Young Artist Moving From Boston. Advice, Help? (Murfreesboro, Jackson: sales, rent)

[ArtDarling]

Hello,

I am considering relocating to Nashville and I was hoping to gain some advice and thoughts. I am 25 years old and I'm a visual artist. I was raised in the South/Midwest and I've been living in Boston working as a teaching artist. There are a lot of things I love about Boston but there are a lot of things I miss about the South.

Here are things I love about Boston:
Public Transportation
Diversity
The interest and respect towards the Arts of all kinds
Historical charm
etc

I do however miss Southern food, hospitality, etc. I also make a decent income here and yet I'm still working 3 weeks just to pay my rent.

Is Nashville a good city for an artist? Is it a "safe" city? What are the safer areas? Is it hard to meet people/make friends? I've found it really hard to make friends in Boston.

I am a Christian so I know the religious culture of that part of the country won't be an issue for me. Though I am a Democrat and part of me does dread having to be "the liberal" again.

I've been looking at the Franklin area. I know the rent is higher there but it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than I'm paying now.

I'm not into bars, clubs, etc. I'm a bit of an old lady...I love Antique Stores, book stores, boutiques...things like that.

Any opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

Hello,

I am considering relocating to Nashville and I was hoping to gain some advice and thoughts. I am 25 years old and I'm a visual artist. I was raised in the South/Midwest and I've been living in Boston working as a teaching artist. There are a lot of things I love about Boston but there are a lot of things I miss about the South.

Here are things I love about Boston:
Public Transportation
Diversity
The interest and respect towards the Arts of all kinds
Historical charm
etc

I do however miss Southern food, hospitality, etc. I also make a decent income here and yet I'm still working 3 weeks just to pay my rent.

Boston is a great city. I always enjoy visiting there. But I can understand how living there (and the rest of the Northeast) can be burdensome financially. That is definitely one of the big pluses here. We do have a reasonably high sales tax (9.25%, 7.75% on food), but there is no income tax, and I think you will find most other taxes generally lower (such as property taxes). Housing is much less expensive here, too.

As far as the things you love about Boston...they're not going to be comparable here, exactly...but we do well in some of those areas.

Public transportation is simply lacking. Nashville does have a good sized bus system...but it's not utilized by a lot of the population, and it's really only practical for those living rather close to town (because pretty much all of the bus routes go through the central hub). Franklin and Murfreesboro also have a small level of public transportation (trollies in Franklin, buses in Murfreesboro)...but there isn't a large transportation grid that makes it easy to travel in between suburbs (most suburban routes via the Nashville MTA are park and ride, morning and afternoon). In short, owning a car and using it on a regular basis is essentially a necessity for the vast majority of the people living in the metro. We hope that changes some day...but I think it will be a bit into the future.

Diversity in Nashville...Nashville doesn't really compare to the more international/ultra cosmopolitan cities when it comes to diversity...but there is definitely a wide range of cultures represented in the city. Aside from black and white, there is a growing Hispanic community (primarily on the SE side of town), as well as a visible number of natives from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East (Nashville is proud to be the home of the largest Kurdish community in the United States). Generally speaking, outside of the Hispanic community, the foreign born population isn't very big...but there are definitely a lot of different cultures represented if you know where to find them. The suburbs are predominantly white...but there has been a growth in diversity there in the past decade as well.

As for the arts scene...the arts scene in Nashville is primarily focused on music...not just country...all types of music. Singers, songwriters, session musicians, and bands flock to Nashville to record, collaborate, perform, as well as live. There is a community for the visual and performing arts as well...but it is not nearly as visible as the music scene (well, it's kind of like saying a frigate is not nearly as visible as an aircraft carrier). There is definitely an appreciation for all of the arts here...what I'm saying is that there is MORE focus on music.

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

Is Nashville a good city for an artist? Is it a "safe" city? What are the safer areas? Is it hard to meet people/make friends? I've found it really hard to make friends in Boston.

I think Nashville can be a good city for an artist...you won't have the same visibility and exposure that you will in Boston...but at the same time, you won't have the same competition here. It could be an opportunity to excel at your work.

Safety is relative. There's not really a yes or no answer to "is Nashville a safe city," because there are definitely safe areas, and there are definitely dangerous areas. I would say the safe areas outnumber the dangerous ones...but that depends on one's perspective. There is definitely violent crime, especially in some of the inner city areas. Not all inner city areas are dangerous though...and not all of the more suburban environment is completely safe. I could give you a list of areas that I consider safe...but someone else might disagree. Again...it's a matter of perspective.

