The Tennessee Arts Academy emerged from the education reform movement of the 1980s and from an expressed need by arts teachers for a staff development program to provide instruction, community and renewal for teachers of music, theatre and visual art. The Academy, a program of the Tennessee Department of Education, opened in 1987 and has evolved into the nation's premiere program of professional development for arts teachers.

The Academy sessions are held on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Academy consists of two tracks, one geared to elementary/lower middle school teachers and the other designed for upper middle/high school teachers. Teachers are grouped according to their specific teaching assignment, which includes visual art, music, or drama/theatre courses. In the 1990s the program was expanded to include a special component for school administrators. Through this unique addition principals and supervisors are engaged with the arts and learn of the varied dimensions the arts bring to the complete education of each child.

A day at the Academy is varied and stimulating. Three sessions per day are spent studying with discipline-specific faculty chosen for their expertise who have come from colleges and universities, studios and workplaces across the United States. In these classes the latest techniques are applied to instruction which will directly aid participants in their own teaching. In addition, each day features an artistic performance or art exhibit, the Academy's philosophical component which we call "Musings", and special choice sessions ("Interludes") which vary from day to day.

Throughout the week special events add interest to the regular schedule. Sunday night features an opening convocation and performance followed by an elegant reception held in the historic Belmont mansion located on campus. On Wednesday evenings, an Academy banquet honors participants with fine dining and entertainment. The culmination of the week occurs at the Friday luncheon where music is provided by the Academy chorale and bittersweet farewells can be said at the close of a busy but exciting week of study, learning and socializing.

Since its inception, the Academy has reached teachers from all school districts in Tennessee. In 2002 with the addition of the Arts Academy America component, arts teachers from outside Tennessee now have the opportunity to become full participants in the Academy experience. Through it, the vision for arts education shines brighter because teachers have learned from the distinguished, nationally renowned Academy faculty, and from the collegiality which develops among the participants.