A Place Where You Belong

Founded in the early 2000s, the Fountain City Art Center began as a vision shared by a collection of local artists who believed creativity should live at the center of community life. What started as a modest education and exhibition space has grown into a creative home for generations of artists, students, families, and musicians in Knoxville.

Within these walls, paintings are created, creative minds are received, music is learned, and ideas are exchanged. Children take their first art or music classes. Adults rediscover creative passions in both. Neighbors meet. Friendships form.

Our purpose continues to be simple and steady:

To be a place where people gather.
To be a place where people learn.
To be a place where people collaborate and experience fine arts.

The Fountain City Art Center is also the proud home of Knoxville Classical Guitar, a nonprofit organization supporting classical guitar education and performance since 1971. For more than five decades, Knoxville Classical Guitar has presented concerts, fostered community engagement, and supported serious guitar study in our region.

Together, visual art and music share this space, strengthening one another and expanding the cultural life of Knoxville.

We are more than a gallery.
We are more than classrooms.
We are a gathering place for artists, music lovers, and young aspiring students of both.

This building holds history. It holds conversation. It holds possibility.

And just as it always has, it continues because people believe that art and music matter.

Just Being Here Helps  

The Fountain City Art Center runs on volunteers.

And sometimes, the most important thing you can do is simply be here.

You do not have to be an artist.
You do not have to be an expert.
You do not have to carry the whole operation.

Your presence matters.

When you greet someone at the door, it changes the atmosphere.
When you help straighten a room, it makes the space more welcoming.
When you keep the coffee stocked, it makes someone feel at home.
When you sit at the front desk, you create steadiness.

We need volunteers for:

• Greeting guests
• Helping organize storage and drying rooms
• Light cleaning and resetting spaces
• Keeping the coffee area clean and stocked
• Sharing information for lessons and classes
• Assisting with small accessory and art sales

Training is simple. Expectations are clear. Support is constant.

But more than anything, we need people who are willing to show up.

If you can give a few hours a week or even a few hours a month, you help sustain art and music in our community.

Just being here helps. We offer discounts to classes for all volunteers.

If you would like to volunteer, text us at (865) 357-2787 or stop by at 213 Hotel Road in Knoxville.

Let’s build together.

On Saturdays at 1:00 PM, something special is happening in Fountain City.

The Fountain City Art Center is now offering a free music class for elementary-aged students, presented by LeGrand Music Studios. This class is designed to introduce young students to the joy, structure, and creativity of music in a welcoming and inspiring environment.

For families who have been curious about music lessons but are not quite ready to commit, this is the perfect opportunity.

This free class represents the heart of what makes the arts community in Knoxville strong. The Fountain City Art Center has long been a home for visual art, classes, exhibitions, and creative programming. By partnering with LeGrand Music Studios, the Art Center is expanding its reach to include structured music education for young students.

Together, these organizations are making music accessible to families who may not yet have had the opportunity to explore formal lessons.

This free Saturday class is specifically designed for elementary-aged students and focuses on introducing rhythm and beat, singing and listening skills, basic music concepts and terminology, and exposure to different instruments. Students participate actively through movement, singing, listening, and creative interaction rather than simply sitting and observing.

Music education at this age builds more than just musical skill. It strengthens focus and listening ability, builds confidence and self-expression, improves coordination and timing, and encourages social interaction and teamwork. For many students, this kind of class becomes the spark that leads to deeper musical study.

In a time when many extracurricular activities carry financial barriers, offering a free, high-quality music experience is significant. LeGrand Music Studios is known in Knoxville for its professional instructors and structured approach to music education. Bringing that level of experience into a free community class allows families to see what thoughtful music instruction looks like without pressure.

This initiative also supports a broader mission of building long-term engagement with the arts in Fountain City. When children experience music early, they are more likely to continue in band, orchestra, choir, or private study later on.

The Fountain City Art Center provides a creative and inspiring setting. Surrounded by artwork, exhibitions, and other classes, students experience music as part of a larger artistic culture. It reinforces the idea that music and art belong together.

Parents are encouraged to attend, observe, and ask questions. This class can serve as a stepping stone into private lessons, group classes, choir participation, or instrument exploration, but there is no obligation, only opportunity.

If you have an elementary-aged child who is curious about music, this is an ideal place to begin.

Free Music Class
Saturdays at 1:00 PM (30-minutes)
Hosted at Fountain City Art Center
Presented by LeGrand Music Studios

Come explore rhythm, melody, and creativity in a supportive community setting. Music has the power to shape a child’s confidence, discipline, and imagination. Sometimes all it takes is one Saturday afternoon to begin that journey.