Under the approved structure, TPAC will construct the performing arts center itself while Metro assumes responsibility for key infrastructure improvements surrounding the site. Most notably, Metro will oversee the East Bank pedestrian bridge extension—now considered essential not only for public access but for TPAC’s back-of-house operations.
The total project cost now stands at roughly $600 million, incorporating both the performance venue and associated infrastructure. Funding includes up to $500 million from the state of Tennessee, structured as a matching program that requires TPAC to raise $100 million in private funds to unlock the full state contribution. TPAC has committed up to $24.6 million toward infrastructure improvements, while Metro is responsible for approximately $35.7 million in additional infrastructure costs tied to the site.
Positioned alongside major adjacent developments—including the new Titans stadium and surrounding mixed-use projects—the relocated TPAC is expected to define Nashville’s next era of cultural infrastructure. City and TPAC leaders have framed the venue not simply as a performance hall, but as a long-term economic and civic investment designed to anchor activity, employment, and public life on the East Bank for decades to come.
