APSU’s Govs Creative Arts Festival returning to Downtown Commons Sept. 13

By: Grayson Nicholson August 15, 2025

A print created during the 2024 Govs Creative Arts Festival printmaking demonstration by APSU Art + Design Professor Patrick Vincent. | Photo by Ralph Acosta

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) College of Arts & Letters has announced the return of its Govs Creative Arts Festival, a free community event for all ages, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Downtown Commons.

The event is a collaborative effort between the College of Arts and Letters, the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, the Community School of the Arts (CSA), and Clarksville-Montgomery County Parks and Recreation, with funding from a $21,500 Google Data Center Grant awarded to CSA to create accessible art experiences.

This year's festival features an exciting lineup of performances, including live music by The Voice contestant Jay Ammo and local favorites Music for Mercy, musical performances by faculty and students, spoken word presentations by students from APSU’s creative writing program, and dance performances by local dance studios.

The Governors Own Marching Band performs during the 2024 Govs Creative Arts Festival. | Photo by Ralph Acosta

Attendees can participate in various hands-on art activities, including printmaking with Patrick Vincent of the Department of Art + Design, bookmark creation with button making with the Office of Student Life & Engagement, painting sessions with Jen Snyder of Art + Design, and calligraphy name writing with Kakali Chakrabarti and James Zhang of the Department of Communication.

The event will feature free T-shirts for the first 150 attendees, an inflatable attraction, and food options from local vendors, including Smash’n Beef Co. and Tacos Azteca food trucks.

Community members enjoy the inaugural Govs Creative Arts Festival, hosted on Sept. 14, 2024 at the Downtown Commons. | Photo by Ralph Acosta

"We are thrilled to host the second annual Govs Creative Arts Fest in the Downtown Commons," said CECA Director Andrea Spofford. "This will be an activity-filled event and a chance for our community to engage with the arts in a really fun way. We're grateful to our county partners for cosponsoring this event and look forward to a day of celebrating the arts."

For more information about the Govs Creative Arts Festival, visit or contact APSU's College of Arts and Letters at 931-221-6446.