When Brian Sexton, President of Creatives’ Day, founded the non-profit in 2016, it was with the vision that creative artists would possess the keys to create opportunities of economic empowerment for themselves. Creatives’ helps them achieve this today by connecting emerging artists throughout the city and providing them with platforms to celebrate their innate talent, vision, and innovation through collaboration.
“It is a ten-billion-dollar industry, with 80,000 jobs in Nashville, and the city needed a day that could recognize the artists and musicians that come here to succeed at doing what they love.” Sexton explained, “for a city that proudly stands on the claim of Music City USA there was very little here that could help the community of artists and musicians. That troubled me”
He met with the mayor and October 22, 2016 became Creatives’ Day in Nashville. During the discussion portion of that day, Sexton realized that the graffiti artist and the cook both needed affordable housing, maybe two others both needed help writing a business plan. Sexton realized that the creative community needed a local mechanism that connected them so that they could reach each other, and grow together, and the non-profit Creatives’ Day was born!
In the spirit of connecting artists, Hutton Hotel reached out to offer their space, through a program where emerging local musicians can learn about the music industry with no cost related. Artists were chosen by Sexton organically based on the hard work that they have already put in to the community, making themselves known around town. Morgan Bosman, Rashad thaPoet, Emma Dilemma and Caleb Bowers became the first class in the inaugural Creatives’ Day Residency program. These diverse and talented artists have been supported by the Hutton Hotel and Creatives’ Day to the tune of studio time, creative space to collaborate comfortably in the Hutton Hotel Writer’s Rooms, visits to major studios, record labels and the Grammy offices in Nashville.
“The fact that the Hutton is providing this opportunity to these artists is immeasurable,” says Sexton who has worked to craft this holistic approach for the artists. Through the program they receive 8 hours of studio time with volunteer engineers and producers, access to industry insiders, and a finale showcase at Analog, the extravagant yet cozy 5,000 square foot performance space at the Hutton Hotel.
In the following interviews the artists speak about their inspirations and their goals, and discuss their time with the Creatives’ Day Residency. They are four very different artists with so much talent between them, various styles and each one of them is eagerly anticipating their performance at Analog next month during C&A week. This one is not to be missed.
Check out the interviews with Creative’s Day artists Emma Dilemma, Rashad ThaPoet, Morgan Bosman and Caleb Bowers.
