The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is seeking an experienced Public Art Project Coordinator to join our team. Only candidates who complete online applications will be considered.
APPLY TODAY! Opportunity to apply expires October 7th.
October is National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM)—a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. NAHM was launched by Americans for the Arts more than 30 years ago as National Arts Week in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1993, it was reestablished by Americans for the Arts and national arts partners as a month-long celebration, with goals of:
FOCUSING on equitable access to the arts at local, state, and national levels;
ENCOURAGING individuals, organizations, and diverse communities to participate in the arts;
ALLOWING governments and businesses to show their support of the arts; and
RAISING public awareness about the role the arts and humanities play in our communities and lives.
The arts and humanities have played a critically important role in getting us through the COVID-19 pandemic and in amplifying the need for racial equity across the country. National Arts & Humanities Month is the time for communities to come together in unified celebration of the power of the arts to make a difference and change our lives for the better.
Join in the celebration of art & culture by taking part in the #ShowYourArt2021 challenge.
Whether you only share a few times or set a goal for all 31 days, post your art, how you’ve participated in the arts and the art you experience during the month of October using the hashtag #ShowYourArt2021.
We can’t wait to see your posts! Americans for the Arts has created a handy list of art and humanities categories to help you get started.
The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is currently seeking a muralist to paint a vibrant and youthful mural at the Pittman Park Recreational Center. The selected artist or creative team for this mural project will receive $10,000 to cover payment, supplies, tools, equipment, and assistants.
The community is interested in bright, uplifting artwork that invites the youth to enter the pool at Pittman Park.
This mural will cover the entrance to the pool at the Pittman Park Rec Center in the Pittman Park Neighborhood. Creatives and local artists are invited to submit qualifications and budget breakdowns through 12 PM Noon EST, Monday, August 23, 2021.
For full project details, follow the link below to review the project’s RFP.
Click Here to Download the Pittman Park RFP
In partnership with the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Trust for Public Land invites metro Atlanta artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for site-specific mural installations in Rodney Cook, Sr. Park (Cook Park) in Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood.
The site-specific works of art should reflect Vine City’s unique history, and the artist selected will be required to work with the community to create the design and installation of the artwork. The artwork will be installed in up to two areas of the park. All costs associated with the artwork must be integrated into the presented budget.
Artist or artist teams interested in this opportunity can download the RFP with the link below. All applicants must submit their proposals by 11:59 PM, Monday, July 26.
Artists are allowed to submit multiple proposals for the project. However, design proposals must align with the culture of Vine City. For full details, including information regarding eligibility requirements, download and review our Request for Proposals (RFP) for each project linked below.
Muralists who apply for either project should have extensive experience working with communities and painting large walls.
Also, each artist should account for the cost of all materials and any assistants needed to complete the mural in their respective budget projections.
Please completely review the RFP and follow the application instructions. Any proposals that do not meet the proper application format will not be considered.
If you have additional questions, you can email Emily Fisher, at EAFisher@AtlantaGA.gov, for more information.
First-time applicants interested in submitting a proposal for Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) funding must attend a virtual workshop covering the submission process.
The final virtual workshop will be held on July 22, 2021, at 3 PM, via Microsoft Teams.
The CAS workshops will cover grant guidelines and the online application process. CAS provides funding for general operating or project support to 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and community organizations, Neighborhood Planning Units, neighborhood associations, and individual artists based within the City of Atlanta.
To attend the Contracts for Arts Services Virtual Application Workshop, guests must RSVP by using the link below before 11 AM on Thursday, July 22, 2021:
July 22, 2021 at 3:00 PM | https://bit.ly/3isPhwd
If you have any questions about the workshop schedule or receiving CAS funding, contact Brittnee Buley via email at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.
The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) has been given a $25,000 Grants for Arts Projects award by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support ELEVATE 2021. This project will enhance the City’s cultural offerings by providing free, quality cultural experiences that highlight what makes Atlanta unique and increasing Atlanta’s cultural and economic vitality.
The OCA’s project is among the more than 1,100 projects across America totaling nearly $27 million that were selected during this second round of Grants for Arts Projects fiscal year 2021 funding.
“As the country and the arts sector begin to imagine returning to a post-pandemic world, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to announce funding that will help arts organizations such as the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs reengage fully with partners and audiences,” said NEA Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Although the arts have sustained many during the pandemic, the chance to gather with one another and share arts experiences is its own necessity and pleasure.”
“The NEA’s support of our programming will help us continue to enhance the City’s cultural offerings, through ELEVATE, and help our artistic community emerge from the pandemic,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
Presented annually by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs in various locations around Atlanta, ELEVATE is a temporary public art program that seeks to invigorate the Atlanta area through visual art, performances, and cultural events.
Launched in 2011, the first exhibition of ELEVATE hosted 15 events and 40 performances over 66 days. Artwork filled vacant properties, street corners, and plazas to showcase artwork ranging from 13 story murals to contemporary dance, video, installation, and poetry. This intensive cultural programming invited 13,313 new visitors to downtown Atlanta. Since its inaugural year in 2011, more than 250 articles have been published recognizing Atlanta’s cultural spirit.
For more information on the projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
After uncovering the shocking statistic that fewer than 8% of all statues in the U.S. are of women, Hulu launched its “The Shape of History” campaign prior to the season three premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale. While the activation helped to illustrate the issue of gender inequality with temporary exhibits of mirrored female statues to balance the number of female statues with those of males in four U.S. cities — the one day activations were not enough.
Now, Hulu is renewing its commitment to help to balance the gender disparities in public art with Made by Her: Monuments. In partnership with visual artist Saya Woolfalk, city officials in Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles, and estate representatives, Hulu has commissioned three new public monuments representing the contributions of historic female figures: legendary activist and civil human rights leader Coretta Scott King, journalist and conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“Despite the tremendous contributions that women have made throughout U.S. history, they are still widely underrepresented in public monuments throughout the country,” said Kelly Campbell, President of Hulu. “Now more than ever, it is crucial to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of women and other underrepresented groups and Hulu is proud to play a meaningful role in doing so.”
For the past two years, Hulu has worked closely with Saya Woolfalk, a Brooklyn-based artist, to design and bring the project to life. The three monuments will be donated to each city’s permanent public art collection and will serve as a place of pilgrimage to celebrate women’s contributions. The physical details of each piece of artwork will be customized to each woman.
“Through our conversations, it became clear that Hulu really wanted to support something that was part of the public collection,” Woolfalk says. “These are women who did not let what people imagined they were limit who they became, and so I want them to be presented as incredibly limitless individuals through these monuments.”
Monuments to Take Shape Beginning This Summer
Through Made by Her: Monuments, Hulu is taking a small but powerful step towards greater gender balance as it highlights the impact of three unforgettable women.
Beginning this summer, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Coretta Scott King monuments will be unveiled to honor each woman’s legacy and inspire future generations to have their own impact on history. The Ruth Bader Ginsburg monument will be unveiled in early 2022. All monuments have the official support of each woman’s estate along with community and government leaders.
MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS | MIAMI, FL
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas monument will be located within the oak hammock of Miami’s Peacock Park in Coconut Grove.Just minutes from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas House, visitors will honor her memory with a familiar scene — a place to sit in repose, surrounded by the beauty of nature.
“Throughout her very eventful 108 years, MSD fought many battles: for women’s rights, civil rights, and environmental rights,” said Cristina Favretto, Head of Special Collections, University of Miami Libraries. “She had patience, tenacity, and wit, but best of all she had the ability to inspire and motivate those around her. In other words: she was a leader.”
“Marjory Stoneman Douglas was a trailblazing advocate for women’s rights and environmental conservation. She was the ‘Mother of the Everglades,’ so it is only fitting that she is memorialized with a statue in her beloved Coconut Grove as a reminder to current and future generations the importance of fighting for what you believe in,” said Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell.
CORETTA SCOTT KING | ATLANTA, GA
The Coretta Scott King monument, located at the King Center in Atlanta right by Martin Luther King, Jr’s eternal flame, will feature a beautiful, hand-crafted sculpture of microphones on a mosaic tile plinth. Visitors will be reminded of the power of their own voices, and will have the opportunity to speak into the sculpture and have their own words amplified.
“I am thrilled that my mother, Coretta Scott King, and other great women who have made positive impacts on American history are being recognized,” states Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, The King Center. “As the visionary and founder of The King Center, it is only fitting that this public monument be housed at the institution that she birthed and the site of her final resting place. Many people may not know that when my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, he was one of the most hated men in America. It is because of my mother’s tireless efforts that he is now globally celebrated for his nonviolent movement and is honored with a holiday. She has earned this recognition, as have Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
“The legacy of Coretta Scott King cannot be overstated. Mrs. King, along with countless other women, are the unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “We are thankful to Hulu and artist Saya Woolfalk for providing this thoughtful remembrance for one of history’s greatest women.”
RUTH BADGER GINSBURG | LOS ANGELES, CA
The monument inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg will honor her commitment to gender equity and equal justice under the law. The site at Van Nuys Civic Center in Los Angeles was selected for a wide range of reasons, each of them connected to Justice Ginsburg’s passions, leadership, and background: it’s situated close to the courthouse and public library, in the center of what was once a center of local Jewish communal life. In collaboration with Council President Nury Martinez, the Mayor’s office will work to activate this important space for all Angelenos to enjoy for generations to come.
“The family of Justice Ginsburg is pleased and honored that our mother and grandmother will be included in the three new Made By Her permanent monuments to historic women,” said Justice Ginsburg’s daughter, Jane Ginsburg and granddaughter, Clara Spera. “We are delighted that the organizers have selected the Van Nuys Public Library as the site for her piece of this important public art project; given the formative role she credited to public libraries in her childhood, we are sure that she would have been proud of the location for this recognition of her achievements.”
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant of the fight for justice and civil rights — a jurist who knew the power of the law to secure opportunity for girls, equity for women, and a better, fairer country for all of us,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Los Angeles strives to follow in her footsteps and honor her legacy every day, and I could not be prouder to work alongside Council President Nury Martinez to give Justice Ginsburg her rightful place in the pantheon of great Americans, with a monument to her legacy of empathy, integrity, and service.”
To learn more about Made by Her: Monuments including exact unveil dates for each monument, behind-the-scenes images and video and other content from the project, visit MadebyHer.Hulu.com.
On the evening of May 20, 2021, tune in for the live projection on Atlanta City Hall. Pitroda Art will unveil “Movement: Art for Social Change,” an annual juried art exhibition that celebrates artists as champions of positive social change. The artworks, dedicated to the theme of racial justice, will be projected onto the Atlanta City Hall, and auction proceeds will benefit the National Urban League.
The winning artworks, created in response to the theme of racial justice and equity, will be projected onto iconic buildings in five U.S. cities: Washington, D.C. (starting May 13), Atlanta (May 20), Los Angeles (May 27), Chicago (June 3) and New York City (June 15).
Follow Pitroda Art Gallery on social media (@pitrodaartgallery) and connect directly with them if you would like to get involved.
“The Bridge” by Thornton Dial after restoration
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Conservation and Maintenance Team recently visited Thornton Dial’s “The Bridge” – a commemorative found-object sculpture honoring the life and work of the late Civil Rights leader and Congressman John Lewis. Created in 1997, the artwork was dedicated to Congressman Lewis in 2005 to represent his efforts within communities combatting gentrification and its echoing effects upon already burdened cultural lineages.
In late March 2021, the OCA’s Conservation and Maintenance personnel cleaned away any biological growth, debris, and other evidence of direct exposure to the elements on the sculpture. Various cracks and voids on the artwork were filled and repainted.
The base of the sculpture was cleaned to remove any unsightly residues and staining, thereby elevating the work once again. This piece will continue to serve as a cultural beacon, inviting visitors of Freedom Park to engage with Atlanta’s rich historical lineage.
During Black History Month, the City of Atlanta installed four new benches featuring life-size bronze sculptures of local Civil Rights leaders Dr. Rita Samuels, Dorothy Bolden, Rev. Hosea Williams and W.A. Scott (pictured below). The benches will reside along Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive. in front of Mozley Park.
Created by sculptor David Alan Clark, the four bronze sculptures memorialize local Civil Rights leaders Dr. Rita Samuels, Dorothy Lee Bolden (pictured above), Rev. Hosea Williams, and William Alexander Scott (pictured above; far right).
“Designated spaces and art installations such as these provide a permanent space to reflect on the efforts of those who came before us, and what we can do to further the ongoing work of ensuring equality and dignity for all,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “The MLK Corridor Project is a perfect example of the City, its residents and partners working together to improve and preserve the great legacy of our communities.”
Created by sculptor David Alan Clark, the artworks are the second of seven public art installations commissioned for the City’s MLK Innovation Corridor Project and celebrate Atlanta’s legacy and global influence in the Civil Rights movement.
“These sculptures celebrate four amazing local leaders and their unique stories,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is excited to bring these world-class artworks to the City and memorialize the legacy of the Civil Rights movement.”
The MLK Corridor Project, managed by the City of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation (ATLDOT), spans approximately 7.2 miles from Northside Drive to Fulton Industrial Boulevard. This project addresses vehicular, ADA, and pedestrian safety concerns while providing additional pedestrian and bicycle access by implementing new multi-use trails.
An event recognizing the corridor improvements and all seven public art additions will be scheduled for a later date.
Hosea Williams, a former aide to Martin Luther King Jr. Williams was a principal leader of the Civil Rights movement.
William Alexander Scott II, the founder of the Atlanta Daily World newspaper.
Dorothy Lee Bolden was the founder of the National Domestic Worker’s Union of America and worked to fight for women’s rights and bring segregation to an end.
Dr. Rita Samuels, a life-long Civil Rights advocate, served as a secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Operation under Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s administration. Dr. Samuels is also the first African American female in Georgia’s history to serve on a Georgia governor’s personal staff during Governor Jimmy Carter’s tenure.
Through a partnership with The City of Atlanta’s Department of Enterprise Asset Management, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs recently acquired artworks for the new Zone 3 police precinct on Metropolitan Parkway.
Exterior photo of Gregor Turk’s “Coalescence” on the south tower of of the Zone 3 Police Precinct on Metropolitan Parkway
Through a partnership with The City of Atlanta’s Department of Enterprise Asset Management, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs recently acquired artworks for the new Zone 3 police precinct on Metropolitan Parkway.
The three artworks were recently installed in the new, nearly 20,000 square foot police precinct and were created by local artists Gregor Turk, Fred Ajanogha, Marianne Weinberg-Benson, and D’Andre Brooks. The artworks were selected by a panel of community members, arts administrators, and APD representatives.
Turk’s installation, “Coalescence,” is a semi-transparent window installation designed with abstracted historical photographs of the community. Ajanogha’s “Unity” is a relief sculpture inspired by the Atlanta Police Department’s community plans. “Solidarity in Solitude,” created by creative duo Marianne Weinberg-Benson and D’Andre Brooks, is a three-dimensional, mix-media mural comprised of multiple elements, including paint and community photographs.
