OZ Arts Nashville Announces Highly Anticipated “Conversations at OZ” Benefit Event Will Take Place Virtually on February 24, 2021

The Reimagined Event, Supported by Presenting Sponsor HCA Healthcare, Will Feature Notable Local Figures with Global Impact.

Nashville, TN – February 2, 2021OZ Arts Nashville today announced "Conversations at OZ," a salon-style evening celebrating the art of conversation with community leaders and vibrant personalities across Nashville, will take place virtually on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. The benefit, which has become one of the city’s most anticipated events over the past 5 years, invites prominent civic and cultural leaders to serve as conversation hosts. Guests are invited to engage in discussions with their designated conversation hosts on a range of contemporary topics.

This year’s prominent lineup of virtual conversation hosts includes author and scholar Michael Eric Dyson with activist and writer Marcia Dyson, Oscar-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri with legendary musician and producer T-Bone Burnett, host of WPLN’s The Promise podcast Meribah Knight with Warner Elementary Principal Ricki Gibbs, and chair of Metro Nashville's Coronavirus Task Force, Alex Jahangir. The full slate of table hosts from Nashville and around the country can be found here.

The 2021 event is co-chaired by a powerful group of women who have made an extraordinary impact on the Nashville community: 

  • Sherri Neal, Chief Diversity Officer at HCA Healthcare and OZ Arts Board Member

  • Michelle Gaskin-Brown, Manager, Public Policy at Amazon

  • Kate Chinn, Head of Community Relations at AllianceBernstein

  • Marjean Coddon, consultant and OZ Arts Board Member

 

“This event is unlike any other in Nashville, and we are proud to host such an engaging and socially important community happening. Even in a virtual setting, we know attendees will leave inspired and form lasting connections,” said Tim Ozgener, Co-Founder and President of OZ Arts Nashville. “We are looking forward to delivering an experience that honors all the reasons this event has become known as one of the community’s most unforgettable evenings.” 

The event continues to draw an impressive lineup of sponsors. This year’s presenting sponsor is HCA Healthcare. Amazon and UBS are major sponsors, and supporting sponsors include AllianceBernstein, City National Bank, Neal & Harwell, Piedmont Gas, Pinnacle Financial Partners and Zander Insurance. Virtual table sponsors include AON, INSBANK, Chazin & Company, August Bioservices, Waller, Providence Title and Compass/Adobe Realty. All proceeds benefit OZ Arts Nashville, which is committed to enriching the Greater Nashville landscape by presenting bold new artistic works and creative opportunities for engagement.

 

Tickets for 2021’s “Conversations at OZ” are on sale now and can be purchased here. The number of attendees with each host will be limited to an intimate group for conversation, similar to the annual in-person event. For additional information and updates, visit the website

About OZ Arts Nashville

Founded in 2013, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the Southeast's most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual art works by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts' unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 50,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ’s 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org