As far as making friends...I'm not sure I could tell you. I haven't had a problem with it...but I'm a native...I grew up here, went to school here, and developed friendships over time. Most people are generally friendly, though...and it might be a good idea (if you move here) to seek out organizations with like-minded people (within the arts community, through a church community, or a volunteer organization)....I think that would be a good place to start.

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

I am a Christian so I know the religious culture of that part of the country won't be an issue for me. Though I am a Democrat and part of me does dread having to be "the liberal" again.

I don't think being a Democrat will be an issue. While the metro as a whole has a somewhat conservative tilt, Davidson County (Nashville) is fairly liberal. Democrats around here certainly aren't afraid of displaying their political feelings on their cars (and neither are Republicans). I would say this won't be a big issue. Out of curiosity, what Christian denomination are you? Certain churches tend to be more conservative or liberal. That might be a situation where you might feel uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

I've been looking at the Franklin area. I know the rent is higher there but it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than I'm paying now.

Franklin is a really nice suburb about 20 miles south of downtown Nashville. Most places in Franklin would definitely fit the bill as far as safety goes. It's generally a safe place.

However, given some of your above information, I would strongly suggest looking into East Nashville if you are looking for a more diverse neighborhood with an artsy vibe. There is a crime element in East Nashville...it's a little "rough around the edges" you might say...but most East Nashville residents will tell you they feel perfectly safe...a lot of it depends on where you live there (East Nashville is a broad term for a number of neighborhoods on the north and east side of downtown Nashville). Other people might have more suggestions about specific areas to look for, or perhaps another part of town that might fit what you are looking for...but to me, I think East Nashville would be a real winner for a young artist.

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

I'm not into bars, clubs, etc. I'm a bit of an old lady...I love Antique Stores, book stores, boutiques...things like that.

There is a little strip of antique malls just to the south of downtown around 8th and Douglas. I don't know the quality or price of those types of places...but it might be worth checking out. Also, the guy from American Pickers (tv show) opened up a store in Marathon Village, just to the west of downtown. I think things there are generally expensive. I'm not all that into antiques (I don't mind looking at them, but I don't buy them)...but I hear a lot of people like the antique stores well to the east of town in Lebanon (30 minutes away) and Smithville and Sparta (more or less an hour away).

Nashville, unfortunately, does not excel in terms of REAL bookstores, unfortunately. Davis-Kidd, a long time large independent bookstore, closed about a year ago...and with the closure of Borders, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities to shop for new books. Recently, a local best-selling author decided to open up a small bookstore in Green Hills (Parnassus Books)...I haven't been there yet, so I don't know what to think...but the reception has generally been warm. There are also a couple of used bookstores to check out....Bookman/Bookwoman in Hillsboro Village is a neat little store...or if you just want to be bombarded by used book selection, McKay's off of Charlotte Pike has a more than generous selection.

Originally Posted by ArtDarling

Any opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Plenty of opinions to go around on this site.

If you have any specific questions, or want to tell us a little bit more about yourself and what your specific wants/needs are (you did a pretty good job starting off), we can do our best to try to point you in the right direction. Good luck with your search!

[CountryGirl2b=]

Nashvols is pretty accurate all the way around so I haven't much to add.

Only that I moved from Connecticut to Nashville over a year and a half ago and find the people here MUCH friendlier than in the northeast. And that's pretty much where I grew up. But I never FELT like a local in CT.

Also, NV is correct that the emphasis is on music, not art. BUT art does exist here and there is certainly room for it and an appreciation for it. Depending on the kind of art you do there are heaps of galleries and lots of crafty type folks at the farmers markets. Lots of the coffee houses like to show art so you can get some exposure for what you do. Not sure people actually order a latte and a painting but you never know! I have had my eye on a painting at the Loveless for a long time . .

I love Boston, too, and used to visit there often. In later years it was easier to go to NYC on one bus than to Boston on two. PLUS Boston just seemed colder?

We do have a lot of history down here, too. A lot dealing with the Civil War but the Natchez Trace has a cool story as well.

If you haven't ever been here, you should certainly plan a visit.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

We do have a lot of history down here, too. A lot dealing with the Civil War but the Natchez Trace has a cool story as well.

Ah! I knew I forgot something. Historical charm.


Nashville isn't nearly as old as Boston, but as CG2b said, there is a lot of history here. Civil War sites (though the better preserved ones are outside the city), old churches, an interesting mix of architecture, a beautiful antebellum capitol building, President Andrew Jackson's estate (The Hermitage), plantations, old warehouses and factories, etc.