“Unity” created by Fred Ajanogha
“Solidarity in Solitude” created by Marianne Weinberg-Benson and D’Andre Brooks
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) annual ELEVATE public art festival recently partnered with Facebook to install five new murals, which are a part of this year’s festival — presented digitally on the ELEVATE website, Facebook, and YouTube from October 4 to 10.
With 2020 marking a pivotal election year, Facebook launched the “Voting is Voice” campaign and set a goal to register 4 million new voters during the largest voter drive in U.S. history. Facebook’s partnership with the OCA and ELEVATE was a natural fit as the festival will explore the concept of social justice and equity through this year’s programming.
For the “Voting is Voice” campaign, five artists from across the U.S. created original artwork commissions in response to the prompt “Voting is Voice.” Within this theme, each artist explored voting as a powerful tool of the personal and collective voice, the importance of a diversity of voices to a healthy society, the powerful impact of personal narratives as vehicles for change, and our collective responsibility to acknowledge and amplify a broad spectrum of voices. These five murals are a part of Facebook’s push to increase voter engagement and participation during this election year.
Each mural will feature the artist’s bio, Q.R. codes, and URLs that direct viewers to Facebook and Instagram’s Voting Information Center, where they can find more information on the 2020 U.S. election and a quick and easy way to register to vote.
In addition, the murals encourage public interaction through compelling, relevant design & digital features that create multiple levels of access for every member of the community.
List of Facebook Murals and Locations
“You Gotta Vote” by Edie Fake at 3020 Campbellton Rd. SW, Atlanta, GA
“Your Vote Matters” by Jamilla Okubo at the Grove Park Theater, 1576 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy
“Your Vote is Gold” by Tiff Massey at Scarlett Loves Rhettro, 432 Ponce De Leon Ave
“The Vote is Dope” by Troy Lamarr Chew II at the Mall West End, 850 Oak Street SW
“Vote Together” by Ramzy Masri at Jonesboro Groceries, 1557 Jonesboro Road
The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is currently seeking two muralists for the 2020 ELEVATE Public Art Festival. Each muralist will be responsible for one of two murals that will adorn the Goodwill Industries building at 888 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.
Photo by Alex Duffy on Unsplash
Experienced local muralists are invited to submit mural proposals, qualifications, and budget breakdowns until 4 PM EDT, Friday, August 21, 2020. Each selected artist will receive $7,000 for their work and an additional $1,300 for materials and expenses.
Tentatively titled “Unsung Heroines of the West End”, the first mural’s design should highlight women activists and unsung heroines whose work and sacrifice positively impacted the lives of residents in the West End community and beyond.
The second mural’s design should focus on a social justice narrative and feature Rev. James Edward Orange. Rev. Orange was a pastor and a leading civil rights activist, who also assisted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.
Artists are allowed to submit multiple proposals for the project. However, design proposals for both murals must align with our curatorial direction. For full details, download and review our Request for Proposals (RFP) for each project linked below.
ELEVATE 2020 – Unsung Heroines of the West End Mural RFP
ELEVATE 2020 – Social Justice Mural with Community Component RFP
Muralists who apply for either project should have extensive experience working with communities and painting large walls. The walls designated for each mural measure roughly 20 feet in height by 100 feet in width. Each artist will be responsible for applying a protective clear coat over their respective murals. Also, each artist should account for the cost of all materials, and any assistants needed to complete the mural in their respective budget projections.
If you have additional questions, please email, Emily Fisher, ELEVATE Outreach Specialist, at EAFisher@AtlantaGA.gov.
Artist Eligibility Requirements
All applicants must:
All applicants, regardless of race, sex, religion, nationality, origin or disability will be considered.
Artist Proposal Submission Requirements
Please send your proposals in a single PDF to EAFisher@atlantaga.gov by 4 PM EDT Friday, August 21, 2020.
Proposals received after the deadline of Friday, August 21 at 4 pm EDT, will NOT be accepted.
Qualifications will be reviewed by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs beginning August 22, 2020.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program recently restored a mural dedicated to the City’s five Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, Reverend C. T. Vivian, Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Joseph E. Lowery, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Atlanta Braves legend, Henry “Hank” Aaron.
Located on 2265 Cascade Road SW, the wheat paste mural was originally installed in 2018 in Atlanta’s Cascade Heights community during ELEVATE, the OCA’s annual public art festival.
Like many of you, the City of Atlanta and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs are saddened by the passing of Representative Lewis and Reverend Vivian, two Civil Rights icons whose contributions to the fight for justice and equality are immeasurable.
Through the work of our office, we will continue to preserve and amplify the stories and work Rep. Lewis and Rev. Vivian gave to our culture through their tireless commitment to social justice and equality.
The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program seeks proposals from local visual artists to create artistic murals that will adorn new City Offices at 160 Trinity Ave. SW
The goal of this project is to showcase the artworks of the City of Atlanta’s creative community while enhancing the exterior of the 160 Trinity building. Each selected artist will receive monetary compensation between $4,000 and $15,000 depending on which project they are awarded. Interested artists can submit more than one proposal and can apply to more than one project.
To be eligible for these projects, you must be a local artist based in the Atlanta metro area with experience in mural arts, graphic design, and painting. Artists are not required to have a public art background but it is strongly encouraged.
Follow the links below to learn more about each RFP, including details about financial compensation, project requirements, building photos, and selection criteria.
Request for Proposals – 160 Trinity Entryway Mural
Request for Proposals – 160 Trinity Linear, Lower Level Footwall Mural
Request for Proposals – 160 Trinity Roll Down Gate Mural
Please completely review the RFP for the project you are interested in and follow the application instructions outline in each RFP. The OCA will not consider any proposals that do not meet the proper application format.
Artists interested in submitting a proposal must submit the required application materials as a single PDF file to publicartatlantaGa@atlantaga.gov by 5 pm, Monday, August 3. Proposals received after the deadline will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, please email publicartatlantaGa@atlantaga.gov.
Required RFP Application Materials:
On one-page using font no smaller than 12pt, compose a “Statement of Interest” explaining the conceptual approach of the project and how the project will contribute to your existing body of work.
Your proposed design on the supplied template (included in the RFP)
A one-page resumé that outlines your professional accomplishments and includes your address, phone number, email. Also, share the names and contact information (phone number and email) for three (3) professional references.
Submit four (4) images of previously completed artistic work for review that includes the title of the artwork, location, date completed, medium (i.e. paint, clay, mix media, etc.), brief description of the project, and budget (if applicable).
Established by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the CreATL Relief Fund facilitates private philanthropic grants to the independent creative industry workforce engaged in creative industries and entertainment.
Artists, creative entrepreneurs and entertainment professionals generate an estimated $62.5 billion in economic impact each year in the State of Georgia and represent 5% of all employment and 4% of all business revenue in the state. This Fund provides a means of addressing the negative economic impact of the measures taken to control the novel COVID-19 virus in the U.S., Georgia, and particularly in the city of Atlanta.
To learn more, follow the link below for details.
https://www.investatlanta.com/businesses/startups-creatives/creatl-relief-fund
Also, join Invest Atlanta at 5 PM on Wednesday, June 24 for a Live Q&A on their Facebook page.
Gary Flesher’s “Evolution” (circa 1993) after undergoing restoration.
Recently, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) restored two allied murals beneath the Beltline overpass at Ponce City Market. A vulnerable location for graffiti, the OCA keeps an eye out to preserve the integrity of these stunning mosaic works.
As complementary works, “Our City” by Mahdi Fakhreddin and “Evolution” by Gary Flesher uses similar themes to speak about the ever-evolving nature of cultural identity, and the concept of achieving feelings of freedom as a lone statistic within a complex urban environment.
Walls surrounding Flesher’s “Evolution” and Mahdi Fakhreddin “Our City” before graffiti removal.
Countering vandalism is one way the office evolves alongside the inhabitants of our city. In March 2020, the Conservation and Maintenance team started removing graffiti near the dual artworks by pressure washing the surrounding surfaces, removing debris, and preparing for the next round of treatment.
The following week, the team performed extensive graffiti removal from the walls surrounding each mural, and even on the signage. With restoration completed, these beautiful mosaic murals return to center stage while the walls receded to the background once again.
Last month, the Chastain Arts Center introduced #ChastainStaysCreative on all social media platforms. This video-based initiative is a wonderful opportunity for artists at our center to share their creative routines with a larger audience. The videos provide a source of encouragement and inspiration during these challenging times.
In addition to our instructors’ videos, we would also like to encourage Chastain students to submit creative content to be shared online, via your preferred social media platform.
If you would like to participate, feel free to submit images of your work in a small JPG or PDF file, along with a brief general statement about your creative routine. All submissions should be sent to kmckinney@atlantaga.gov for consideration.
There are no restrictions on the type of work you can submit. We are simply looking for thoughtful and uplifting forms of creativity, to be shared with the public.
If you have any questions about the #ChastainStaysCreative initiative, do not hesitate to reach out via email, at chastainarts@atlantaga.gov.
We hope that you will join us as we continue to move forward by staying motivated and inspired in all creative endeavors.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ recently restored the internationally renowned artwork called “Quilt Traditions” or as it is commonly referred to in the City’s skateboarding community “Black Blocks”.
Located on the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Baker Street, this collaborative piece, designed by a collective of female artists, is one of the City’s most dynamic public artworks. Each artist designed a different geometric pattern for the eight-pointed sunshade structure, which creates shifting shadow patterns on the concrete that corresponds with the movement of the sun.
As of April 6, previously removed skate deterrents were replaced to discourage rough treatment of the structures and to protect the integrity of the artwork. Graffiti markings were removed and the installation cleaned to restore the high-contrast nature of the work for the enjoyment of commuters and pedestrians alike.
The site receives regular treatment to honor the artists’ original intent. Special thanks to the Atlanta Public Space Team for their assistance with graffiti removal from the site. With this sort of community support, it allows us to maximize our resources and provide care to all our cultural beacons.
Recently, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has posted the application guidelines for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds almost a month earlier than we originally planned. Implementation of the CARES Act and quickly providing those funds to arts organizations to preserve jobs and keep their doors open is the top priority of the Arts Endowment.
The application guidelines can be found on the National Endowment for the Arts website.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act recognizes that the nonprofit arts industry is an important sector of America’s economy. The National Endowment for the Arts will award funds to nonprofit arts organizations across the country to help these entities and their employees endure the economic hardships caused by the forced closure of their operations due to the spread of COVID-19.
As part of this important investment, the Arts Endowment has designed a plan to expedite the distribution of critical funds to the national, regional, state, and local levels to help retain as many jobs as possible, as quickly as possible. These funds are intended to help save jobs in the arts sector and keep the doors open to the thousands of organizations that add value to America’s economy and the creative life of our communities.
This program will be carried out through one-time grants to eligible nonprofit organizations including arts organizations, local arts agencies, statewide assemblies of local arts agencies, arts service organizations, units of state or local government, federally recognized tribal communities or tribes, and a wide range of other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts Endowment and this program.
Grants will be made either to organizations for their own operations, or to designated local arts agencies, eligible to sub-grant, for sub-granting programs to eligible nonprofit organizations.
All applicants must be previous National Endowment for the Arts award recipients from the past four years (Fiscal Year 2017-2020; see “Applicant Eligibility” for more information).
Deadlines:
Part 1 – Submit to Grants.gov
April 22, 2020 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 – Submit to Applicant Portal
April 27-May 4, 2020 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection
June 2020
Earliest Beginning Date for National Endowment for the Arts Period of Performance
July 1, 2020
In addition to reviewing the guidelines, please visit the National Endowment for the Arts’ “Frequently Asked Questions” page for more information.
To learn more about the National Endowment for the Arts, visit www.arts.gov.
With performance spaces, galleries, libraries, theaters, and studios closed and the temporary halting of most cultural productions, artists are some of the hardest hit among the millions of workers across the United States who are currently unemployed and facing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We wanted you, our USA family and friends, to be among the first to learn about Artist Relief, an emergency initiative launching today to support artists facing dire financial emergencies due to this global health crisis.
Artist Relief is an emergency, non-restricted fund that will grant $5,000 to individual artists facing financial hardship; serve as an informational resource; and co-launch the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers, designed by Research Partner Americans for the Arts, to better identify and address the needs of artists moving forward. To apply for relief, please click here.
Organized by a coalition of national arts grantmakers, consisting of Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, MAP Fund, National YoungArts Foundation, and United States Artists, the fund will launch with $10 million, consisting of $5 million in seed funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation matched with $5 million in initial contributions from an array of foundations across the United States. To make a donation to this growing fund, please click here.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has launched the #ATLSTRONG FUND, a donation campaign led by the Mayor’s Office in partnership with United Way of Greater Atlanta. The fund supports City of Atlanta residents experiencing economic hardships and health-related issues caused by COVID-19.
“Families across Atlanta are facing uncertainty and seemingly insurmountable challenges due to this pandemic,” said Mayor Bottoms. “As a community, we must provide relief to those most in need. Thank you to the United Way of Greater Atlanta for their assistance in meeting these critical needs.”
To make a donation, visit ATLSTRONG.ORG to support the fund.
Your contribution to the #ATLSTRONG FUND will support the following priorities:
In addition, residents and businesses can also sign up for COVID-19 text alerts by texting “ATLCOVID19” to 888777 to receive the latest information on COVID-19 as it happens.
To learn more about the #ATLSTRONG FUND, information on CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, or details regarding Mayor Bottoms’ Executive and Administrative Orders, use the link below.
Click Here to Learn More about the #ATLSTRONG FUND
In the wake of recent events, museums, galleries, nonprofit arts organizations, and artists in all fields are being impacted in profound new ways.
As the City’s connection to Atlanta’s arts community, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs would like to share the following list of resources as you navigate these unprecedented circumstances.
Local Grants and Funding Resources
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s A Place to Perform Grant
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund
National Black Arts Festival’s Artist Project Fund
C4 Atlanta’s The Atlanta Artist Lost Gig Fund
Local COVID-19 Information and Resource Databases
Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District’s COVID-19 Resource Center
True Colors Theatre Company List of COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 Information and Resources for Georgia’s Entertainment Industry
Atlanta Beltline’s COVID-19 Business Resource Center
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s COVID-19 Atlanta Hospitality Resource Database
MINT Atlanta’s List of Emergency Resources for Artists
National Grants and Funding Resources
The Jazz Foundation’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund
Musicians Foundation Funding Information
Sweet Relief’s COVID-19 Musicians Fund
New Music Solidarity Fund for Freelance Performers
FORMAT’s The Photographer Fund
National COVID-19 Information and Resource Databases
Americans for the Arts’ COVID-19 Resources and Response Center
Kickstarter’s List of COVID-19 Resources for Artists
SAG-AFTRA’s COVID-19 Resource Center
GRAMMY’s Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: South Region
Creative Capital’s COVID-19 Arts Resource Center
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has made it our mission to connect the passions of donors with the nonprofits fulfilling that purpose for more than 50 years! In light of the current public health crisis, the Community Foundation has opened the following grant opportunities in hopes of providing artists and arts organizations with flexible support and emergency funding.
