The Mothers Club of Montgomery Bell Academy will present the 12th annual MBA Art Show next month in the school’s Davis Building, drawing more than 50 artists from across the country for a three-day exhibition. This year’s headliner is abstract artist Ed Nash, whose selection continues the event’s tradition of spotlighting established talents alongside emerging voices. According to the official event website, the show functions as the primary fundraiser for the academy’s fine arts department and the Mothers Club, directing proceeds toward student arts initiatives.
Nash has lived in Nashville for 15 years after being born in Letchworth Garden City, England, where he earned an art scholarship to Bedford School at age 13. He later graduated magna cum laude from Reading University with degrees in fine art and psychology before pursuing a full-time career as a visual artist following years as a dealer and appraiser. His practice is informed by the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic that embraces imperfection and impermanence, with works featured in collections at the Tennessee State Museum, the Hunter Museum of American Art and the U.S. Senate Building.
The exhibition will feature oils, acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics and jewelry in a range of styles, and it is free and open to the public with ample parking available. Hours run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, November 6 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, Nashville Lifestyles reported. The opening evening includes food, beverages and live music performed by Montgomery Bell Academy students.
Thirty percent of all sales are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law, with participating artists retaining 70 percent of proceeds from their works. A similar event the previous year highlighted sculptor James Worsham as featured artist and supported the school’s Endada student music and arts festival, an Nfocus magazine article from October 2025 stated. Recent social media updates from the organizers have previewed several of the participating artists in advance of the November dates.
Montgomery Bell Academy, an all-boys private school at 4001 Harding Road in Nashville, has hosted the art show for more than a decade to promote arts education and community engagement. The event also offers an early-access preview for interior designers and their clients prior to public opening. Further details, including additional artist spotlights, are available through the show’s official website and Instagram account.
