Once Upon A Time: Visual Tales of Hope, Resilience, and Imagination

A promotional poster for the art event "Once Upon A Time" featuring a painting of a hand holding a red apple with a gold heart-shaped patch, surrounded by green leaves and a night sky background. The poster includes details about the event, dates, and participating organizations.
A promotional poster for an art exhibition titled "Once Upon A Time" by Daybreak Artists. The poster features an illustration of a hand holding a red apple with a golden heart shape carved inside it, set against a dark, starry background with green leaves. The text describes the exhibit as a collection of fairy tale-inspired artwork that explores hope, resilience, and imagination, and mentions that it is part of a July gallery series at Gallery 59.
A promotional poster for Daybreak Arts celebrates their 12th birthday on July 11, 2026. The event will be held at Gallery 59 Arcade Arts and features four programs: Daybreak Arts Artist Collective, Next Horizon Academy, Gigi’s Creative Corner, and Shared Walls Art Program. The poster highlights artist payments over 12 years totaling $125,000 and includes photos of past events with groups of people and awards for best regional art gallery in Tennessee.

Once Upon A Time: Visual Tales of Hope, Resilience, and Imagination is a new group exhibition by Daybreak Artists inspired by fairy tales, folklore, and fantasy. This exhibition in Gallery 59 of The Arcade Nashville opens July 11th during the Downtown Art Crawl, transforming the gallery into an immersive storybook world where art and personal storytelling intersect. Through painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media, artists explore themes of resilience, hope, courage, and renewal, using the language of myth and imagination to reflect real-life journeys.

For generations, fairy tales have offered stories of transformation—ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges, navigating uncertainty, and emerging changed by their experiences. Once Upon A Time reimagines these timeless narratives through contemporary artwork that invites viewers to consider their own paths of growth and perseverance.

The exhibition features work by artists who have experienced or are overcoming homelessness, offering a powerful perspective on the universal themes found in classic folklore. Like the heroes and heroines of fairy tales, these artists know what it means to face adversity, seek safety, rely on unexpected allies, and continue forward despite difficult circumstances. Through creative expression, they reclaim their stories and envision new possibilities for the future.

Visitors are invited to become part of the story through interactive spaces including a Wishing Well, Enchanted Forest, Bedtime Story Corner, Alice in Wonderland Realm, and a Coastal Odyssey. These participatory experiences transform visitors from observers into active participants in the exhibition's unfolding story. These artworks remind us that transformation is possible, that resilience can be found in unexpected places, and that every person has a story worth telling.

By blending fantasy with personal narrative, Once Upon A Time celebrates the power of creativity to inspire connection, spark imagination, and foster hope. Together, the artworks form a collective story about overcoming obstacles, embracing possibility, and continuing to write new chapters.

Art gallery wall featuring nine framed paintings arranged in a grid around the central event poster. The poster reads "Daybreak Arts Presents Once Upon A Time, Visual Tales of Hope, Resilience, and Imagination."

Featured Artists

Amanda Harrod
Bandy
Beth Gunn
Blue
Cheryl Harris
Clinecasso
Daniel Holmes
Edwin Lockridge
Ellie Kane
Kateri
Liz
MAJ
Sam Fulks
Tre Deuce Ronin
Waweise

Exhibition Details

Location: Gallery 59 of The Arcade Nashville, 223 4th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219
Opening Reception: Sat, July 11th from 6-9PM during Downtown Art Crawl
Open Gallery Hours: Thursdays-Sundays from 1-6PM through July 31st
Free & open to the public