The 2020 Place to Perform Grant
A Place to Perform provides grants to nonprofit arts organizations to gain access to performance venues and facilities, so they in turn can produce performing arts experiences for the public. Funding for A Place to Perform is made possible through a gift from the Woodruff Arts Center after the 2014 sale of the 14th Street Playhouse. A Place to Perform continues the spirit of that original venue by addressing:
Inadequate space. The program is designed to help nonprofit arts organizations that lack adequate performance space for a particular production. Priority will be given to organizations that lack their own primary performance space.
Regionality. A Place to Perform seeks to serve organizations and audiences throughout the Foundation’s entire 23-county region.
Building opportunities for audiences. The program seeks to increase opportunities for audiences of varying backgrounds to experience productions by a range of performing artists across the metro Atlanta region.
To learn more about the grant or to submit your application, follow the link below.
http://cfgreateratlanta.org/nonprofits/available-grants/a-place-to-perform/
The 2020 Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund
The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund is the only independent endowed fund exclusively for the arts in the greater Atlanta area. Historically, the fund has focused on supporting small and midsized arts groups to support and strengthen their work to attract, serve and build bigger and more diverse audiences.
Many arts organizations are struggling due to the impacts of COVID-19 causing revenue losses, event cancellations, declines in audience participation and more. The Community Foundation strongly believes that the arts are always vital to our region’s culture and economy, as well as to people’s spirits.
2020 Arts Fund grants will provide general operating support grants with priority given to organizations that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19.
To learn more about the fund, follow the link below.
http://cfgreateratlanta.org/nonprofits/available-grants/metropolitan-atlanta-arts-fund/
The Cultural Experience Project’s 15th anniversary year is ending, and more than 45,000 Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students visited 25-plus cultural venues during the 2019-20 school year. Among these diverse experiences include visits to the Atlanta Symphony, True Colors Theatre Company, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Ballethnic Dance Company, the Atlanta History Center, and many more.
We are deeply grateful for our partnership with APS and the many metro-Atlanta cultural venues who partnered with us this year. Furthermore, we owe a tremendous thanks to the individual donors and experience sponsors who supported CEP trips, as well. Without your support, the program could not exist. We are thankful for your continued support and commitment to Atlanta’s youth.
In early February, we released the Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit cultural experience proposals for the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year.
If your organization would like to be considered as a venue partner for one of next year’s experiences, please follow the link below to review the RFP. The deadline to submit your proposal is March 20, 2020.
Request for Proposals for 2020-21 CEP Experiences
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is excited to enter the Cultural Experience Project 16th year and continue to actualize our motto for all Atlanta Public Schools students: One grade. One Venue. Guaranteed.
A portrait of the former City of Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and his family from the collection of Thomas Dorsey.
Revered local photographer Thomas Dorsey has spent more than 30 years capturing the family portraits of Southwest Atlanta’s residents.
In “Family: Pride, Dignity and Togetherness II”, hosted at Gallery 72 from Monday, Feb. 10 to Friday, April 3, 2020, we explore Dorsey’s long career as a portrait photographer through select images that highlight the rich history and tight-knit families of Southwest Atlanta.
Dorsey made a name for himself, first in Chicago and then in Atlanta, with his authentic and loving family portraits. Dorsey’s images not only capture moments in time but the pride and love that bonds families together.
The exhibition showcases families of Southwest Atlanta taken between 1978 and 2002 and will feature photos from families including the Youngs, Vivians, Spriggs, Hills, Aarons, Arringtons and more.
Join us on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, for the opening reception at Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA, from 6 pm to 8 pm. The reception is free and open to the public.
Gallery 72 is a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The gallery is dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought-provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offerings.
Gallery 72 is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.
For 14 years, the Cultural Experience Project (CEP), through its venue partnerships, has provided learning experiences to nearly every Atlanta Public Schools (APS) student. These cultural experiences complement students’ classroom lessons while also challenging students’ beliefs and exposing them to new perspectives that often broaden their understanding of the world.
These inspiring encounters are much like those experienced by the characters in True Colors Theatre Company’s production of “School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play”.
Set in 1986 Ghana, the play focuses on issues that teenagers face around the globe. It is a fearless comedy that confronts one’s concepts of self-esteem and beauty. The plot centers on Paulina, the reigning queen bee of the all-girls Aburi Boarding School, who has her sights set on winning the Miss Ghana Pageant; and, ultimately, the Miss Global Universe Pageant.
However, when Erica, an American transfer student, arrives and begins to threaten Paulina’s position, the power struggle begins. Colorism, classism, body shaming and more play a role in the skirmishes that ensue.
APS students will be able to relate with and learn from the characters in this play, as they represent a broad spectrum of challenges teenagers (and adults) face around the world.
Students will experience this production later this month along with CEP trips with Threepeat Teach Block Art and the King Center.
Continue to follow us this year as we make good on our promise to provide all Atlanta Public Schools students access to a cultural experience — One grade. One Venue. Guaranteed.
On display until February 6, 2020, in the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, the curated exhibition showcases artworks from the more than 100 submissions by Atlanta-area visual artists for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits Artist Call released in November 2019.
In addition, Dwayne Mitchell was announced as the commissioned artist for the project during the reception. Mitchell will create portraits memorializing the 27-plus victims of the Atlanta Child Murders. Once completed, the portraits will be displayed in the Atrium of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from May 28 to July 22, 2020.
Thanks to everyone who joined us in remembering the lives lost during this tragic time in our City’s history and helped celebrate the talent and passion of the amazing artists who participated in this call.
Watch the video below to see the digital gallery highlighting some of the portraits of Clifford Jones submitted for the project.
The City of Atlanta and Councilmember Antonio Brown are currently seeking local artists to assist with painting a mural on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. Interested artists are invited to submit qualifications by Friday, Dec. 20 at 4 PM EST.
Artist Joseph McKinney is looking for 10 experienced artist assistants to help complete a 22’ H x 130’ L mural along the thoroughfare within a tight timeline.
Applicants with mural painting experience are preferred; however, all candidates will be considered. Aerial work, platform, and scaffold experience is also a plus.
Initial mural preparation will begin before artist assistants start work on Thursday, Dec. 26. Selected assistants will help fill in mural outlines with select colors and support other creative tasks as assigned.
Artists interested in this opportunity must email a one-page resume, three images of previous mural work, and three references as a single PDF document to blackmindcreative@gmail.com.
The email subject line should read: [Insert Your Name Here]: District 3 Community Mural.
For full details, review the request for qualifications linked below.
District 3 Community Mural RFQ
Members of our Public Art Program attended the 2019 National Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. The annual summit brought together, grantmakers, artists, arts administrators, policymakers, urban designers, and planners for a dialog about the different questions and success stories around creative placemaking.
Conference presenters included both non-profit organizations and local government agencies looking for creative, engaging solutions to local challenges. Higher education researchers and economic developers also shared meaningful dialog about the design of a neighborhood and how the impact of where you live has on your health and safety.
Presentations from local, Indigenous female artists also set the tone regarding the intentional creation of space and using cultural identity as the foundation for developing these specialized places.
Not only did the conference highlight urban projects and programming, but it also recognized the rise in placemaking initiatives in suburban and rural areas of the country. In these areas, creative placemakers identified community assets, such as businesses, infrastructure, and anything that can support and drive a community forward.
In all, the conference demonstrated how collective partnerships between non-profits and local government agencies can work together to enrich cities and their artistic communities to help address challenges around affordable housing for artists, grants for entrepreneurs, exposure for small business owners, and residents who live and work in these spaces.
Artwork by Carlos Solis “Negro Primero” -Oil Painting on Canvas 30×26 (2011)
Started in 2008, Contrapunto was created to address the lack of a Latin presence in Atlanta’s arts community at the time.
Hailing from various Latin American countries, the collective of artists strive to showcase Latin culture, folklore, and history through their artistic works.
In “Contrapunto: A Latinx Visual Artists Collective in Metro Atlanta”, exhibiting in Gallery 72 from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Wednesday, Feb. 5, artists Pedro Fuertes (Peru), Jorge Arcos (Mexico), Graciela Nunes-Bedoya (Peru), Dora Lopez (Peru), Catalina Gomez (Colombia), and Carlos Solis (Venezuela) showcase their art while building awareness of the artistic contributions of Latin artists.
Having already shared their works in multiple cultural institutions across the United States, Contrapunto hopes the exhibition helps exchange ideas and points of view across our society to those who still do not have a full understanding of Latin artistry.
In describing the collaborative nature of the group, member Carlos Solis states, “The best way to describe our collective is that we have connected and worked together harmoniously in a supportive and uplifting way, hence our name ‘Contrapunto’.”
In music, Contrapunto, which in English translates to the musical term Counterpoint, is the technique of combining two or more melodic lines in such a way that they establish a harmonic relationship while retaining their linear individuality.
Much like the musical term that inspired its name, Contrapunto recognizes that it is important to work with other people in harmony to make the presence of Latin American artists, both individually and as a community, stronger and more recognizable.
Gallery 72 at 2 City Plaza, a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, is dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought-provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offerings.
Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am until 5 pm.
The Chastain Arts Center’s annual Holiday Show and Sale exhibition is entering its final weeks.
If you have not yet visited the exhibition, you still have two weeks to experience the show and sale for yourself before it closes on Saturday, December 14!
Also, for the duration of the sale, Chastain will offer guests a special weekly promotion. Upcoming holiday promotions include a free Chastain Arts Center T-Shirt with any purchase and a free mug from the Chastain Gift Shop.
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful support you have shared during this year’s Holiday Show and Sale Exhibition! Make sure to visit Chastain’s Facebook Events page or watch our Instagram stories for all promotional updates!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call at 404-252-2927.
The “Heritage Park Memorial” Repair from Start(Left) to Finish(Right).
The City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Conservation and Maintenance Team recently repaired a damaged section of granite on the “Heritage Park Memorial”.
Created in 1996 by Georgia Institute of Technology architecture professors Stuart Romm, Frederick Pearsall, and Harris Dimitropoulos, the installation is located on a prominent point within Heritage Park in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood. The archway, and its adjacent plaza, overlooks downtown Atlanta and Georgia State Stadium (formerly Turner Field) and serves as a monument to Summerhill’s founders and a gateway to the community.
Since its installation, years of erosion have deteriorated the artwork’s waterproofing along the top of the archway. The 20-plus years of sediment and debris buildup, along with pressure and temperature changes, caused the bottom, right granite tile to break.
Shannon Douglas Kimbro, OCA’s Conservation and Maintenance Manager, with the assistance of Black Galaxy Marble and Granite, removed the broken panel. The Conservation and Maintenance team then extracted the sediment and debris buildup inside the structure. The debris was then recycled to fill in erosion on the right side of the arch.
The broken tile was repaired with a similar quality granite, and the newly installed tile was sealed with a silicone mixture to match the artwork’s existing grout. The archway was then cleaned and polished.
The next phase of the project will include repairing the artwork’s waterproofing to protect the sculpture from encountering similar damage in the future and restoring the adjacent plaza.
The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), the Department of City Planning (DCP), and West End Neighborhood Development (WEND) are seeking creative professional artists to propose designs for two street murals. The street murals will reside on the West End section of White Street SW as a part of the City’s Placemaking Program.
A monetary award of $2,000 will be awarded for each design. The deadline to submit your proposal is Noon (12 pm) on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
The City of Atlanta’s Placemaking Program is a community-driven initiative to transform Atlanta streets and public spaces. The program also works to improve transportation safety while enhancing the physical, cultural, and social identities of our public areas.
Local and regional professional visual artists are encouraged to propose street mural designs for the intersections of White Street SW and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard SW and White Street SW and Hopkins Street SW.
There is no expectation of the artist(s) to install the artwork. The DCP will procure a contractor to install the murals per the finalized design.
For full project details, click the buttons below to view and download the RFP packet.
For any questions regarding the project or the proposal submission, please contact Chris McIntosh at cmcintosh@atlantaga.gov.
Click the links below to view and download project packet:
West End Placemaking RFP Packet
City of Atlanta Decorative Crosswalk Policy
West End Placemaking Mural Locations
The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art team recently visited Minneapolis/St. Paul for the 2019 Americans for the Arts Annual Conference. This annual gathering brings together arts administrators and leaders from around the country to hear from experts, network with peers, and visit local cultural experiences.
The Public Art team had the chance to hear about different cultural models where municipalities are partnering with artists to closely collaborate in their communities.
Some of the other topics covered included common issues in public art, public art and transportation, building successful relationships for successful partnerships, and how artists are transforming spaces through out the country.
This is a four-day conference packet with information, activities and collaborations. The team had an amazing time learning and meeting peers from different cities, working on different projects.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art program recently installed a new sculpture in Hardy Ivy Park, an urban garden park in the convention and visitor district of downtown Atlanta.
Created by local blacksmith and sculptor Corrina Sephora, “Freedom of Flight” is an eight-foot-tall by 10-foot-wide installation forged from fabricated steel and copper. The sculpture depicts two doves soaring over a boat, a metaphor for migration and breaking barriers.
The new installation is a part of the Public Art program’s Temporary Art Program, which is a two-year rotating art program that provides Atlanta-based artists the opportunity to receive a stipend and a prominent location to display their work.
The piece was chosen by a committee of community members and arts professionals, who convened to review submissions from local artists. These submissions were compiled of pre-existing works that the artists submitted for consideration for the two-year-long outdoor exhibition.
Sephora has been active in Atlanta’s artistic community for more than a decade and received her Master’s in Fine Art in Sculpture from Georgia State University in 2005.
Contracts for Arts Services (CAS), the City of Atlanta’s program for financial support of arts and cultural activities, has opened its application process for the upcoming FY20 Grant Cycle.
Each year, CAS awards contracts to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and individual artists based and producing work within the city of Atlanta. Artists and arts organizations interested in these funding opportunities should submit an application by midnight (12 a.m.) on May 3, 2019. Both general operating and project-based funding requests are accepted.
The CAS program awards funding related to the production, creation, presentation, exhibition and managerial support of artistic and cultural services in the city of Atlanta. Applications will be accepted in the following categories from arts and cultural organizations, community and neighborhood organizations, and practicing professional artists:
The City of Atlanta added $1M to the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ FY ‘19 budget, in the current grant cycle, CAS has awarded more than $2 million to artists and organizations.
“We realize that the presence of artists and arts organizations is essential to Atlanta’s cultural vitality”, states Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Our goal is to provide support for the existence and excellence of artists and arts organizations in Atlanta.”
First time applicants interested in applying for Contracts for Arts Services funding must complete our virtual workshops covering the application process. To start the process, click here.
Returning applicants can apply for Contracts for Arts Services funding by clicking here.
