Each of Tennessee's major cities has a symphony orchestra. The best known are the Memphis Symphony and the Nashville Symphony, the latter of which makes its home in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Included in this complex are three performing arts theaters and the State Museum. The major operatic troupes are Opera Memphis, Nashville Opera, and Knoxville Opera.
Nashville is known as "Music City, USA"; the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, and numerous recording studios are located there. Among the leading art galleries are the Dixon Gallery and the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, the Cheekwood Museum of Art in Nashville, the Knoxville Museum of Art, and the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga. Professional dance and theater groups are located in both urban and rural areas.
There are several state and local festivals reflecting the music and arts of the state. Elvis Week, in August, is celebrated each year in Memphis. Graceland is the site of the annual Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration (January) and Christmas at Graceland. The Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Force, created by singer Dolly Parton, presents several festivals and musical events each year. The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists presents three annual fairs. The Memphis in May International Festival includes the following programs: the Beale Street Music Festival, International Week, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the Great Southern Food Festival, and Sunset Symphony (featuring the Memphis Symphony).
The state's arts programs attract a total audience of more than 5 million each year. The Tennessee Arts Commission, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, offers arts education programs to one-third of the state's 900,000 public school students. Tennessee has more than 300 arts groups. The Memphis Arts Council is active in promoting the cultural and economic growth of the city. Members help to encourage new businesses to relocate in Memphis based on the city's cultural advantages. Similar groups work in Tennessee's other urban centers, as well as dozens of suburban and rural areas. In 2003, the Tennessee Arts Commission and other Tennessee arts organizations received grants totaling $850,800 from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Humanities Tennessee sponsors a number of annual programs including the Southern Festival of Books, the Tennessee Young Writers' Workshop, Motheread Fatheread Tennessee, and the Tennessee Community Heritage Program. In 2000, the National Endowment for the Humanities contributed $1,121,433 for 11 state programs.