Literary Arts

Literary Arts Conservatory

The Literary Arts Conservatory is a community of scholars and student-writers engaged in a four-year writing program. The course design provides aspiring, dedicated young writers in Nashville the curricular foundations; space, support, and guidance; and academic scholarship to learn the skills of the writing process and the habits to become a successful writer.

Conservatory students study inspiring authors, extraordinary literature, and various modes and genres of writing, while honing their craft and building a portfolio. Students are privileged to interact with published authors and creatives, such as recent guests, novelists Jeff Zentner and Claire Gibson. Throughout the four years, students develop their craft in a real-world setting, as the conservatory collaborates regularly with partners such as Southern Word, The Porch Writers' Collective, Oz Arts, and Belmont and Vanderbilt Universities.

Opportunities abound for students to perform and share their voice and writing talents in community events and engagements. Students of the conservatory have won contests, such as Nashville Youth Poet Laureate, Scholastic Writing Awards, and The Nashville Scene Inaugural Student Essay Contest. They have also received writing internships, fellowships, and scholarships. Some graduates have gone on to become published authors, As students conclude the program, they will NSA proficient writers and powerful communicators.

 

2024-2025 Literary Arts Audition 

 

Recent Accolades and News

 2023-2024
- One Oz Art Wire Writing Fellowship earned from The Porch
- A Literary Artist was recognized as a National Merit Semi-Finalist
- A Literary Artist was recognized for the DAR Good Citizen Award
- A Literary Artist has received publication in an esteemed literary journal
-Three Literary Artists advanced to the Finals for Nashville Youth Poet Laureate


2020-2023 Literary Artists have performed at numerous events, including the following:
- The Former Tennessee State Senator and Metro Councilwoman Thelma Harper’s Celebration of Life
- The Nashville Mayor’s State of Metro
- The Gibson Garage
-Nissan Foundation’s First Annual Symposium
-AIR Equality Initiative’s First Annual Symposium
-Featured on Yahoo, Axios, The Tennessean, and WPLN
-YWCA Rally Against Racism
-Metro Nashville Public Health Department Town Hall