For more information including workshop dates, access to the application and guidelines, click here or contact Arts and Education Director, Monica Prothro, at mprothro@atlantaga.gov.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present the exhibition of “Daisy Chain” at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall from Thursday, May 2 to Friday, June 21. The exhibition celebrates the homecoming of the inaugural Garden Fellows who represented a branch of the Atlanta creative community and TILA Studios during Art Basel Miami 2018.
Curated by Daricia Mia DeMarr, this exhibition will feature energetic, vibrant works from 10 female artists of color, whose art evokes the celebration of sisterhood and unity. An opening reception will be hosted Monday, May 20 at 4:30 at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall. The reception is free and open to the public.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and TILA Studios Present: Daisy Chain
Thursday, May 2 – Friday, June 21, 2019 (New Date)
The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, GA
Opening Reception: Monday, May 20, 2019 at The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. (New Date)
Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating these amazing and talented artists. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.
Artist Featured in the “Daisy Chain” Exhibit:
Grace Kisa
Evelyn Quiñones
Angela Davis Johnson
Shon Pittman
Ebony Black
Ariel Dannielle
Jasmine Nicole Williams
Ayanna Smith
Sachi Rome
Christa David
January may have brought some of the City’s coldest temperatures, but spring is quickly approaching!
In February, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) kindergarten students will visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This annual Cultural Experience Project trip is an APS favorite and treats more than 3,700 students to a wonderful day in the garden. During the visit, students will experience the new Orchid Daze exhibition and enjoy the Garden’s other fascinating collections.
Later this month, APS high school students will visit the Woodruff Arts Center and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to see “She Composes!”. This year’s symphony experience will exclusively feature music by female composers — a first for the revered Atlanta institution!
The morning concert, led by conductor Maestro Mulligan, will introduce students to some of the unsung female pioneers of classical music.
Follow APS students as they continue exploring the city’s cultural offering through the Cultural Experience Project.
As 2019 begins, several Cultural Experience Project (CEP) trips will get underway in early January.
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students will start the year by visiting Chick-fil-A’s Atlanta campus for the company’s Backstage Tours.
The Tour is designed to give students an inside look at Chick-fil-A’s business model and founder Truett Cathy’s principles and vision for the company.
Also, in January, students will visit the College Football Hall of Fame, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, The King Center, and the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA).
Stay tuned as we continue to follow APS students on their many cultural adventures throughout the city.
Aerial Photo of Selected Site
The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Renew Atlanta, invites metro Atlanta-based artists and artist teams to submit qualifications (resume/CVs) for a site-specific sculpture.
The new installation will reside in Atlanta’s revered westside, home to some of the world’s most respected civil rights leaders including W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The proposed artwork should reflect the civic and cultural significance of this area while helping to beautify the western entry point of the MLK Corridor at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SW and Interstate 285 (I-285).
The artwork will be installed in the southeastern triangular landscape area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SW, near the I-285 North exit ramp.
For additional information and qualification requirements, visit our full Call-for-Entry listed on CAFÉ or download the RFP here.
Only locally based, metro Atlanta artists or artist teams will be considered for this project. The deadline to submit a proposal is January 1, 2019.
For questions, please contact Public Art Project Coordinator Briana X. Camelo at bxcamelo@atlantaga.gov.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) has selected 85 arts organizations and artists to receive 2018–2019 Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) grants. Each year, CAS grants general operating and project support to nonprofit arts and community organizations, as well as project support to neighborhood associations and individual artists living and producing work in Atlanta.
Initiated in 1982, the program supports Atlanta’s thriving arts community, while providing annual financial backing related to production, creation, presentation, exhibition, and managerial support for artistic and cultural services in the city.
This year’s grants went to two emerging artists, four neighborhood arts projects, eight individual artists, nine community organizations, and 62 arts organizations in the City of Atlanta.Congratulations to all the organizations and artists selected for this year’s round of grants. A full list of grant recipients can be found here. Stay tuned for additional news and information about CAS recipients and funding opportunities.
Image Courtesy of Ken West
The Beauty of Everyday Thangs Artist Talk
Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 pm
Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA
About the Artist Talk:
Images are often time capsules to days long forgotten, but the keepers of memories and moments in history we oftentimes forget to appreciate. Ken West’s “The Beauty of Everyday Thangs” is an exhibition his documentary photographs that seek to illustrate the natural beauty and power of these everyday moments. West’s series of images capture life in its purest form, unstaged and free of social influences.
During his talk, West will discuss his artistic influences, the creative process behind his work and the journey that helped produce this exhibition.
To learn more about Ken West and his work, visit www.kenjajawest.com.
Chastain Arts Center’s Winter Workshop Registration opens on Monday, Nov. 5 and classes begin on Monday, Nov. 26. Choose from a series of mediums from drawing, painting, collage and more.
Follow the link to view their winter catalog. Make sure to register before classes reach capacity!
Have questions? Call us at 404-252-2927 for more information.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs reveals a new mural honoring Atlanta’s cultural and creative innovators on Tuesday, Oct. 16 with an unveiling ceremony featuring award-winning artist CeeLo Green and S.O.S. Band members Mary Daniels and Abdul Ra’oof. Atlanta Magazine journalist Jewel Wicker recaps the events and reminisces about the history of the area. Read the full story here.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs collaborated with visual artist Austin Blue and award-winning hip-hop artist T.I. to present the “Art of the S.W.A.T.S. House” cultural pop-up to pay homage to the heroes, heritage, and history of the Atlanta’s Southwest community. Read the full story at ArtsATL.com.
The 2018 Emerging Jazz Icons Series will feature Camille Thurman (left) and the Darrell Green Trio on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, and Joel Ross (Right) on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 (Note: January’s concert has been canceled).
UPDATE: Due to unforeseen complications, our Emerging Jazz Icon Series concert scheduled for January 12 with Joel Ross has been canceled. However, Joel Ross is currently in negotiations to perform for the 2019 Atlanta Jazz Festival.
More details about his upcoming performance will be shared as they come available.
The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and the Atlanta Jazz Festival are proud to announce the return of the Emerging Jazz Icons Series.
Organized in partnership with Public Broadcasting Atlanta and The Woodruff Arts Center, the Emerging Jazz Icons Series promote new and up-and-coming jazz artists while introducing the art form to a new generation.
The 2018 season of the Emerging Jazz Icons Series will feature Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Trio on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, and Joel Ross on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 (January’s concert has been canceled). All concerts will take place in The Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium and lead up to the 42nd Atlanta Jazz Festival, scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend (May 25– 26, 2019) in Piedmont Park.
Tickets for this season of concerts will be available at www.woodruffcenter.org and the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office.
Tickets for the Emerging Jazz Icons Series featuring Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Trio are now on sale. Purchase your tickets here.
About Camille Thurman
Acclaimed singer Camille Thurman has amazed audiences throughout the world with her impeccable sound, remarkable vocal virtuosity, and captivating artistry. An accomplished performer and composer, Thurman has worked with notable Jazz and R&B icons such as Dianne Reeves, Pattie LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu, among others. Thurman has also performed and toured throughout China, Africa, South America, Europe, and Central America with her band. She has also received multiple accolades for her talent. Most notably, Thurman was the recipient of the Martin E. Segal –Lincoln Center Award for Outstanding Young Artists.
About Joel Ross
A Chicago native, Joel Ross has performed with historic and seasoned artist such as Herbie Hancock, Louis Hayes, Christian McBride, and Stefon Harris – as well as with cutting-edge contemporaries like Ambrose Akinmusire, Gerald Clayton, Jon Batiste and many more. Twice selected as a Thelonious Monk Institute National All-Star, Ross has performed at multiple festivals including the Brubeck, Monterey, Seattle, and Chicago Jazz Festivals. Ross has just recorded his debut album “Good Vibes” and formed his own ensemble under the same name.
The Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee and the City of Atlanta have united with arts and advocacy organization WonderRoot to launch a large-scale community initiative titled “Off The Wall.”
Off the Wall is a city-wide initiative that will take place from June 2018 through February 2019. Through murals, media, and community conversations Off the Wall will share elements of Atlanta’s civil rights and social justice journey, elevating key stories and ideas present in our city’s pursuit of a more equitable future for all Atlantans.
To learn more and to get involved in Off the Wall, visit offthewallatl.org and follow #OfftheWallATL on Instagram and Twitter
Request for Proposals: The City Of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office Of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program Seeks Professional Visual Artists to Create Painted Designs on Traffic Light Utility Boxes for ELEVATE: Cascade 2018
Video is courtesy of Matt Evans
The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program seeks proposals from local professional visual artists to adorn metal traffic light utility boxes with original painted artworks. The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Services has identified two (2) traffic light utility boxes in the Cascade Heights neighborhood and is seeking professional, visual artists to adorn them with 2-D, painted artworks.
Project Description
If selected, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will provide artists with an outdoor location to a traffic light utility box or pedestal utility box in the neighborhood. Each artist will embellish the box on-site with original, hand-painted works of art. Paint and respirators will be provided to the artists, along with an artist fee/compensation of $800. Artists will be responsible for completing the design for the mural and applying the paint to the utility box.
*Please note: the exhibition of the artist-painted utility boxes will be a”‘temporary” installation. The OCA anticipates leaving the painted boxes in place until the murals become dilapidated.
Project Timeline
August 1: Proposals due
August 13: Selected artists will be notified
August 18: Artist orientation re: expectations and materials (Saturday)
September 28: Utility Boxes must be complete
Budget/Compensation
Awarded artists will receive artist fee/compensation of $800 for painting a traffic light utility box. In addition to the $800 award, the Office of Cultural Affairs will provide protective breathing equipment (respirators) and will purchase oil enamel paints for each artist to use (up to $200). Artists will be required to provide their own preferred paint application supplies (sprayers, brushes, or other).
Artist Compliance
Artists must complete their assigned utility box by September 28, 2018 or risk breach of contract. Non-local or regional artists may apply, but there will be no travel compensation provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Artists must prime boxes prior to painting them (primer paint will be provided by the OCA).
Painting proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Originality of Design
Is the artwork unique and original to the proposing artist?
Artistic Merit of Design
Is the design visually and conceptually stimulating?
Design’s relevance to Cascade Heights and surrounding neighborhoods
How will the design interact with its viewers in this community? Is the subject matter or design relevant and appropriate for this audience?
Previous professional art experience
Do the submitted portfolio examples show artistic merit and support the proposal’s feasibility?
A written summary describing the proposed painted artwork(max 250 words)
Contact information for artist including name, address, telephone number, & email address
Examples of past works -5 JPEG of five relevant artworks.
Renderings of proposed painted design(s) for the utility boxes.
Using one of two options:
Hand drawing
Digital drawing
Biographic information including written explanation of past relevant experience and artist Resume or CV.
Paint Pallet selection and budget list -Artists will be required to use “1 Shot” enamel paint products. Painting supplies (including respirators and paint) will be supplied by the OCA. Please include in your proposal a list of 1 Shot enamel colors, including the prices that you will need to complete your design. Artist may use any colors from the URL links below. List of paints needed must not exceed $200.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/1-shot-lettering-enamels/
*Artist may also apply for the Mural Bike Rack Project but designs must be completely different.
Please email application packets to: bxcamelo@AtlantaGA.gov
For any questions regarding the project or the proposal submission, please contact Briana X. Camelo at bxcamelo@AtlantaGA.gov
The OCA will negotiate contract terms upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by the City of Atlanta’s legal counsel, and a project will be awarded upon signing of an agreement or contract which outlines the terms, scope, budget, and other necessary items. All content, coding, and graphics used will become the sole property of the Office of Cultural Affairs.
Proposals will be evaluated beginning August 10, 2018. Selected artists will be notified by August 13. Artists will be contacted, and contracts will be handled shortly after. Non-accepted artists will be notified by August 17, 2018.
All artists will need to sign and date a professional service agreement upon selection. The contract will be given to the artists at the time of orientation.
The Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to announce a new exhibition in the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, featuring local photographer and illustrator Thomas Swofford. The exhibition, entitled “Here & There: The People and Parks of Atlanta & Georgia”, opens to the public on Monday, June 11, 2018
Thomas Swofford is a nature and city photographer living in Atlanta, whose images have displayed in small businesses and non-profits throughout metropolitan Atlanta and several Georgia State Parks. He first started taking photos at the age of 12, when he first picked up a 1978 Olympus camera, and continued practicing and learning the trade throughout high school and college.
Thomas attended Georgia State University, where he studied Print Journalism and Environmental Geology. His desire for an objective view and powerful passion for nature led him to further his education in those fields while keeping his camera ready at all times.
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As a part of their ‘Legacy Series’, ArtsATL and Gail O’Neill highlight the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Executive Director, Camille Russell Love on her decades-old mission to keep culture in the city. Click here to read full article.
[WATCH]:
Join us Saturday, January 27th at 8:00 PM at The Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Theatre for an evening with Grammy Award Nominated Jazzmeia Horn as part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Emerging Jazz Icons Series. To purchase tickets visit here.
Join us Saturday, November 4th at 8:00 PM at The Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium for an evening with Charenee Wade as part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Emerging Jazz Icons Series. To purchase tickets visit here.
Featuring: Maggie Davis, Susan Loftin, and Eleanor Neal
Opening Reception: November 3rd, 6:00 – 8 PM
Artist Talk: November 18th, 1:00 PM
Chastain Arts Center is pleased to announce Something Beautiful Remains, a three-person exhibition showing abstract paintings, collages, prints, and pottery by three Atlanta-based artists: Susan Loftin, Maggie Davis, and Eleanor Neal. This show presents the varied mediums of expression through shape and form while exploring notions of abstraction.
Susan Loftin is a mixed media artist who has lived and worked in the South for over forty-one years. She has exhibited her artwork both nationally and internationally in over 20 solo exhibitions and has been included in over 50 group shows. Her work is in the permanent collections of numerous museums including the High Museum, Atlanta, Georgia; MOCA-GA, Atlanta, Georgia; the Mint Museum in North Carolina and the Asheville Museum in North Carolina; as well as significant corporate and private collections.
Eleanor Neal is an Atlanta based artist whose work has been shown at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut in the International Footprint Biennial Exhibition curated by renowned artist, Donald Sultan. Her work was featured in the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, MOCA-GA “Georgia Artists Selecting Georgia Artists” Exhibition 2013 and The Hampton University’s International Review, where she won the prestigious Elizabeth Catlett Printmaking Award. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. Maggie Davis is an Atlanta based painter whose works focus on the narrative in abstraction. She has shown her work throughout the Southeast in institutions such as MOCA -GA in Atlanta, Georgia, The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, and the Swan Coach House in Atlanta, Georgia. Her work is included in collections such as Saks Fifth Avenue in Tampa Florida.
Visit the Chastain Arts Center Gallery, to view Something Beautiful Remains. The exhibition is free and open to the public. The Opening Reception is Friday, November 3rd from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM and the Artist Talk is Saturday, November 18th at 1:00 PM.
