In December, one of Nashville’s most beloved and influential art institutions will close its doors. Zeitgeist announced Thursday that it will be shuttering at the end of 2025.
The news comes as a surprise — the gallery’s strong presence has long been a defining element of the city’s visual art scene. Some of Nashville’s most celebrated artists — including Alicia Henry, who was with the gallery from 2001 until her death in 2024 — have exhibited at the space since its doors opened in 1994.
The exhibition runs through June 29 at Zeitgeist
In its tenure, Zeitgeist has exhibited some of the city’s best artists, including Karen Seapker, Vadis Turner, Carlton Wilkinson, Caroline Allison, Alex Lockwood, Paul Collins, Brent Stewart, Kurt Wagner and Patrick DeGuira. Countless other artists' works have hung on the gallery's walls, whether in its current location in Wedgewood-Houston, the Hillsboro Village space that it occupied from 1999 until 2013, or the Cummins Station spot where it launched out of the architectural office of Manuel Zeitlin in 1994.
The gallery's current roster of artists include Jeremiah Ariaz, Alex Blau, Sai Clayton, Richard Feaster, Lanie Gannon, Brady Haston, Megan Lightell, Vesna Pavlović, Greg Pond and Lars Strandh, as well as the gallery's longtime director Lain York.
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Read the full letter from Zeitgeist's owner Janice Zeitlin below:
Founded in 1994, Zeitgeist will close its doors at the end of the year. After three locations and 32 years in business it is time to move to our next chapter. I look forward to spending time with family and friends. We are incredibly grateful for your support over the years.
Three decades ago when Manuel was contemplating moving Manuel Zeitlin Architects to his newest project, Cummins Station, we envisioned a space that would bring together Nashville’s creative community, a space for art, design, and architecture. We hoped to reflect the spirit of the times and provide a platform for local and international artists on the same plane. We were so fortunate to have Lain York join us in 1996, introducing Zeitgeist to a thriving studio community and independent artist-run initiatives and to help us challenge our audiences with new perspectives.
It has been a tremendous honor to collaborate with so many talented artists and to work together with Lain to showcase visual artists along with musicians, writers, poets, performers, and fashion designers. From the start we committed to provide a place for artists to explore their passions, where experimentation and risk were always encouraged. We hope we have brought the Nashville community thought provoking and inspiring exhibits, discussions, and performances.
It’s wonderful to look back now and see how many established artists had their first shows at the gallery. It’s always a joy to hear young artists tell us how they were influenced by Zeitgeist. I am excited to see the vibrant and diverse art scene in Nashville continue to grow.
Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you again for your support.
Please follow us on social media and at zeitgeist-art.com as we continue our 2025 calendar of exhibitions.
