The Artful Life Questionnaire: Fiona Whelan Prine (Nashville, TN)

What we know for sure: We all have a story, and engaging with the arts helps all of us to tell our own stories on our own terms. We also know that there are ways to engage with the arts other than in formal cultural venues, and that sometimes it is more about the process of art making than it is about the end product. We also know that living an artful life, which is to say, living a life in which the arts and arts engagement are a priority means different things to different people based on their own interests, their communities, and many other factors, including equitable access. The Artful Life Questionnaire celebrates the diversity of ways we can make the arts a part of our lives, and, hopefully, inspires and encourages us to live our own unique versions of an artful life. In today’s edition of the questionnaire, we’re speaking with president of Oh Boy Records, founder and president of Hello in There Foundation, and National Council on the Arts member Fiona Whelan Prine.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): Please introduce yourself. 

Fiona Whelan Prine: I am Irish born and emigrated to the U.S.—Nashville, Tennessee—in 1993. My late husband, John Prine, started his own independent record label, Oh Boy Records, in 1981. I am president and managing Partner at the label. My sons and I are proud to represent his recordings, and those of the other young artists on our label. I also oversee John’s publishing and extensive catalog of songs. 

In 2021, I founded the Hello in There Foundation to honor John’s spirit of kindness and generosity. We have granted almost $1 million since 2022. I work as an executive producer on special recording projects and on our annual You Got Gold four-day festival of events in Nashville that pay tribute to the songs of John Prine with over 50 artists participating at several iconic Nashville venues.

NEA: Do you have a current art practice or a way of regularly engaging with the arts? 

Prine: My everyday life is centered entirely on the arts. I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to engage with a very diverse community of artists. Listening to and releasing new music is fulfilling on so many levels. 

I am an avid reader and a writer with some published work. I am currently working on a memoir. Writing is my creative refuge just as art is a refuge for many of us.

NEA: What are five words that come to mind when you think about the idea of living an artful life? 

Prine: Compassion, curiosity, vulnerability, gratitude, and generosity.

NEA: Pick just one of those words and expand on how you see it as part of living an artful life. 

Prine: I think that being grateful and generous are important when so many have little or no access to the experience of artful living. Art is a vital part of the human experience but is more readily available to those of us who don’t have daily struggles with poverty, hunger, racism, inadequate housing or [being] unhoused. 

I am very aware that the experiences my family and I are fortunate to have access to not be taken for granted. It is that awareness that brings us to the question: how can we provide support for those who are less fortunate and bring art experiences to those communities? Our business and the foundation both exist in that space. That question and the answers we glean are an important part of my creative process

NEA: Where do you currently live, and what are some of the ways that your community tells its story through the arts or through creative expression? 

Prine: I have lived in Nashville since I came to this country in 1993. The years since have been revelatory in how the nature, shape, and content of the arts have morphed and expanded. Obviously, this town has always had a connection to country music and for many years it was really the primary art experience. 

Through the years we have seen the expansion of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; the restoration of the historic Ryman Theatre; a new art museum housed in the previous location of the general post office—beautiful Art Deco building restored to its original glory—and the beautiful Musica sculpture by Alan LeQuire that sits at the intersection of Music Row and the ever-expanding city in downtown Nashville. 

There has been a huge influx of people from the East and West coasts—many who work in the entertainment industry. These new Nashvillians have created a demand for an expanded arts experience and we see that evolving every day. The OZ Arts complex provides experiences in experimental modern dance, thought provoking exhibitions, a space for community conversation, and host to international artists of all disciplines. 

We have seen the music business community respond to the lack of inclusivity in country music by installing the Americana Music Association (AMA). The AMA has a wide and broad umbrella that houses and celebrates songwriters, performers and independent labels of all genres. We have worked towards widening that door for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and queer and trans people of color/queer and trans women of color (QTPOC/QTWOC).

NEA: How do you think that living an artful life can improve the well-being of your community? 

Prine: The value of a communal arts experience cannot be overstated. I think we must work harder to be more fully inclusive by listening more, and providing community art experiences that invite all to participate. I don’t think we can subtract the reality of human experience from art participation. Part of that work is to work with local artists; encourage and support community art projects; and help bring art experiences to marginalized communities. These shared experiences foster acceptance, curiosity, and confidence.

NEA: Is there a particular place in your neighborhood that is a creative touchstone for you? 

Prine: The city parks and state amenities are where I go to be in quiet nature. Contemplation is an important part of my creative process. My trips back to rural Ireland are also important and necessarily stimulating because of the unique, deep cultural connections, and experiences available to all.

NEA: What’s your favorite informal way or space to engage with arts and culture? 

Prine: One of the things I really enjoy is sharing art experiences with my three grandchildren. Just yesterday we went to Nashville Children’s Theatre for a stunningly beautiful staged presentation of Finding Nemo. It is endlessly interesting to have conversations with them about their individual experiences.

NEA: Can you share an arts experience or moment of arts engagement that has had an identifiable impact on your life? 

Prine: I traveled all over the world with my late husband, as his wife and business partner, watching him perform to audiences that he held spell bound with his lyrics, melodies, and performance. It is humbling to witness a community who together are experiencing the same moment in time. Song has a most powerful effect on the human heart. I will always treasure those moments.

NEA: If you didn’t work in the arts, do you think the arts would still be a part of your life? In what ways?

Prine: I believe that I would have been a teacher if my life had taken a different route. The art of teaching is something I deeply admire and respect. I believe having a trusted relationship with children is one of the most profound experiences of an artful life. Isn’t it true that the most honest and satisfying creative experience is the one born of childhood dreams and imaginings? 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to explore and express my immense gratitude for the gift of an artful life.