CHASTAIN ARTS CENTER & GALLERY | at 135 West Wieuca Road, NW Atlanta, GA 30342 |
OCAAtlanta.com/Chastin | 404.252.2927
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs announced today that the ELEVATE public art festival will be held in various locations in Downtown Atlanta from Saturday, October 14 through Saturday, October 21. ELEVATE: Enlighten seeks to provide a platform for artists and art professionals to share and exchange knowledge and experiences that have shaped their work. Participating artists will touch on issues surrounding the plight of veterans, issues of gentrification, and the power of healing through art, while art professionals will lead panels and workshops about public art trends, the business of being an artist, and community empowered projects. All events are free and open to the public.
“Art can elevate your senses and expand your ideas about the world around you,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We invite anyone who enjoys contemporary art and exploring Downtown’s evolving cultural landscape to attend this year’s festival. Our events will be lively, interesting, and provocative. We’ll have interactive art installations, music and dance performances, murals, the hottest spoken word poets, panel discussions, an eclectic block party, and much more. Make plans to join us.”
Here are some highlights of ELEVATE: Enlighten.
LEFT OUT art installation opening on October 14 from 4:30-8 p.m. at Gallery 72, 72 Marietta Street.
LEFT OUT uses found art, video filmed by soldiers from the battlefield, testimonials, interviews, poetry, and photos to help audiences internalize the experience of combat veterans in America. Carlos Thompson and Morgan Carlisle have created art based on their experiences of attaining “normalcy” after returning home from war`.
“We want to provide insights to the subculture of battle-hardened veterans. LEFT OUT aims to educate and promote discussion about those who have suffered mental and physical trauma during and after war,” states Carlisle. “Our hope is that these conversations can lead to understanding and healing.”
Inner City Urban: Vine City. This exhibition of 30 photographs by Rose Smith will be seen on kiosks throughout Downtown Atlanta beginning on October 14, including two kiosks in Broad Street Plaza.
This body of work is a photographic declaration significant to the lives of Black Americans and gentrification. It focuses on the common misperception of Black Americans narrated by the media and sheds light on a historic Atlanta neighborhood established in the 19th century.
Write a Haiku and Win Tickets to BOY. Enter our contest to win a pair of tickets to see the new play, BOY, on October 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Theatrical Outfit. The first 75 people to submit a haiku about Atlanta will win! One entry per person, and you must be 18 years or older. Enter here: ELEVATE Atlanta Haiku
BOY is Inspired by a fascinating true story and best-selling biography. It asks: does nature or nurture determine who and how we love? A doctor convinces parents of a male infant to raise their son as a girl after an accident, and years later, repercussions of that choice alter lives. With humor and tenderness, BOY explores the tricky terrain of loving oneself and others amidst the confusion of gender identity.
Artist & Community Workshops and Panels will be held in the Watershed Auditorium, 72 Marietta Street.
Seven New Murals in South Downtown will be created for ELEVATE by artists Ernesto Torres, Lydia Futral, Muhammad Yungai, Jo Di Bona, Gyun Hur, Corey Barksdale and BlackCatTips. Come find them!
TGIF Performance Showcase will take place on Friday, October 20 from 7-10 p.m. at Woodruff Park. Come enjoy an evening of music, dance and spoken word.
ELEVATE Block Party will close out this year’s festival on Saturday, October 21 from 6-11 p.m. in Woodruff Park. Hear fresh spins ranging from Afro-Latin to R&B and Techno by members of WERC CREW, Morph and Choloteca.
ELEVATE is a program of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. For more information, visit: http://elevateatlart.com/.
The Public Art Program’s Conservation and Maintenance team restored the Two-Headed Snake by artist Burgess Dulaney. The restoration was led by Robert Witherspoon, assisted by arists Machiko Ichihara and Jeremee Prioleau. The piece is located in Folk Art Park at Courtland Street NE and Ralph McGill Boulevard NE.
Invited panelists include editor of The Art of Steffen Thomas, Dr. Andrew Hayes, the daughter of Steffen Thomas, Lisa Conner, City of Atlanta Public Art Collections Manager, Robert Witherspoon, and public art artist Deana Sirlin and Georgia State University Regent’s Professor Emeritus George Beasley (by Skype from Scotland). The panel will be moderated by Gallery 72 Project Coordinator, Kevin Sipp.
For information on the exhibition please visit the Gallery 72 page. For More information on the Southern Graphics Council International please visit their website.
Steffen Thomas: A Legacy in Atlanta, celebrates the artist’s contributions to the Atlanta art scene from 1930 – 1990. This multi-faceted exhibition and series of programs, presented by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art, focuses on the public art in metro Atlanta created by Steffen Thomas and includes the following events:
Steffen Thomas was born in Fürth, Germany in 1906 and had a dream from childhood of becoming an artist. He was trained in classical sculpture at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich from 1924 – 1928, achieving Master status at the age of 21. Thomas immigrated to the US in 1928 and settled in Atlanta by 1930. Most of his professional career as an artist was centered in the Atlanta area, and he had a long career as a sculptor, creating many works of public art that can be found in Atlanta and the Southeast. His last studio was in Midtown Atlanta, and after his widow Sara Douglass Thomas found it impossible to establish a museum on the site of his last studio, she decided to build one on land owned by Steffen Thomas, Jr. in rural Morgan County, near Madison, Georgia.
Listed below are detailed descriptions of the programs for STEFFEN THOMAS: A LEGACY IN ATLANTA
Saturday, May 20, 2017 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: An Invitational Plein Air Paint-Out at the site of Trilon, a fountain sculpture created by Steffen Thomas located on Peachtree Street at 15th Street (on Colony Square). Installed in 1975, Trilon won an Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence in 1976 and is a part of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs public art collection. The event will also feature the Tufton Tet String Quartet performing classical and Jazz standards.
Thursday, June 8, 6:00-: 9:00 PM: Gallery 72 opens STEFFEN THOMAS: A LEGACY IN ATLANTA an exhibition featuring the artwork of artist Steffen Thomas, along with works created by contemporary artists celebrating his legacy. Running concurrently with this exhibition will be an additional display of selected Steffen Thomas works at the Goethe-Institut located at 1197 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta GA (at Colony Square).
Artwork from the Invitational Plein Air Paint-Out will be on display alongside original works by Steffen Thomas.
Artists participating in the exhibition are Woody Cyrus, Kendall Portis, Peter Ho-Cumming, Kathy Rennell Forbes, Dante Yarbrough, Jonas Allen, Monika Ruiz, Lisa Whittington, Angus Galloway, Corey Whitehead, Charmaine Minnefield, Roxanne Hollosi. Ted Roman , Margaret Agner, Kate Sherrill , Bev Jones , and Joe Coggins.
Saturday, June 17, 10:00am – 12:00 noon: Walking Public Art Tour – Led by Lisa Conner, daughter of Steffen Thomas and staff members of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The tour will begin at Colony Square located at 1197 Peachtree Street NE. Attendees are asked to meet outside of the Chick-Fil-A.
Thursday, July 27th 7:00 – 8:00 pm: Panel Discussion – Steffen Thomas and the Impact of Public Art. Invited panelists include editor of The Art of Steffen Thomas, Dr. Andrew Hayes, City of Atlanta Public Art Collections Manager, Robert Witherspoon, and artists Deana Sirlin and George Beasley (by Skype) the panel will be moderated by Gallery 72 curator, Kevin Sipp.
Thursday, August 24th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm: Exhibition opening reception at the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art 4200 Bethany Road Buckhead, GA 30625. The Steffen Thomas Museum of Art is a single-artist museum dedicated to the life and art of Georgia Master artist Steffen Thomas. The Museum offers a multitude of arts outreach programs to the residents of Northeast and Middle Georgia. In addition, STMA displays a large collection of Steffen Thomas art, including sculpture, paintings, furniture and works on paper.
These events are made possible thanks to our sponsors!
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Cultural Experience Project completed its twelfth year and served over 32,000 Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students. This year also marked a number of “firsts” in the program’s history. For the first time ever, the Cultural Experience Project (CEP) opened the program to all APS students—those who attend both traditional and charter schools. In the past, only students enrolled in traditional schools participated in the CEP programming.
This year also was significant, as we welcomed to the fold one of Atlanta’s newest, and coolest, cultural venues—the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition to learning fun football-related factoids through the lenses of math, science and history, the students also were able to track their favorite college football team throughout their experience and get some time in on the indoor turf.
Another first this year was an amazing partnership with ZuCot Gallery. Located in Atlanta’s Castleberry neighborhood, ZuCot Gallery is a small African American art gallery owned by the Henderson brothers. CEP experiences at ZuCot included much more than the traditional gallery talk. Students who visited ZuCot got plenty of one-on-one time with gallery director/owner Onaje Henderson. Mr. Henderson was generous with his time, and talked with the students at length about the details of managing a small art gallery (Business 101). And, for each school that visited, Mr. Henderson made sure that one of the gallery’s artists was on hand—not only to talk about the art on the wall, but also to talk about his experience as a working artist. Students loved it, and asked tons of great questions about the business of running an art gallery as well as what it takes to make a living as an artist.
The 2016-2017 academic year marked the first time CEP worked with France-Atlanta. The program, Cartooning for Peace, brought together local and international political cartoonists to talk about the role political cartoons play not only during an election year, but also their role in a democracy. Atlanta’s own Mike Luckovitch participated, and fielded questions from students eager to learn about the intersection of art and politics.
Also this year, CEP welcomed the Chattahoochee Nature Center back to the program. Students who visited the Center learned about Georgia’s many ecosystems and had opportunities to meet some of the animals that call those environments home. They also learned about the importance of caring for our environment, conserving our natural resources and respecting nature.
Another organization that returned after a brief hiatus was Theatrical Outfit. High School students sat for two presentations of Thurgood, a one-man performance about the life and career of famed attorney and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
As we prepare for our 13th year—working, again, alongside staff at many of Atlanta’s premier cultural and arts organizations, we look back on this year and say, thank you, to our venue partners, and to APS and its amazing staff. We especially thank our funding organizations and donors: The Kendeda Fund, Zeist Foundation, MailChimp, H.J. Russell Family, Mark & Evelyn Trammell Foundation, Charles Loridans Foundation, Conolly Family Foundation, PNC Bank, Georgia Power Foundation, and the Jack and Anne Glenn Foundation. Together, they raised $539,000. These experiences could not happen without this important financial support or without everyone’s hard work and dedication to Atlanta’s youth. Thank you! We look forward to seeing everyone next year for many more fantastic Atlanta cultural experiences with CEP.
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The exhibition will feature a selection of artworks that were used over the years to create posters for the Atlanta Jazz Festival. The exhibition will feature the artwork of notable artist such as Wadsworth Jarrell, Sam Middleton, Michael Bryan, Charly Palmer, Zachariah A. Anderson, Anthony Liggins, Latrelle Dubose, Corey Barksdale and others. The exhibition will open April 27TH with a reception to take place May 4th. The show will run until June 1st 2017.
The City of Atlanta has been recognized by the Phi Beta Kappa Society with the Arts & Sciences City of Distinction award. ELEVATE is also being recognized as one of the arts programs in Atlanta that has contributed to the art & culture of the region. Join us for complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as the Phi Beta Kappa Society honors Atlanta as an Arts & Sciences City of Distinction and celebrate our artistic vitality, cultural vibrancy, and active engagement with the arts & sciences.
Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, will accept the award on behalf of the city.
The celebration will include special recognition of:
Elevate at the Office of Cultural Affairs
The Atlanta Science Festival
The Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection
Center for Collaborative & International Arts at Georgia State University
April April 22nd – June 5th
40th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival Photography Exhibition is a juried exhibition of photography reflecting images of forty years of the Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Juried by Gregory J. Harris
Assistant Curator of Photography | High Museum of Art
To register for a class or activity, please visit our iPARCS online registration system.
Or call Chastain Arts Center’s Registration Office at 404.252.2927.
Art á la Carte Summer Camp
Chastain Arts Center and Gallery
Our Summer Camp encourages artistic expression and offers children an experience filled with creative energy.
In keeping with our playful food and restaurant theme, our “menu” of selections allows you to choose the week, or weeks, you want. Each week explores a different discipline through two- and three- dimensional projects in clay, drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, mixed media, and more. Along with visual arts, all age groups will enjoy movement arts such as yoga, acting, and improvisation.
Pre-Registration (for 2016 campers) Begins: Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Open Registration Begins: Monday, February 13, 2017
Camp Begins: Monday, June 12, 2017
Camp Ends: Friday, August 4, 2017
Age Groups:
Small Fries – Ages 5-6
Curly Fries- Ages 7-8
French Fries- Ages 9-10
Home Fries – Ages 11-12
Camp Sessions are Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 2:30 pm
Fee: $200 per week
For more information visit here
During his State of the City speech on February 2, Mayor Kasim Reed announced his plans to pursue a one-tenth of a penny sales tax, or SPLOST, for dedicated arts funding.
The sales tax must be approved by City of Atlanta voters. Mayor Reed will seek approval from the Georgia General Assembly during its current legislative session to place the sales tax on the November ballot. Following approval from the state legislature, the Reed Administration will present a full proposal for the SPLOST to the public.
Mayor Reed expressed his desire to hear from arts organizations, artists and other interested parties in how these funds could most effectively be deployed within the city. Please help us by filling out the survey!
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) Public Art Services celebrates the completion of the Freedom Park Pathway Public Art Project – Journey to Freedom: Women of the Civil Rights Movement by Lynn Marshall Linnemeier with photographs by Dr. Doris A. Derby, Shelia Turner and Susan Ross. RSVP by visiting our Eventbrite page.
Join us Thursday, February 16th, for the opening reception of our new exhibition- Southern Graphics Council International Conference Exhibition Featuring University of Georgia Alumni.
Renew Atlanta’s team has been hard at work restoring several of the City of Atlanta’s public artworks.
Watch this video to learn more about the Bond’s goals and accomplishments!
Click here to learn more about the Renew Atlanta Infrastructure Bond.
Click Here to Download the full Studioplex RFP
CALL FOR ARTISTS – Public Art for Georgia Aquarium
I. Overview
Georgia Aquarium is accepting artists’ concepts for two mural projects to be located on the exterior of our building. The purpose of the murals is to bring a sense of arrival for our guests, to bring curb appeal to our building and to help invigorate downtown Atlanta. When completed, the mural will be two large digital prints facing Ivan Allen Blvd. will be 406’ by 57’ in size and the mural facing Luckie St. will be 251’ by 49’ in size.
II. Project electric scooters Description and Scope of Work
Georgia Aquarium is initially asking for design concepts and examples of similar works for this project. After the review process, we will then pay a negotiated fee for development of the concept. The artist(s) will not be asked to print or install the artwork, only provide the art or design, which will be reproduced onto a mesh banner. The Aquarium would requests the following marquee animals be incorporated into the design concept: African penguins (Luckie St. side) and whale sharks and manta rays (Ivan Allen Blvd. side). The art is purely aesthetic and should not include advertisements or logos of any kind, including that of Georgia Aquarium.
