Watkins College of Art, Design & Film

Over a century ago, Samuel Watkins, a former bond servant and self-educated Nashville businessman, envisioned an accessible school that would strengthen the city with free lectures and classes. His hopes were finally realized with the construction of Watkins Institute on his property in 1885. From these humble beginnings evolved one of the finest community-oriented art education facilities in the Mid-South.

Watkins College of Art, Design & Film is a regionally and nationally accredited, non-profit, independent college of the visual arts, offering BFA degrees in fine art, film, photography, graphic design, and interior design, and a BA degree in art. Founded in 1885 as a community education resource, Watkins has a rich history as a major art institution in the city of Nashville.