Fun Facts About Art House America

Art House America in Nashville, Tennessee . . .

Was founded in 1991.

Is headquartered in an old Methodist church built in 1910.

Hosted a weekly Bible study for six years led by Rev. Scotty Smith of Christ Community Church — 75 to 150 people attended each week.

Sponsored weekly songwriter and literary groups.

Co-sponsored photographer Jeremy Cowart’s Help-Portrait events in Nashville.

Hosted Covenant Theological Seminary extension classes.

Is known for co-founder Andi Ashworth’s good gifts of hospitality — her book Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring is filled with foundational Art House ideas.

Includes these creative folks and more on its National Creative Council: Andy Crouch, Makoto Fujimura, Kim Thomas, Isaac Slade, Erwin McManus, Steve Taylor, Karen Goodwin, and Sara Groves.

Partnered with professors Bill Romanowski and Quentin Schultze of Calvin College for seminars on “Cultural Apologetics” and “Transcendence in Film.”

Iconic author Frederick Buechner was one of its first supporters.

Co-sponsored retreats with Wedgwood Circle for the benefit of cultural creators and investors.

Has provided free, anonymous, spiritual, and vocational counsel to hundreds of people — mostly cultural creatives.

Hosted four evenings of Vanderbilt literary scholar Michael Kreyling who spoke about the life and work of Flannery O’Connor.

Hosted and co-sponsored the creation of the film And the World Opened Up featuring artist Brooke Waggoner.

Is privileged to have hosted multiple Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy award recipients as guests, musicians, and speakers including Mel Gibson (Braveheart), Tommy Sims (Change the World), and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond).

Hosts the Art House America Blog edited by Texan Jenni Simmons, featuring great writers such as Alissa Wilkinson, Kristin Russell, Stephen Lamb, Kierstin Casella, Towles Kintz, Cameron Dezen Hammon, Rob Hays, Heather A. Goodman, Tala Strauss, Steven Garber, Jean Anderson Dunham, Lanier Ivester, Alice Smith, Wendy Knight, Sandra McCracken, Allison Gaskins, Eric Peters, Sarah Braud, Lindsay Crandall, Brent Bourgeois, Nancy Sleeth, Justin McRoberts, and many, many more.

Inspired Charlie Peacock’s book New Way to Be Human — the content began as a series of Art House talks, the title lifted from a Switchfoot song written at the Art House.

Heard respected theologian R.C. Sproul sing a chorus of Nat King Cole’s “Too Young” while delivering a talk.

Partnered with the Cornerstone Festival to oversee the Arts component (Art Rageous) two years in a row, providing all of the speakers.

Has hosted seminars on varied topics from The Simpsons to "Creativity" to "Heroism" and "Cynicism."

Has a long history with L’Abri workers and affiliated persons, having hosted Dick Keyes, Richard Winter, Jerram Barrs, Denis & Margie Haack, Steven Garber, and Marvin Padgett.

Was privileged to host author Michael Card for the development of his Christ and the Creative Process book.

Co-sponsored the Art Music Justice tour in 2008 featuring Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, and Art House America co-founder Charlie Peacock, benefitting International Justice Mission and Food for the Hungry.

Created newsletters and correspondence that traveled around the globe with author David Dark (Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons and Other Pop Culture Icons), handling correspondence in the late 90s.

Has worked with Laity Lodge in Texas for over a decade providing speakers and musicians for retreats.

Provided analysis, opinion, and critique to the Christian music community in Nashville resulting in the book titled At the Crossroads authored by Charlie Peacock.

Effectively went dark during 1999-2000 while co-founders Andi Ashworth and Charlie Peacock attended seminary. Andi received her Masters degree in Theological Studies; Charlie remains a stubborn autodidact.

Once hosted a record producer’s breakfast — a scheduling triumph! 

Has sponsored a high school student for Grammy Camp in Los Angeles and recording time for a variety of musicians — from an opera singer in New York to the Nashville artist collective Ten Out of Tenn.

Hosted house concert performances by many artists including Andy Davis, Sam & Ruby, Attwater, Matthew Perryman Jones, Tommy Sims, Mat Kearney, Anna Gilbert, Eva Holbrook, Andy Leftwich, Jill Phillips, Sam Ashworth, David Davidson, Waterdeep, Rue Royale, Andy Gullahorn, Thad Cockrell, Sarah Masen, John Davis, Amy Grant, Jon Werking, Kate York, Jake Newton, Jillian Edwards, Joy Williams, and David Wilcox — his performance can be heard on the recording Live Songs and Stories.

Has worked closely with the ONE campaign and Blood:Water Mission, hosting multiple meetings and events which promote creative activism to overcome the worst of disease, hunger, and extreme poverty in the world.

Has shared thousands of meals, plates of cookies, muffins, hot apple cider, cups of coffee, pots of tea, glasses of lemonade, and bowls of Andi’s famous granola.

Sponsored the College and University tour in 2008 featuring Art House America co-founder Charlie Peacock speaking 99 times on the intersection of Christian faith, imagination, creativity, and more.

Has a long history of hosting great writers and speakers including these three winsome Steves: Steve Garber (The Fabric of Faithfulness), Steve Stockman (Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2), and Steve Turner (The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love, and Faith of an American Legend).

Gave birth to Art House Dallas, directed by Jenny White and Brad Reeves, and Art House North in St. Paul, Minnesota, directed by Troy and Sara Groves.

Sent co-founders Andi Ashworth and Charlie Peacock all over America for twenty years to speak on the core ideas behind an imaginative, creative life to Art House America advocates.

Heard U2 frontman Bono sing three verses of “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love” while sitting at the fireplace in 2002, after he encouraged a room full of artists to engage with the AIDS community and the extreme poverty emergency in Africa.

Is privileged to have had these founding Art House workers in the beginning: artist/manager Nick Barre, songwriter/author Douglas McKelvey, and writer/editor Jay Swartzendruber.