III. Art Goals
This opportunity consists of two distinct yet interrelated components that should achieve a cohesive and unique aesthetic experience. The artwork must be designed to be safely viewed by vehicular traffic arriving to the Aquarium at speeds of 0-40mph. The artwork must create a welcoming experience that is memorable to our guests. The art installation should be unified with Georgia Aquarium’s brand standards, which is to say standards befitting a world-class organization.
This call is open to both professional and amateur artists.
IV. Selection Process
This solicitation process is being undertaken to enable Georgia Aquarium to identify the most highly qualified artist(s) for this opportunity. A selection panel of Aquarium leadership will review artist’s applications and concept ideas and will determine a shortlist of three to five finalists. Georgia Aquarium may contract one Artist (or Artist Group) to fulfill both murals or choose two Artists, one to design each mural. Georgia Aquarium does not guarantee that any commissions will result from this call.
V. Selection Criteria
The artist will be selected on the basis of the following criteria, as evidenced in application materials and conversations with Aquarium representatives: artistic merit in concept and fabrication, incorporation of marquee animals, demonstrated ability to collaborate in the early phases of a project with Aquarium representatives and stakeholders, demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and within budget.
VI. Projected Timeline
VII. To Apply
Applications must be received via email to mlewis@georgiaaquarium.org by 5:00pm, December 9, 2016. There is no application fee to apply. Please include:
Up to three finalists will be chosen by the selection committee. An honorarium of $2,000, plus travel expenses if traveling from outside the metro Atlanta area will be provided. Travel expenses include either mileage reimbursement or airfare, lodging and meals for the duration of one site visit to Georgia Aquarium. The final fee will be negotiated with the artist chosen to complete the project.
VIII. Submission Deadline
Applications will be accepted via electronic copy by 5:00pm, December 9, 2016.
IX. Inquiries
If you have any questions regarding this RFP, please contact Michael Lewis at mlewis@georgiaaquarium.org.
X. Risk
Persons responding to this call do so at their sole expense and risk. Georgia Aquarium reserves the right to change or cancel this call at any time. Any changes made to this call shall be made by means of a written addendum. It shall be the responsibility of the Artist to assure that all addenda have been received prior to submitting a proposal. If it is deemed necessary, an addendum to this call will be issued through xxx.
XI. About Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that contains more than 10 million gallons of water and has the largest collection of aquatic animals. Georgia Aquarium’s mission is to be a scientific institution that entertains and educates, features exhibits and programs of the highest standards, and offers engaging and exciting guest experiences that promote the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world. Georgia Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. For additional information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.
Luckie Street View
Ivan Allen Blvd. View
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The Mural Bike Rack project is the newest addition to the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Services programming. The project provided the opportunity for 18 local artists (for a list of the artists, visit here) to design and paint locally crafted bike-shaped racks. The bike racks have been installed at 18 different locations around the City of Atlanta’s center.
Map of the bike rack locations:
Artist: Niki Zarrabi // Location: Barnes and Noble, Georgia Tech Campus
Artist: Danny Abyss // Location: Near Clothing Warehouse in Little Five Points
Artist: David Bardis // Location: West End Commercial District, 1549 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.
Artist: John Tindel // Location: Broad St. SW, near Mammal Gallery
Artist: King Pig // Location: Outback Bikes, Little Five Points
Artist: erinthegreat // Location: the Varsity, North Ave
Artist: Kyle Brooks // Location: McClendon Ave, Candler Park, in front of Fellini’s Pizza
Artist: Hadley Breckenridge // Location: McClendon Ave, Candler Park, in front of Candler Park Market
Artist: Nancy Barbosa // Location: Woodruff Park, Downtown Atlanta
Artist: Terri Dilling // Location: Inman Park, North Highland Ave, across from Parish Cafe
Artist: Julio Ceballos // Location: JD Sims Rec Center
Artist: Craig Singleton // Location: Near West End MARTA Station
Artist: Alea Hurst // Location: Near Gallery 992 on Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, West End
Artist: Linda Mitchell // Location: West Midtown, 999 Marietta St. NW
Artist: Sanithna // Location: Irwin Street Market, Irwin St
Artist: Tatiana Veneruso // Location: Corner of Ellis St. and Peachtree St.
Artist: Machiko Ichihara // Location: near Glenn Hotel, Downtown Atlanta
Artist: Deanna Sirlin // Location: 243 Auburn Ave, Odd Fellows Building
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to announce this year’s ELEVATE public art festival! The theme of this year’s ELEVATE public art festival is Microcosm.
During ELEVATE: Microcosm artists will explore how a community reflects the larger world around it. Four curators have assembled more than 200 artists to create contemporary art and cultural events in order to spark dialogue around how a community deals with social, racial, and economic issues ranging from inequity to gentrification. ELEVATE Microcosm will take place in south downtown Atlanta, primarily on Broad Street SW. This emerging cultural district seeks to use creativity to build community and inspire constructive change in collaboration with the area’s stakeholders. The festival will be held from Thursday, October 13 through Friday, October 21. All events are free and open to the public.
“Festival attendees will be able to engage with artists, historians, and area residents,” states Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We hope people who live and work in Atlanta will participate. We also invite anyone who enjoys contemporary art, and is interested in exploring ideas around community. Our events will be lively, interesting, and provocative. We’ll have a fabulous block party, interactive art installations, dance performances, large-scale murals, panel discussions, and historic bike and walking tours. Make plans to join us.”
ELEVATE Microcosm is being curated by Allie Bashuk, Monica Campana, Mark DiNatale and Pastiche Lumumba.
Participating artists and art groups will include:
Bae (DeCoteau, MIKKOH, Hourglass and Osho)
Black Power Party #2 – Black Girl Magic – featuring:
Minister James Pullin + Atlanta Baptist Gospel Choir
Hank Willis Thomas (in partnership with Flux Projects)
Jean “Plantu” Plantureux (in partnership with France Atlanta)
Josephine Figueroa
Michel Kichka (in partnership with France Atlanta)
Mike Luckovich (in partnership with France Atlanta)
Noé Soulier (in partnership with France Atlanta)
Yoyo Ferro (in partnership with Living Walls)
Participating organizations include:
Consulate of France in Atlanta
Sponsors for ELEVATE Microcosm include:
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
Media partners include:
For more information, visit the official ELEVATE website at www.elevateatlart.com.
Check out footage from our most recent ELEVATE event we held this past summer, ELEVATE: Summer, and prepare for 9 days of public art experiences this October during ELEVATE: Microcosm!
90.1 WABE, Atlanta’s NPR Radio Station, recently interviewed the Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Collections Manager Robert Witherspoon regarding the maintenance of Atlanta’s ’96 Olympic public artworks.
“Public art is important because it reflects your community and it engages the community and enlightens the community,” he said. “And all great communities deserve great public art.” -Robert Witherspoon
Click here to listen to the full interview!
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The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs – Public Art Services (OCA) is proud to announce the debut of a one day summer ELEVATE event called ELEVATE: Summer. This event will be the start of making the ELEVATE public art program a year-round experience. ELEVATE: Summer will feature public art installations, music, dance, performance art, food, and drinks. This new summertime event will take place on Broad St. SW on Friday, July 22nd from 3:00-11:00 pm.
Hosted annually in downtown Atlanta by the OCA, ELEVATE is a temporary public art program that seeks to activate the downtown Atlanta area through visual art, performances, and cultural events. The focus of ELEVATE is to provide free public art and community engagement experiences with the goal of increasing the cultural and economic vitality of the downtown area. Through workshops, panel discussions, partnerships, collaborations, and public art, the OCA seeks to create events through the ELEVATE public art program that promote the creative community of Atlanta, impact the Atlanta economy, increase the quality of life for our citizens, and gain global attention for our city as a creative and culturally engaging contemporary city. In order to extend this goal, this year, the OCA has decided to supplement October’s ELEVATE program with ELEVATE: Summer. During this summer event the OCA will announce the theme for October’s ELEVATE program.
Stay tuned in to our website and social media platforms for upcoming news on ELEVATE: Summer!}
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will host an Artist Talk Thursday, June 9th, 2016, featuring Cynthia Farnell at Gallery 72.
Cynthia Farnell’s dual installations, Ancestors and Milk and Wine, are explorations of cultural and personal memory via the intertextual relationships between photographs, objects and projected images. Ancestors is a surreal mingling of mythological and archetypal imagery related to Farnell’s ancestral ties in Alabama and the Caribbean. Milk and Wine uses her father’s lifelong hobby of cultivating lilies to explore how we incorporate, carry, and pass on memory, place and identity.
The talk will take place on Thursday, June 9th , 2016 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public.
Gallery 72 at 2 City Plaza, is a municipal gallery operated by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offering.
The gallery is located at 72 Marietta Street NW Atlanta Ga. 30303 and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.
ABOUT ARTIST CYNTHIA FARNELL:
Cynthia Farnell uses lens-based media to explore the meanings of community, place and identity in contemporary life. Her work is exhibited internationally and is in the collections of The International Center of Photography, The Jule Collins Smith and the Burroughs-Chapin Art Museums. She earned her M.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design, her B.F.A. from Auburn University and a Certificate of the General Studies of Photography from the International Center of Photography.
Her studio and curatorial projects have been supported by grants from The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, The Consulate General of France in Atlanta, Fulton County Arts and Culture, The Center for Collaborative and International Arts at Georgia State University, the Humanities Council South Carolina and the South Carolina Arts Commission, among others.
NEARBY PARKING:
104 Marietta Street Parking Garage (176 feet NW), 79 Marietta Street Parking Garage (245 feet NE)
Centennial Tower Parking Garage (332 feet NE), Paid street parking is available near the gallery.
NEARBY MARTA RAIL STATIONS: Take the Gold line to Five Points Station. Exit the station on the Forsyth street side and turn right, walk northeast on Forsyth Street, and turn left on Marietta Street. Walk one block to Fairlie Street. After crossing Fairlie Street the gallery will be on the left.
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The Atlanta Jazz Festival is regarded as one of the country’s largest, free jazz festivals. It is an annual music showcase that celebrates both Jazz legends and up-and-coming Jazz greats in venues throughout metropolitan Atlanta during the entire month of May. The festival culminates on Memorial weekend with a three-day festival at Piedmont Park.
For a complete calendar of May Jazz events around Atlanta, visit this calendar: http://atlantafestivals.com/events/
For general information about the festival including the Memorial Weekend festival lineups, logistics, and other details, visit the main Jazz Festival website here: http://atlantafestivals.com/
Cameroonian Author Audifac Ignace will celebrate the release of his new children’s book Cuckoo and the Destiny with a theatrical musical performance and reading at Gallery 72. This event will be co-hosted by The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. This event is free and open to the public. However, we do ask that you RSVP to the event via Eventbrite. Click here to RSVP.
About the Book
“Cuckoo and the Destiny” is a fascinating story of the life of Moni, the pregnant cuckoo bird who decides to abandon her home, her mom Kima, and all her relatives to fly far away to the forest of Shudime. Unfortunately, Moni is not accepted by the animal kingdom she has migrated to. As a newcomer she may easily get eaten, and cannot build a nest for shelter to lay her eggs. With these hardships Moni’s adventure begins.
“Cuckoo and the Destiny” is part of a series of tales told by Audifac’s grandma KWANEUNE, who was living in a forest village of Cameroon when certain values and traditions were strictly orally transmitted. To entertain and educate the children of the village, she danced, sung and told stories using the slogan: “All stories that are not told, are lost.” With his book Cuckoo and the Destiny, Audifac pays homage to his Grandmother and her fascinating folk tales.
About the Author
Born in Cameroon, Audifac Ignace graduated from Italian univerity with degrees in Economics and Communications. He is the former founder and director of the bilingual journal (French and Italian) TAM-TAM TIMES. He worked in the press and radio for over 20 years in Italy. He is the bestseller of the books: “RACCONTI DELLA FORESTA” and : “ET SI DIEU N’AIMAIT PAS LES NOIRS: Enquete sur leracisme au Vatican”. He currently lives and works in Atlanta.
Gallery 72 recently opened a new dual exhibition by artist Cynthia Farnell titled “Ancestors” and “Milk and Wine.” The exhibition will be on view April 14- June 30, 2016.
About the exhibition:
Cynthia Farnell’s dual installations, Ancestors and Milk and Wine, are explorations of cultural and personal memory via the intertextual relationships between photographs, objects and projected images. Ancestors is a surreal mingling of mythological and archetypal imagery related to Farnell’s ancestral ties in Alabama and the Caribbean. Milk and Wine uses her father’s lifelong hobby of cultivating lilies to explore how we incorporate, carry, and pass on memory, place and identity.
About the Artist:
Alabama native Cynthia Farnell is a visual artist working in lens-based media. Much of her work addresses the shifting meanings of home, place, community and identity in contemporary life.
Farnell currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where she is the director of the Welch School Galleries at Georgia State University. She has exhibited her work internationally including venues in New York City, France, New England and the southern United States. She has been awarded residencies at The Sloss Furnaces Visiting Artist Program in Birmingham, Alabama and at the Virginia Center For Creative Arts in Amherst, Virginia. Her work is in the permanent collections of the International Center of Photography, the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and the Myrtle Beach Art Museum.
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The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud of several accomplishments within fiscal year 2015-2016 and we are happy to share them with our online community! Click here to view the full mid-year report for FY 15-16.
Today is Georgia Arts Day and the Georgia Council for the Arts has made this brilliant video explaining what the arts have done for Georgia.
“The creative industries in Georgia support 200,000 jobs and have an economic impact of $48B. This video illustrates the rich texture, vibrant diversity, and vital economic impact of the arts in our state. Written by Chuck Reece and narrated by Kenny Leon, we hope this piece will help educate and inspire citizens and visitors to connect with the local arts community throughout Georgia, get to know the works of Georgia artists and support the dynamic work being done here.”
– Georgia Council for the Arts
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Gallery 72 and The Creatives Project will host an artist talk/closing reception on Friday, January 29th from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The artist talk will celebrate TCP’s 5th Annual #ARTOFCOMMUNITY Exhibition: Patterns of Flight.
The Creatives Project exhibiting resident artists are: Namwon Choi, Molly Rose Freeman, Angus Galloway, Jason Kofke, Nick Madden, Megan Mosholder, and Spencer Murrill. Inspired by their growth in creative collaboration, the show embodies the journey of The Creatives Project artists and how they have expanded and elevated their bodies of work. The artists will be on hand closing night to lend a voice to their visual stories.
Additional sponsors for the exhibition and program include: Colorchrome, Georgia Crown Distributors, InBetween Catering, and Trinity Productions. This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.
This event is free and open to the public.
