The World of OZ Comes to Life

OZ 11

“OZ is bursting at the seams with quality and finely chosen details.” – The Nashville Scene

In 2013, Nashville’s Ozgener family established OZ, a non-profit cultural institution, as a gift back to the city and country that have been so hospitable to them as first-generation Turkish-Armenian immigrants. Having sold CAO, their premium cigar business, they converted the 10,000-square-foot warehouse into OZ.

With the advent of OZ, Nashville’s reputation as one of the nation’s finest cities just gets better. On February 13, 2014, the inaugural season for Nashville’s first contemporary arts center begins with Far, a performance by Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance. Other performances coming this year include Peter Brook’s The Suite, a production of the Paris-based Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord; The Intergalactic Nemesis, a live-action graphic novel; and a concert by the legendary Phillip Glass.

This is obviously great news for Nashville and we’re proud to have helped bring it to life. Collaborative Studio has been working with Cano Ozgener and his son Tim for many years. We designed the unique headquarters for CAO, which included office and entertainment space, as well as the warehouse. Then last year we worked with the Ozgeners, artists, and patrons to convert the warehouse into the energetic space for contemporary art performances and visual art installations. Click here

The high design of the headquarters needed little adjustment to convert those spaces to accommodate art exhibits. The warehouse, though, required a redesign to provide functional areas for performances,  additions of lighting trusses and theatrical lighting, and mechanical & electrical system upgrades.  Additionally, aesthetically-pleasing wood walls that flank the space have created the Grand Salon.  The end result is a venue that surprises visitors when they walk through the humble warehouse exterior into OZ.

Many people worked together to make this a reality. We hope you take advantage of this unique venue and give your full support to the Arts in Nashville. For tickets and other information, see www.oznashville.com.