Kindling Arts Announces Dates and Opens Artist Applications for its 2024 Festival of Contemporary Performance, July 18-21

The 7th annual Kindling Arts Festival will once again fill West Nashville venues with a wide array of artistic experiences from various mediums, including contemporary dance, devised theater, interdisciplinary events, performance art, and immersive parties, exploring this year’s Festival theme of “Imperfections”.

NASHVILLE, TN – February 7, 2024 – Kindling Arts today announced the dates for its 2024 Festival of live performances from Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21, 2024, at venues across West Nashville, including OZ Arts Nashville and The Darkhorse Theater. Following last year’s celebration of Counterculture, this year’s dynamic and innovative program will be unified around the theme of Imperfections.

Applications are now open for submission through March 4, 2024, for artists living in Middle Tennessee. Keeping with the organization’s commitment to radical accessibility for all artists, there is no fee to apply. Proposals can be submitted via the link at kindlingarts.com/artist-applications through March 4, 2024.

The announcement for the 2024 Festival follows another record-breaking year of growth for the nonprofit arts organization — one that welcomed an unprecedented number of Festival attendees and established two signature fundraisers. The Festival’s accolades included another Best of Nashville Award from the Nashville Scene as the “Best Summer Ticket” in 2023, following previous superlatives including “Best Summer Arts Festival” (2021), “Best Local Theater Performance” (The Naughty Tree, 2022).

One of the most vital resources in the region for experimental and daring performance artists, Kindling Arts Festival 2024 welcomes proposals from artists working in theater, dance, music, multimedia, burlesque, comedy, cabaret, circus, immersive art, interdisciplinary forms, or unclassifiable experiences. The Festival’s theme invites artists to explore the concept of imperfections as it applies to art-making and the identity of the artist and to consider the intrinsic value of imperfections within the creative process.

“The incredible momentum around the annual Kindling Arts Festival fills us with joy and excitement as we approach 2024,” Artistic Directors Jessika Malone and Daniel Jones said in a joint statement. “We love hearing from our community of dynamic, brilliant artists about their most daring creations, which can only have a home with Kindling Arts. We look forward to embracing imperfection and taking brave new risks with the incredibly talented performing artists thriving in Nashville.”

Kindling expects to announce the full line-up of artistic experiences for the 2024 Festival in May. For the passionate arts supporter, Kindling is offering an “early access sale” for Wildfire Weekend Passes at the low rate of $85 prior to the line-up announcement. This all-access pass allows audience members to choose their own adventure for the Festival programming and includes admission to all performances. A VIP Weekend Pass is also available for $115 with additional perks such as premium seating at select performances. Passes can be booked now at kindlingarts.com.

Kindling Arts Festival 2024 is made possible, in part, by support from the Tennessee Arts Commission, Metro Arts Nashville, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Bonnaroo Works Fund, the Nashville Scene, and Pierce PR. There are a variety of sponsorship opportunities available for Kindling Arts Festival 2024 — to learn more, contact Producing Artistic Director Daniel Jones at daniel@kindlingarts.com.

ABOUT KINDLING ARTS

Founded in 2018, Kindling Arts develops innovative new works by Nashville’s experimental artists, empowering diverse creators with the resources required to explore challenging ideas. By providing local artists with space, resources, and practical support, Kindling promotes underrepresented voices and aesthetics, making space for boundary-pushing work that would otherwise be impossible. With a focus on championing the experimental and providing a home for unclassifiable performances, Kindling enables Nashville’s most radical independent artists to explore new modes of performance-making and challenge the status quo. Now in its 6th year, Kindling’s core programming includes the annual Kindling Arts Festival, a multi-day celebration of local artists that showcases more than a dozen diverse performances and events in various venues throughout Nashville, as well as unique arts events year-round. For more information, visit kindlingarts.com.

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