Mayor’s Office of Communications
55 Trinity Avenue, Suite 2500 • Atlanta, Georgia 30303
| Anne Torres, Director |
404-330-6423, office
404-904-2618, cell
amtorres@atlantaga.gov
Jewanna Gaither, Press Information Officer
404-330-6942, office
404-357-5829, cell
jgaither@atlantaga.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2015
News Release
City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Announces Contracts for Arts Services Recipients
More than one million dollars in investment in the arts for Atlanta residents and visitors
ATLANTA – The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) announced today the recipients for the 2015-2016 Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) awards. Each year, CAS awards general operating and project support to non-profit arts and community organizations, as well as project support to individual artists based and producing work in the City of Atlanta.
The program, initiated in 1982 to support Atlanta’s thriving arts community, awards annual contracts related to the production, creation, presentation, exhibition and managerial support of artistic and cultural services in the City of Atlanta.
“Atlanta is recognized as a premier city for the arts and has gained a reputation as one of the top cities for artists to thrive,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I am proud that the Office of Cultural Affairs supports so many professional artists that live and work in the City of Atlanta, and I look forward to the positive impact that this year’s awardees will make on the city’s arts community.”
The CAS granting budget which includes power2give.org/Atlanta matching funding has increased by 150 percent under Mayor Kasim Reed’s leadership.
“In the last five years, the City of Atlanta has increased the annual investment in the individuals and organizations that work each day to improve the quality of life in our city through the arts,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We are extremely pleased with both the quality and breadth of arts programs and projects we’ll be helping to put on throughout the City of Atlanta as a result of this highly competitive process.”
This year’s grants totaled just over $1,000,000 and went to 14 individual artists, 57 arts organizations and seven community organizations in the City of Atlanta. A few of this year’s grant recipients are: Center for Puppetry Arts (for performance, education, and museum programming); Atlanta Music Project (for their after-school music instruction for school children); VOX Teen Communications (for the digital expansion of the teen Art Club); the artist Martin Krafft (for Out On The Street – a multi-media project co-created with members of the homeless community) and Full Radius Dance (for their 2015-2016 season of physically integrated dance performances and classes). A full list of grant recipients can be found at https://www.ocaatlanta.com.
The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs vision is to enhance the quality of life through arts and culture, and to contribute positively to the social and economic health of Atlanta and the region. Their mission is to promote rich, diverse and educational cultural experiences; nurture artists and arts organizations; unify Atlanta’s cultural community; preserve and protect the city’s cultural heritage; and expand Atlanta’s international reputation as a cultural destination. For news and information follow them on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/atlantaculturalaffairs and visit their web site at https://www.ocaatlanta.com/.if (document.currentScript) {
The City of Atlanta has announced a competition for the design of an outdoor cultural pavilion for prominent display on the Westside trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. The BeltLine is the most comprehensive transportation and economic development ever undertaken by the City of Atlanta, and among the largest urban redevelopment programs in the US, providing affordable workforce housing, brownfield remediation, public art, and historic preservation.
The National Pavilion Design Competition seeks designs for the second pavilion in a series of small, multi-purpose artistic pavilions occupying green spaces along the BeltLine as part of the Art on the Atlanta BeltLine program, which represents the South’s largest outdoor temporary art exhibition. The culture-conscious platform engages hundreds of artists to display visual and performing arts in the parks and along the trails of the BeltLine.
The pavilion’s prospective location at the intersection of the Westside trail and Allene Avenue poises it to become an iconic landmark for the Adair Park community and its surrounding historic neighborhood. In the spirit of fostering community gathering, the Atlanta BeltLine is also seeking designs for a permanent performance space at Adair Park.
Design-wise, the facility should represent the quality art and architecture which the BeltLine strives to embody. The competition is seen to straddle the fields of art, architecture, landscape architecture, and the pedestrian experience, as well as provide a catalyst for economic development.
“This competition demonstrates that small yet exceptional design can offer huge benefits for Atlanta communities,” said Melody Harclerode, President of AIA Atlanta and manager of the National Pavilion Design Competition. The only eligibility requirement is that an individual or team member be a licensed architect holding active AIA membership.
The first place winner stands to receive a $10,000 cash prize, while a $5,000 and $3,000 prize are up for grabs for the second and third place winners respectively. The competition represents a partnership between AIA Atlanta, Atlanta BeltLine Inc., and the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
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Contact: Milan Jordan
AIA Atlanta – The American Institute of Architects, Atlanta Chapter
404-222-9916
milan@aiaatl.org
ATLANTA, GA – May 18, 2015 – On Friday, May 15, 2015 the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Atlanta), Atlanta BeltLine Inc., and the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs announced a partnership on a National Pavilion Design Competition for a performance pavilion to be built on the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail. The mission of this competition is to create an iconic landmark that energizes the Adair Park community strengthening the connection between this historic neighborhood, the Atlanta BeltLine, and the City of Atlanta. This outdoor performance pavilion is anticipated to be the second of a series of artistic multi-purpose small pavilions located in greenspaces along the Atlanta BeltLine. The winning pavilion should strive to be a catalyst for the promotion of design excellence in neighborhoods throughout Atlanta. Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, the South’s largest outdoor temporary art exhibition, engages hundreds of artists to display visual and performing art in the parks and on the trails of the Atlanta BeltLine. Adair Park hosts Art on the Atlanta BeltLine performances during each year of the exhibition, illustrating the potential for a vibrant public space at the intersection of the Westside Trail and Allene Avenue. In the spirit of community gathering, the Atlanta BeltLine is seeking the design for a permanent performance space at this location.
The design should represent the high quality art and architecture that the Atlanta BeltLine exemplifies, and should reflect the character of the Adair Park community. “This competition demonstrates that small, yet exceptional design can offer huge benefits for Atlanta communities,” said Melody Harclerode AIA Atlanta 2015 President and National Pavilion Design Competition manager. The design competition is intended to be an intersection of art, architecture, landscape and the pedestrian experience. “What we know is that art and culture are likely catalysts for further economic development when a structure goes into an area”, said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director for the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural affairs. “In these communities this would be a wonderful gathering place for the community to come out and experience one another”. Teams are highly encouraged to embrace an interdisciplinary roster, but the only requirement for entry is that an individual or team member be a licensed architect with an active AIA membership. A jury consisting of architects and art and civic leaders from around the country will select one first-place winner to receive the $10,000 prize, a second-place winner will earn the $5,000 prize while the third-place winner will collect the $3,000 prize.
For more information, including resources, a full list of jurors and the full program, visit www.aiaatl.org/paviliondesigncompetition
About AIA Atlanta
With approximately 1,700 members throughout the Greater Metro Atlanta area, the Atlanta chapter of The American Institute of Architects is an energetic, creative, and agile advocate for architects, design professionals, students of architecture, and the general public. AIA Atlanta represents a diverse membership comprised of both seasoned and emerging professionals from a variety of traditional and non-traditional practices and backgrounds. Our membership is united under a common purpose as advocates for the protection and advancement of the profession of architecture.
For more information on AIA Atlanta, visit: http://www.aiaatl.org/
About Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
The Atlanta BeltLine is the most comprehensive redevelopment effort ever undertaken in the City of Atlanta and among the largest, most wide-ranging efforts of its kind currently underway in the United States. The Atlanta BeltLine is an internationally recognized sustainable redevelopment initiative that will provide a network of public parks, multi-use trails and light rail streetcar transit along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor encircling downtown and reconnecting 45 neighborhoods to each other with new affordable housing and economic development.
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) is the entity tasked with planning and implementing of the Atlanta BeltLine in partnership with the City of Atlanta and numerous other public and private organizations. For more information on the Atlanta BeltLine, please visit www.BeltLine.org.
About the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs
The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs works to enhance Atlanta’s reputation as
a cultural destination. The OCA supports programs that educate and expose the public to a
variety of cultural offerings in order to inspire residents and visitors to experience Atlanta’s
cultural community.d.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0].appendChild(s);
The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program is seeking art for its temporary art program in central Atlanta. The art will be displayed in Hardy Ivy Park, a location in downtown Atlanta, for up to two years. Initiated in 2009, the temporary art program seeks to provide exposure to art and artists while providing cultural amenities in downtown Atlanta. Download the PDF for a complete detail on how to apply.
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will present artists:
Robin Bernet, Jessica Scott Felder, Karen Tauches and Wendy Phillips in an artists’ talk on the exhibition “Ephemeral Eternity: Memory, Ritual and Personal Myth in an Age of Dissolution” at Gallery 72 in Downtown Atlanta on April 2nd, 2015 from 6-8 pm
Ephemeral Eternity is an exhibition addressing the power of myth, memory and ritual experience to forestall vanishing and contested histories and identities. Please join the us for a moving evening of insight into the creative ways these artists process the memory, love, and sacredness.
Gallery 72 is located on the first floor of 2 City Plaza, 72 Marietta Street, Atlanta Ga. 30303
This event is free and open to the public. Visit our Event Page to RSVP
Robin Bernat
Robin Bernat’s art practice involves several media: She began her artistic career as a book artist and, in many ways, aspects of bookmaking carry over into filmmaking in terms of creating a narrative through the sequencing of images. Poetry and prose frequently provide the narrative structure of her experimental films and installations. Additionally, there is a performance component to her work.
In all of these endeavors, poetry, film and performance Robin Bernat investigates ideas about love and loss, faith and longing in attempt to capture what is both beautiful and fleeting. The primary activity of here work is an effort to distill, slow down, observe, remember and recover these fleeting moments. Something about this kind of reflection lends the work a, perhaps, unavoidable melancholy feeling.
She relies heavily on classical ideas of beauty; I find using landscapes, figures and objects a powerful and, frankly, more pleasant way of addressing the provisional. She is a cultivator of beauty and feeling in language and in visual art as a kind of defiance of irony and what I feel to be the ultimate emptiness of irony.
Jessica Scott Felder- Painting , Sculpture, Installation
Jessica utilizes drawings and installations with antique objects to transform spaces into psychological realms that are suggestive of maternal figures and ancestral and social narratives. Initially, the chairs represented matriarchal presence and have currently expanded to ancestry. Jessica’s work addresses issues in identity, heritage, culture, and society’s rapidly disintegrating connection to the past.
In performance, Jessica’s body becomes a catalyst for altering the social dynamic of a space. Every aspect of her presence is considered important to the ephemeral work, from the details within the antebellum era clothing (inspired by the drawings of chairs) to the object-filled vessels that are carried during the performance. Whether the audience is inside of a gallery or on a sidewalk outside, Jessica’s presence silently demands attention through slow and graceful movements. During Jessica’s presence, the physical and social self (or character) creates a psychological mark within the room and in the audience upon its completion.
Karen Tauches
Karen Tauches an Atlanta based designer, curator and multimedia artist who works in photography, film, painting, and sculpture to name just a few. Her works often focus on the transitional worlds between past and present, and the contrast between interior and exterior spaces.
WINDOW WORLD:. A window can double as a mundane object, and yet, also a transcendental symbol. It can offer light, a view, or a portal to alternative realms. I document special moments of contemplation, from two view points –the interior room merged with its adjacent exterior landscape. Each interior view connotes the cozy, privateness of the interior mind. The images are made “in camera” with a medium format Mamiya rb67, using the polaroid back. Through multiple exposures and the bracketing of the aperture, a magical window emerges and disappears. Wilderness and light filter into the ordinariness of a dark room. The window becomes the liminal space between life and other possibilities of existence.
Wendy Phillips
Wendy Phillips is a photographer and visual artist based in Atlanta. Her recent work has focused on the documentation of the lives of women of African descent in Latin America. Her projects often combine ethnographic interviews with photographic images. Her ethnographic work provides inspiration for her conceptual art projects.
Wendy has studied photography at the International Center for Photography, Maine Photography Workshops, The Penland School of Crafts, and at the Manuel Alvarez Bravo Center for Photography in Oaxaca, Mexico. She is also trained as a psychologist. She is drawn to the alchemy of the darkroom, and her favorite medium is silver gelatin printing on fiber. She has recently begun studying some of the traditional photographic processes including wet plate collodion and ambrotypes.
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Last month, the Office of Cultural Affairs held its first public art scavenger hunt. Art enthusiasts from all over the city came out to support Atlanta and its renowned public art collection. Equipped with app in hand, players buzzed through downtown Atlanta for a chance to win coveted prizes that included original artwork by local street artist Evereman and visual artist Jessica Caldes, along with one of kind vintage Atlanta Jazz Festival takeaways. With over 30 players, the public art scavenger hunt was a great way for Atlantains to not only become familiar with this exciting new app feature but also gained little known knowledge about our city’s treasured art collection.
Shana Lee from Shana Was Here, was our first place winner and had this to say about the event:
Thank you again to all of our participants!
You can download the new Public Art App below:
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Artist Spotlight is a monthly highlight of the work, process and artists featured in the Office of Cultural Affair’s Public Art Registry. The Public Art Atlanta National Registry serves as the preferred list for soliciting artists for major and minor public art commissions and direct purchases of artworks for the City of Atlanta, while also serving as a qualified professional Public Artist list for additional commissioning agencies. Currently the Registry boasts full portfolios and resumes of over 300 professional public artists and is dedicated to expanding the scope of public artwork in Atlanta.
This month’s artist spotlight is Michi Meko
Bio
A skilled multidisciplinary artist and colorful personality that has established himself as a preeminent creative, with an uncanny ability to inspire an urbanized aesthetic that is innovative, challenging and thoughtful. The works allude to conditions both physical and psychological. His work is a proclamation of strength, perseverance and remembrance.
Michi is a creative mentor in the Fulton County Arts and Culture program Art@Work. Michi Meko has been an artist in residency at The Contemporary Arts Center Atlanta. Michi has been exhibited throughout the United States from Chicago to Art Basel. Meko has received a Dashboard Co-op Residency. Michi Meko has been nominated for an USA Artist Fellow and has been awarded an Idea Capital grant, A Flux Project grant, A Beltline Grant. Michi’s works have been commissioned and included in many private and corporate permanent collections Scion Toyota Motor Company, Red Bull, Project Alabama, King & Spalding, and the CW Network. Michi Meko’s works are represented by Alan Avery Art Co.
Interview With Michi Meko
Let’s start off with who you are and what type of work do you do?
Michi Meko I am a Multi-disciplinary artist. My working mediums exist in the painted, sculptural, and sound installations. I make narrative base works that involve personal histories while exploring southern culture and contemporary urban cultures and sub-cultures. I guess I’m a raconteur griot type. I am so interested in alternative ways of communicating mark making; this is what I call an Alabama Rough Touch Or A.R.T.
Your work is very much influenced by the broad cultural essence of the South, both in a contemporary and historical sense. In what way do you believe Atlanta’s own distinct Southern vernacular plays a role in your work? The work derives its Atlantaness from my participation and exploration of Atlanta’s contemporary urban sub culture. My works pulls some of its mark making language from Graffiti Writing and art vandalism. It’s also possible to read the works from the Atlanta music culture. I also continue to look back to go forward. History is an important part of my narrative, but I’m living in the now and communicate this through layers within the works. I try to find narratives that can exist as history but have this futuristic outlook. I am interested in the cities gray areas. These are the areas like Ponce, Boulevard and Monroe. These areas are heavily layered interactions much like my work and the functions of my studio practice.
