Michael W. Smith, Jekalyn Carr & Others Attend Kick-Off Ceremony for Christian & Gospel Music Museum

By Timothy Yap May 05, 2024 05:17 AM EDT

This week the Gospel Music Association hosted the ceremonial construction kick-off of the brand-new Christian & Gospel Music Museum at The Dove Center. The Christian & Gospel Music Museum at The Dove Center's location will be 400 Commerce Street in downtown Nashville.

Attending the event and providing special remarks included Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee and Nashville's Mayor Freddie O'Connell showing their support for this historic moment. Dove Award and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Michael W. Smith and Dove Award-winning artist Jekalyn Carr provided special music.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to break ground on the new home for Christian & Gospel music right in the heart of Music City," said Jackie Patillo, GMA President. "The opportunity to be a beacon of light here in Nashville and offer a place to fulfill our mission to expose, promote, and celebrate the Gospel is a big step forward."

The Christian & Gospel Music Museum is set to open in Fall 2025 and will unite fans of Christian & Gospel music as an important addition to Nashville's rich music history drawing visitors from around the world. The 11,000 sq. foot museum and Dove Center will be just steps away from the historic mother church, Ryman Auditorium.

The museum will feature state-of-the-art interactive displays celebrating today's artists while looking to the horizon for tomorrow's leaders and preserving the legacies of Christian & Gospel music's trailblazers. The museum's atmosphere will amplify the transforming message of the gospel while also telling the past and present story of Christian & Gospel music.

Gospel Music Association Celebrates Construction Kick-off for Museum

Construction Kick-off for The Christian & Gospel Music Museum at The Dove Center (May 2, 2024) Gospel Music Association Board Members + GMA Foundation + Special Artists in attendance + GMA Staff + GMA President Jackie Patillo, Governor Bill Lee and Mayor Freddie O'Connell (Photo Credit: Adam Sanner)

About Gospel Music Association & GMA Foundation: Since 1964, the Gospel Music Association's mission has been to expose, promote and celebrate the Gospel through music. As a trade organization, the GMA serves creatives and professionals within the Christian and Gospel music industry. It supports this richly diverse community by providing for basic needs through the GMA Foundation, preserving the legacies of the genre's trailblazers through the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and celebrating the work of today's artists through broadcast events like the GMA Dove Awards and Let Us Adore Him: A Christmas Celebration - which collectively reaches millions of people around the world annually.For more information about the Gospel Music Association, visit www.gospelmusic.org. Join the GMA social communities on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.