OZ Arts Nashville today announced “Conversations at OZ,” an annual fundraiser celebrating the art of conversation with community leaders and vibrant personalities, will take place in person once again on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 7 pm in its expansive creative warehouse. One of the most dynamic annual benefits in Nashville, the event invites guests to engage in an evening of cocktails, dinner, and insightful dialogue on a range of contemporary topics, including arts and culture, social issues, business and government.

Conversations at OZ is a unique benefit event, in which participants gather with notable conversation table hosts to share vulnerable, open and genuine perspectives on a range of topics pertinent to Nashville’s community and growth. Past discussion hosts have included Nashville Mayor John Cooper, multiple GRAMMY Award-winning music producer and songwriter T. Bone Burnett, Vanderbilt University ChancellorDaniel Diermeier, celebrated novelist and poet Caroline Randall Smith, author and scholar Michael Eric Dyson, and Oscar Award-winning screenwriter Callie Khouri. The 2023 hosts will be announced in January, when tickets will go on sale.

The event is co-chaired by a diverse group of local leaders who have made extraordinary impacts on the Nashville community, including:

  • Laurie Seabury, Secretary for the OZ Arts Board

  • Marcia Masulla, Co-Founder of Nashville Fashion Week

  • Shan Foster, Co-Founder & CEO at Fostering Healthy Solutions and former professional basketball player

  • Sherri Neal, Honorary Co-Chair, Chief Diversity Officer at HCA Healthcare and OZ Arts Board Member

“We are thrilled to host one of the city’s most anticipated events in person once again,” said Tim Ozgener, Co-Founder and President of OZ Arts Nashville. “The funds raised by this benefit allow our team to continue the exploration of bold new forms of performing and visual arts and provide a greater foundation to support, develop and present accessible engagement opportunities for local students, artists and audiences across Nashville.”

HCA Healthcare demonstrates its commitment to the growth and development of Nashville’s arts scene as the presenting sponsor for “Conversations at OZ” for the fifth year in a row. Amazon is a Gold Sponsor, and other sponsors include Zander Insurance, Waller, and Bart Durham Law. For those interested in sponsoring and supporting this year’s event, please contact Nicholas Gulick, OZ Arts Nashville’s Director of Development, at nick@ozartsnashville.org.

Official benefit tickets will go on sale in January 2023 on the OZ Arts website following the announcement of prominent conversation hosts. All proceeds support OZ Arts’ mission to create innovative and accessible artistic opportunities for artists, audiences and students in Middle Tennessee and beyond. To learn more about upcoming performances, please visit https://www.ozartsnashville.org/.

Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the southeast’s most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual artworks by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts’ unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 50,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ’s 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org.