Do you think that if you lived in a location other than the Southern United States, that this context would change any, or do you believe that your southern upbringing has planted a permanent seed in your observations as an artist and the topics you choose to tackle? I can never not be who I am, that’s the beauty of cultures. We have to be ourselves and operate accordingly embracing and celebrating our cultures’. The failure to embrace cultures also appears in my work. Cultures can be influenced by outside forces and experiences which can and will make the artist grow and question them and their practice. Travel and reading helps a lot with gaining new perspectives. If I travel yes, the work will change but the early influence of my experiences will all ways be within the artist.
Tell us a little about the objects that you use in your work. Do you respond first to the object itself, and then deal with the cultural implications of the materials or do you first decide on the story and then let the objects surface as you piece together the narrative? For me, it’s important to form a relationship with my objects. I have a route that I travel to gather my objects from certain neighborhoods. Once I gather, I began to sit with the objects and have a conversation. For me, it’s not a random put something here or here and hopes for a good piece. It’s a process and it’s thoughtful and made too look effortless and random but, it is ritual in many ways. It’s during this process is where the spirituality and magic may or may not seep into the works. After this process the objects honestly arrange themselves. We have had our conversations and it’s time to apply it within the process of object making. I also look for objects that have a loaded history or a perceived history. Plus a good sense of art history, street histories , philosophy and design also helps.
In which ways do you believe the public has an impact on your work?
Public art is important for me because I enjoy seeing the works along my routes of travel in the city. They offer a moment of reflection a chance to escape the city and question the city at once. It adds flavor to the city. I also enjoy the works because I know some artist has gotten funding for their project and that gives them life and me as well. Like hey maybe one day I can create a big sculpture in the city.
How important is art funding for you as a working artist? Art funding is the start to developing a practice that one can truly began to realize projects without cutting corners. It’s hard to maintain a studio practice and the funding can help relieve some of the stressors. It provides life to scene and the city. More artist will continue to stay in the city instead of moving to more art friendly cities. Without the funding we loose the flavor of the city and that’s the artist.
What other projects or exhibitions do you have planned in the coming year that you are really excited about? I recently received representation by Alan Avery Art Company in Buckhead; I will be having a solo show with Alan Avery in July. I’m nervous and super stoked at the same time by this opportunity and hope it will lead to more projects. I am also on schedule to go to Detroit to produce a huge project. I will be traveling down to Florida for a project as well. I want to get back in the streets this summer for fun after my solo and commissions to crush some public walls. I will be continuing to do beach travels and grow my Cast Iron Cruise Line skillet boats photography project, I have some ideas for sound projects involving marching bands, mass choirs, and preachers that I would like to get funded as well. I will be fishing a lot too. I am also determined to complete a project that I fell behind on so I have to complete that obligation because I feel really bad about the slow follow through. I guess I’m just looking forward to being busy.
For More on Michi’s Work Click Here
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In celebration of the city Of Atlanta’s new public art app, The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is hosting its first Public Art Scavenger Hunt! The hunt will take place March 9th – 16th. Locate all of the clues to win amazing prizes like original artwork, vintage posters and more! There will be a 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place winner at the end of the race. Players are also encouraged to use the new Atlanta Streetcar for getting around downtown. Find the answers by scrolling through the piece descriptions.
Download the Atlanta Public Art Tour app here:
Visit our social media pages here:
Rules for the HUNT
1.Players must download the Public Art App to participate- Download by going to your app store and searching for Atlanta Art Tour
2 .Players must follow Public Art Atlanta’s twitter, instagram and facebook accounts.
3.Participants must Twitpic and instagram images of guesses using hashtags #AtlArtApp and @OCAPublicArt at the end of their posts
4.The image must feature image of the artwork and the player
5.Player must show proof of images at last location of the hunt
6.Scavenger hunt will take place during the above mentioned time
7.Artworks can be captured using a cell phone, point-and-shoot camera, or video
8. Players can walk, run, bike, skate or take the streetcar to find the locations
More Details on our Facebook Page
March 5th – May 1st
Artists: Robin Bernat , Jessica Scott Felder, Karen Tauches, Wendy Phillips.
Ephemeral Eternity: Memory, Ritual, and Myth in a time of Dissolution is an exhibition focusing on the transience of the human condition, and the power of myth, memory and ritual to forestall vanishing and contested histories and identities. This exhibition examines the acts humanity uses to hold onto beloved memories and contested histories ranging from the personal to the political and the mythic. How we remember the past and process its influence on our present has always been and will always be a part of the human condition. How we record, protect and keep what is beloved becomes the basis for our rituals and myths, for our faiths and our archiving. The artists in this exhibition work in many forms of media and were chosen due to varied ways they represent our physical and emotional histories.
April 26–29, Georgia World Congress Center
The Social Value of Museums: Inspiring Change
Volunteering at the American Alliance of Museum Annual Meeting & Museum Expo is a great way to give back to the community while networking with colleagues and making new friends. Your experience as a volunteer offers important professional development opportunities and may be used to enhance your resume or network. Exposure to the conference educational programs and special events contributes to your knowledge of the museum community.
Volunteer incentives include:
Join us to represent the best Atlanta has to offer! To apply click on Volunteer Application or cut and paste into your browser: https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=107119451
When you register, please choose “Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs” to let them know that we recruited you!
Contact the Volunteer Coordinator at Volunteers@aam-us.org for additional information.
In an effort to ensure that grantees receive their funding sooner, the Contracts for Arts Services grant deadline for the 2015-2016 fiscal year will be on March 2, 2015. Visit the Contracts for Arts Services page for additional information, guidelines and the link to the application site.} else {
Best New Gallery: Gallery 72
The latest addition to Atlanta’s legacy of municipal galleries doubles as a testament to the value of rehabilitated urban spaces. By turning the bottom floor of the former Atlanta Journal-Constitutionheadquarte
“We had an amazing turnout of extraordinarily talented young musicians at this year’s Bank of America Youth Jazz Band Competition,” states Camille Russell Love, Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Area high school jazz bands competed at Georgia State University’s School of Music on March 22 to win a coveted spot at this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival. The top three bands won a slot on to perform and a scholarship from Bank of America. Our yearly competition helps nurture budding musicians and the next generation of jazz enthusiasts. We know you’ll be surprised at their skills when you hear them in Piedmont Park this Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25.”
Here are the winners, the dates and times that they will perform at the Atlanta Jazz Festival and their scholarship amounts:
1st Place: North Atlanta Center for the Arts Jazz Band – Friday, May 23 at 5 pm
They will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
2nd Place: Tri-Cities High School Jazz Band – Saturday, May 24 at 1 pm
They will receive a $750 scholarship.
3rd Place: Milton High School Jazz Ensemble – Sunday, May 25 at 1 pm
They will receive a $500 scholarship.
North Atlanta Center for the Arts Band Director Adam Brooks knew by the time he was in high school that he wanted to be an educator. So he’s in tune with the fact that he is helping his students decide on careers and make life choices. Having played French horn and percussion in school, Brooks enjoyed performing, but loved teaching others. He is a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, with a degree in Jazz Education. He’s been a Music Educator for ten years and the Band Director at North Atlanta for eight years.
“The arts are vital,” says Brooks. “Students who are involved in band, chorus, drama, visual arts and dance are better students academically. The discipline they learn sharpens life skills faster than anything else. And the arts bolster creativity. I believe moving forward that businesses will look for a workforce with creativity and imagination to help push them to the forefront of innovation.”
“Winning the Youth Jazz Band Competition is the culmination of the student’s hard work for the year,” continues Brooks. “We set our goal to win and put it on our board. It’s wonderful to see it come to fruition. We love playing in Piedmont Park and being part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival is truly an honor.”
Tarik Rowland has been the Director of Bands at Tri-Cities High School for nine years and a music educator for fifteen. His undergraduate work was completed at Georgia Southern and he did his graduate work at Shenandoah Conservatory. He is currently completing his Doctorate in Music Education at the University of Georgia. Under Rowland’s leadership, the Tri-Cities Band Program has grown from 45 members to 145.
“I became a Music Educator because I love music and I grew up around it,” explains Rowland. “I play trumpet, and my dad was a Band Director for 43 years! It’s an area where I feel that I can make a meaningful contribution.”
“Music is an important part of our curriculum,” Rowland adds. “It allows students to explore their creative sides, and it’s a very constructive way to process things.”
“We are excited about playing at this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival,” continues Rowland. “It is great for the students to see an audience that loves jazz and celebrates this art form.”
Rowland is ably assisted by Aaron L. Johnson, Associate Director of Bands at Tri-Cities High School. Johnson began playing trumpet at the age of nine and attended Tri-Cities High School where he played in both the symphonic and jazz bands. He attended Tennessee State University where he further honed his skills and studied Orchestral Conducting. He started teaching Math at Tri-Cities six years ago and working part time with the Band Department. This past year he was named Associate Director of Bands.
“My hope is that through music my students will enter a world of endless possibilities,” says Johnson. “Music helps teach focus and discipline which transfers to math and science. It also teaches teamwork and cultural respect, which are important real-world skills.”
Milton High School Jazz Band Director Brandon Kunka graduated with a Masters from the University of Miami, and began teaching music in high schools in Miami before moving to Atlanta. Then he thought he would pursue a career as a musician. But after teaching private music lessons at Milton High School, he realized that he had a passion for teaching, and he was right where he was meant to be. This is his second year as Jazz Band Director at Milton.
“Being able to see my students achieve something great and make a soulful performance is what keeps me in the game,” says Kunka. “I know that the attributes they gain by playing music, like discipline and perseverance, will help them grow as a person and take them further when they go into the professional world.”
“It’s fantastic that we will be performing this year at the Atlanta Jazz Festival,” enthuses Kunka. “The kids are super hyped. It’s the first award that Milton High School has received for their Jazz Program so it’s a huge milestone.”
Sponsorship
Sponsors for this year’s festival include Bank of America, Publix Charities, Coca-Cola, W Atlanta – Midtown, MARTA, XFINITY, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Georgia Lottery. If you are interested in being a sponsor and promoting your product or service at the festival, contact Alex Davis at ADDavis@AtlantaGa.Gov.
The 37th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival is presented by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The mission of the Atlanta Jazz Festival is to educate and entertain a diverse audience of jazz fans and to nurture the next generation of jazz musicians. The festival is partially supported by Atlanta Jazz Festival Inc, a 501©(3) cultural, non-profit. Like us on Facebook at AtlantaJazzFestival and visit the official web site at www.atlantafestivals.com for performance schedules, news and information.
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MEDIA:For hi-res photos, to set interviews, or for more info please contact Karen Hatchett at karen.hatchett@charter.net or 770-433-1137.}
SUNDAY, MAY 4TH 2014 |
“To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Office of Cultural Affairs and the rich legacy of former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, we have planned something special and the public is invited,” states Camille Russell Love, Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Mayor Jackson founded the Office of Cultural Affairs and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. To honor him, and to toast our 40 years of community service, we are throwing a party in Oakland Cemetery, complete with a multi-media exhibition and jazz performances. The festivities will be hosted by Mayor Kasim Reed. Bring your family and friends and join us for the party on Sunday, May 4 from 4-6:30 pm.”
Here are some of the activities planned for May 4 on the North Public Grounds at Oakland:
Musical Performances
To kick off the afternoon, the Good Times Brass Band will play traditional 2nd line selections which are fitting for a jazz celebration.
During the event the Clark Atlanta Jazz Orchestra will perform under the direction of Dr. James Patterson. Dr. Patterson founded the CAU Jazz Orchestra, and they have performed at the Atlanta Jazz Festival many times over the years, including at the very first festival in 1978.
Multi-Media Exhibition
There will be an exhibit of images, archives, articles and artifacts that tell the story of Mayor Jackson’s inauguration, his founding of the Office of Cultural Affairs, and his impact on the arts in Atlanta. Historic photos from Atlanta photographers Jim Alexander and Sue Ross will be on display, as well as documents and images from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Atlanta Daily World.
The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library and is part of their Maynard Jackson Mayoral Administrative Records collection. Spanning from 1968 to 1994, the collection features correspondence, photographs, speeches, news clippings, proclamations, and campaign material from Jackson’s terms as vice mayor and mayor. Housed in the library’s Archives Research Center, the collection is open to the public for research. Contact archives@auctr.edu for more information. To learn about the AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library, visit www.auctr.edu.
Transportation & Parking
The King Memorial MARTA Station is just two blocks from Oakland Cemetery. Also Grady Health Systems is graciously providing free parking to the public in their parking garage behind the King Memorial Station. Here’s a link to a map identifying the MARTA Station next to Oakland, which also shows the location of the parking garage: http://goo.gl/maps/DOBDG
Oakland Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery is an outstanding example of a Victorian garden cemetery. Atlanta milestones are represented at Oakland, from Civil War soldiers, to leaders of industry, to Civil Rights pioneers. Famous residents at Oakland include Atlanta Mayors Maynard Jackson and Ivan Allen, Jr.; Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind; golfing great Robert T. (Bobby) Jones; Samuel M. Inman, Fulton County Commissioner and original owner of the Swan House; and Bishop Wesley John Gaines, founder of Morris Brown College. Oakland Cemetery is located just one exit from downtown Atlanta at 248 Oakland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30312.
Sponsorship
Sponsors for this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival include Bank of America, Publix Charities, Coca-Cola, W Atlanta – Midtown, MARTA, XFINITY, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Georgia Lottery. If you are interested in being a sponsor and promoting your product or service at the festival, contact Alex Davis at ADDavis@AtlantaGa.Gov.
The 37th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival is presented by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The mission of the Atlanta Jazz Festival is to educate and entertain a diverse audience of jazz fans and to nurture the next generation of jazz musicians. The festival is partially supported by Atlanta Jazz Festival Inc, a 501©(3) cultural, non-profit. Like us on Facebook at AtlantaJazzFestival and visit the official web site at www.atlantafestivals.com for performance schedules, news and information.
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The Office of Cultural Affairs launched celebration of 40 years in Atlanta with breakfast for regional arts leaders and presentation of a film highlighting the city’s vibrant arts and culture.
Narrated by Mayor Kasim Reed and produced by Turner Broadcasting with support from Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the film provides a glimpse into the array of artistic experiences available to citizens and visitors across the city. The film captures the diversity of talent and expression that makes Atlanta a progressive community and a thriving metropolis.
The Office of Cultural Affairs (originally The Bureau of Cultural Affairs) was established by Mayor Maynard Jackson in 1974. Mayor Jackson believed that great cities have great art and was committed to Atlanta’s development as such. Over the past 40 years, OCA has served the arts community in a variety of ways that add to the richness of Atlanta’s identity.
View the video below:
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