ART Prowl is an affiliated activity of the non-profit group Art Round Tennessee, and is funded by a grant from the Cookeville Arts Council, generous sponsors and participating artists.

Leading members of Cookeville's arts community have worked for years to boost visibility for the arts as a way to promote economic development and cultural tourism, which benefits not only artists, but also the entire retail and service sector reliant on tourist income. Beginning in 1999, these efforts were organized into a single annual event called "ART Prowl," an open studio tour offering the public a chance to see artists at work to see what we do, to see the art we make. ART Prowl 2010 enjoyed record participation from both local community members and visitors to Cookeville, becoming the most visible arts-centric event in our immediate area. We seek to build on that success in 2011 by increasing awareness of our activities to help make Cookeville a cultural destination and to enhance opportunities for making a career in the arts viable.