Image Credit: Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Arts + Culture / Facebook & canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
The city of Nashville is set to reward woke Arts Director Daniel Singh with approximately a year’s worth of salary as he and Metro Arts part ways after eighteen months of his poor leadership as Executive Director.
Singh, an outspoken LGBTQ activist, was hired by Metro Arts in August 2022.
Then Mayor John Cooper welcomed Singh to Nashville and said that with Singh’s leadership of Metro Arts, he would help to “create a Nashville that works for everyone.”
In his previous job as Executive Director of the Community Center in McLean, VA, Singh insinuated that the community was racist, mocked the Catholic faith of those that demonstrated against his Drag Queen storytime event at a local library, and tried to cancel the annual antique show for being “elitist.”
Singh quit showing up for work at Metro Arts in February citing the “racist behavior” of Metro Government that he claimed had affected his health and for which he received family and medical leave. He is currently on paid administrative leave while an interim director, Paulette Coleman, does his job.
The Metro Arts Commission met May 21st in a special called meeting to hear the details of a deal worked out between Metro Law Director Wallace Dietz and attorney Jamie Hollin who represents Singh. The commission voted unanimously to approve Singh’s resignation and the “walk-away settlement” of $200,000.
According to the minutes of the August 2023 Metro Arts Board of Commissioners meeting, Singh’s annual salary was just over that amount.
When Dietz and Hollin met to discuss Singh’s employment, Hollin’s objective was to reach an agreement in which Singh would retain his position, despite not showing up for work for two months. After a week of negotiations, it was agreed that Singh would leave for good in exchange for a one-time monetary payment, which still requires approval by Metro Council on June 4th.
According to Dietz, the money will come from a previous allocation to Metro Law by way of Metro’s director of finance, instead of from the budget of Metro Arts.
If Metro Council approves the $200,000 deal, Singh will be required to make his resignation official in writing by June 6th. The Arts Commission voted to continue to pay Singh not to work until that date.
On his way out the door, “Antiracist” Singh is ironically being sued by a former Metro Arts staffer “for race, color, age, and sex discrimination and retaliation in violation of the Tennessee Human Rights Act.”
In his lawsuit against Singh “individually and in his official capacity as Executive Director” and against the Arts Commission, Jonathan Saad – a former grant programs manager of mixed race with light skin – claims that Singh hired personal friends as consultants and with them broke civil, regulatory and possibly criminal laws while “engaging in racially discriminatory and harassing behavior.”
When Saad confronted Singh and his friends on their actions he was met with retaliation and passed over for a permanent position that he had been promised.
Meanwhile, Singh hired both a Restorative Practices Manager and an Equity and Restorative Practices Coordinator.
Under Singh’s leadership, the Arts Commission looked to eventually gain at least 1% of Nashville’s overall budget – around $34 million – with Singh hoping to funnel more and more money to his preferred “equitable” Thrive program.
At the beginning of 2024, the commission was audited for failing to fully pay out operation grants to institutions such as the Nashville Symphony, the Frist Museum, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, among others.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
4 Responses
In the words of that famous philosopher, Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as Stupid does”. It hard to imagine being stupider with taxpayer money.
Yup, lucifer’s dimmercraps, one boondoggle after another.
Nashville WOKE Democrats got what they wanted and paid tax dollars for! Now live with it or VOTE different in Nov.?
The demonrats have turned Nashville into Trashville with their idiotic policies. Just like the demonrats to reward poor performance and bad behavior with more money. He should just be shown the door and kicked out. If it would have been the other way around the demonrats would be up in arms.The quote above says it all “Stupid is as Stupid does”. It always feels so good to pay for something and get nothing in return. The demonrats are good at that.
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed day.