Art Trunks are educational kits designed to enrich appreciation and understanding of present and past art exhibitions at the Frist Center. The Art Trunk program provides unique opportunities for participants to become more informed about works of art, their meanings and the artists who created them. Each Trunk has a theme and includes reproductions of artwork from specific exhibitions and guided lesson plans for three activity sessions.

Through observation, questioning strategies, comparisons and related art activities, students participate in a learning process that provides a higher level of understanding and appreciation of art.

Through the Art Trunk Program, students will learn how to look at, discuss and experience works of art in a complete manner.  They will use critical analysis or evaluate and interpret artwork.  They will look at the historical influences on the artwork and artists and using the values of aesthetics they will investigate the concepts of value and beauty as related to art.  Finally, the students will produce their own artwork in order to best understand the process of creation.

Art Trunks are used to continue and expand the outreach program already begun with the Frist Center’s community partners which currently include Woodbine Community Organization, Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, Edgehill Center, Inc., Martha O’Bryan Center, the Northwest Family YMCA and ten sites from the Public Library system and Metro Parks and Recreation.

Art Trunks are delivered to the community organizations, where a Frist Center contract teacher teaches the first lesson. The organization’s staff then leads the two additional sessions over the following two weeks and return the trunk upon their visit to the Frist Center.  Supplies are then replenished for the next group.

The Frist Center Art Trunk program also provides the following:

• Training for staff at the community partner site on using the Art Trunks
• Training for Frist Center contract teachers and volunteers
• Transportation subsidy (provides assistance with transportation for visit to the Center)
  

Art Trunk Portfolios

Art Trunks relating to past exhibitions are available for use by any group.  Art Trunk portfolios are educational packets designed to enrich understanding of past Frist Center exhibitions. The portfolios include 16” x 20” color reproductions of artwork from specific exhibitions, related books and materials about the exhibition and Guided Lesson plans for three activity sessions. Select Art Trunk Portfolio Catalogue for a complete listing of portfolios available for checkout in the Frist Center’s Art Library and Resource Center.


Art Trunks Sponsors:

Ford Motor Company Fund
Metro Nashville Arts Commission
Nashville Rotary Service Trust
Predators Foundation
Tennessee Arts Commission
Terrazzo, developed by Crosland

For more information about our Art Trunk program, contact our Education Outreach Manager by email or by calling 615-744-3254.