Owner Darek Tanner in Canvas' East Nashville space
Darek Tanner, the longtime proprietor of Nashville gay bar Canvas, has died.
The bar confirmed Tuesday via Instagram that Tanner had died suddenly.
“Darek Tanner was a beacon of kindness and love and will forever remain in our hearts," reads the post. "His legacy, Canvas Lounge, will continue to be a safe haven for all. As we try to process the loss of his physical presence, we find solace in knowing that his spirit lives through Canvas.”
Tanner opened Canvas Lounge in 2010 at 1707 Church St., and in 2022 moved the bar to 1105 Fatherland St. in a building managed by Music City PrEP.
Owner hopes to be ‘woven into the fabric of the neighborhood’
When he spoke to the Scene in 2022, Tanner described his struggle with feeling out of place in his rural Southern Illinois hometown in the 1980s. Tanner said he sought to create a gay bar that felt like Cheers — something he didn’t have growing up.
“For somebody with an office job, for them to come into Canvas, they can really express who they are, because they have to kind of squash it down a little bit in a box whenever they're behind the computer,” Tanner told the Scene at the time. “Here they can be themselves. I don't care if you're the butchest guy with the biggest beard and wear a prom dress and a tiara in here, great. I love that.”
The bar will host a memorial service and celebration of life on Friday evening.
