Smyrna Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
The mission of the Smyrna Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (the "Arts Committee”, formerly the Smyrna Arts Commission) is to develop a long range arts and cultural plan for the Town with 2, 5, and 10 year goals.
A long range arts and cultural master plan is a plan of implementation for future cultural programming. The master plan will provide a collective vision for the future of Smyrna’s arts and culture, and will facilitate the inclusion of arts and cultural planning considerations in Town planning decisions in addition to enriching, strengthening, and expanding the Town's existing arts and cultural assets.
Community Survey (2023)
In 2023, the Arts Committee, with funding assistance from a TN Arts Commission grant, conducted a cultural assets inventory through a community survey. This was the first step in the master plan process - an inventorying of the arts and cultural landscape. The survey’s objectives were to identify the resources that make up Smyrna’s cultural identity, identify Smyrna’s existing strengths and what make it unique; and identify gaps and challenges in arts and culture planning. In the survey, residents expressed frustration over not knowing what was happening in their community, which led to decreased attendance and engagement. Simultaneously, Smyrna’s town employees were encountering their own set of challenges. They frequently fielded inquiries from citizens and visitors regarding local events, reflecting a broader issue of ineffective communication and promotion. This situation highlighted the urgent need for a more effective and centralized platform to address these concerns.
Roundabout Smyrna (2024)
In response to these challenges, the Town of Smyrna, in collaboration with various community stakeholders, decided to develop a dedicated website—Roundabout Smyrna. Its primary mission is to streamline and centralize information about entertainment, arts, and cultural events, making it easier for residents and visitors to discover and participate in local activities. Roundabout Smyrna will become a central hub for public discussion and engagement and will foster community involvement in shaping the future of arts and culture in Smyrna.
