Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville

The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in Nashville is a great example of a government-owned but independently managed center. It's been really important in giving people in Tennessee access to high-quality performances and cultural events, just like in big cities. The center was created with the goal of introducing kids to theater, ballet, symphony, and opera, to educate and inspire them.

TPAC started with the idea from some local folks, led by Martha Ingram, who wanted an arts center for Tennessee. They pitched this idea to the state government in 1972. TPAC's building, next to the James K. Polk State Office Building and the Tennessee State Museum, got the go-ahead after they raised more than $4 million from private donors.

Before TPAC opened in September 1980, the state set up the TPAC Management Corporation to run it. This non-profit group manages the partnership between the public and private sectors. It makes sure there are affordable places for local arts groups to perform and helps Tennessee's kids learn about the arts.

TPAC has several theaters: Andrew Jackson Hall with 2,472 seats, James K. Polk Theater with 1,075, Andrew Johnson Theater with 256 seats, and the War Memorial Auditorium with 1,661 seats, which is nearby.

TPAC does a lot of different things. It hosts Broadway shows and special events, and it has a big education program. With its theaters always busy, TPAC puts on about 500 shows a year, drawing around 500,000 people.