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The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is seeking feedback on the upcoming Atlanta Moving Forward Bond 2.0 Public Art Program from all Atlanta residents!

The City of Atlanta plans to commission new public artworks in all twelve council districts and need your input.

Please answer this short survey to guide the direction of these projects. This survey will close on February 1, 2023. We are interested your thoughts on locations, mediums, and themes for these future artworks.

If you have any questions, please contact Emily Fisher at EAFisher@AtlantaGA.gov.

Andre’ Henderson exhibition ‘Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey’

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Gallery 72 opens “Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey”, a collection of paintings, by artist Andre’ Henderson, spanning the past decade and including debuting new works.

November 17th, 2022, through February 17, 2023

Artist Talk December 15th, 2022, from 7pm t0 8pm

Andre’ Henderson Pray For Passage 48” x 96”

Henderson states that he is continuously being guided through the storytelling of his ancestors through the works of Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey. “As an African American artist, I feel that it’s not only my mission but also my calling to speak the truth especially in a time where society feels that it is okay to erase history as though it never existed. To date there are many historical books that have been written about the Clotilda but I feel it necessary to honor its descendants with a collection of work, paintings that will last a life time and beyond solidifying their place in history.” said Henderson.

While both series are connected as they chronicle the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the Journey series was painted on canvas were as the Clotilda series is painted on wooden panels of pine. This was intentionally done to elicit reference to the wooden vessel that brought the final African captives to the United States.

“My personal goal is to share what I believe to be an intrinsic message delivered to me through the collective voices of millions of African ancestors as channeled through my art. It all originates from and exists within a place of certainty and fact. Not all the subjects I paint are meant to be beautiful. Sometimes art hurts, even to paint it. But what is certain is that they will create dialogue where perhaps there was none. My inspiration for creating the Clotilda the last slave ship series was based on seeing a documentary on the subject. As it goes with all my work, I researched further to gain more knowledge on the actual historical facts surrounding the story.”

Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.

ELEVATE ATLANTA – CALL FOR PROPOSALS

We are accepting grant proposals for ELEVATE: Open Spaces. Projects must be free and open to the public. All proposals must be original, innovation and exciting. Proposals for all cultural disciplines are encouraged.

City of Atlanta artists, artist groups, arts organizations, and businesses are invited to apply.

Sign-up to attend a required training session to learn more.

Click here to access ELEVATE ARPA documents.

Tell Us What You See…

Maintaining a vast public art collection for an entire city can be challenging at times. That’s why the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) appreciates the communities’ notifications– it helps us stay aware of the condition of public art works across the city.

Recently we received word from a constituent that Toby Martin’s crimson-colored sculpture, My Spirit is Changing had fallen victim to vandalism. Within a week’s span, treatment was underway to address this graffiti in Capitol View’s Perkerson Park. During this sculpture’s graffiti removal, we received word from another Samaritan that someone had vandalized Helen Helwig’s ground mosaic Finding a Way to Harmony in Lakewood. Our Conservation and Maintenance Team sprung into action, visiting South Bend Center for Art and Culture to assess the overpainting and develop a plan of approach. Within 10 days of notification, both artworks were successfully treated.

We wish to highlight the quick turnaround of these treatments, to raise awareness about the direct power of community involvement. We continually assess the condition of all City-owned artwork, but sometimes property damage occurs during the time between assessments. That’s when civilian eyes and ears can really help support our mission.

Enacting change can be as simple as picking up the phone or sending an e-mail. So, remember, this is your city; if you see something, say something.

To report damage to any City-owned artwork in City Parks, please feel free call 404.546.6813 or send an e-mail to parkscustomerservice@atlantaga.gov.

You can visit this online database (https://www.ocaatlanta.com/arts-hub/#search/art) to see which works of art the City manages.

This map is also helpful, to pinpoint locations.

Confluence Exhibit & Book Drive at Chastain Arts Center & Gallery

Chastain Arts Center & Gallery is hosting a Book Drive, in conjunction with the Confluence: The Art of F. Geoffrey Johnson exhibit .

The book drive will be ongoing while the exhibition is up through Friday, April 8^th. All books traded will be donated to Books for Africa. Donors will receive an Olympic pin from a past Olympic year. The exhibition and book drive are free and open to the public. COVID safety guidelines are required for all indoor activity.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS – SOCIAL MEDIA / DIGITAL MARKETING

Happy New Year from the OCA

Contracts for Arts Services is Now Municipal Support for the Arts

The City of Atlanta municipal code authorizes the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) to provide a program of municipal support for the arts. For over three decades, the City of Atlanta has supported Atlanta’s thriving arts community by funding programs and projects related to the production, creation, presentation, exhibition, and managerial support of artistic and cultural services in the city of Atlanta through the OCA’s Contacts for Arts Services program.

In an effort to update the requirements of the program, to best suit the City’s ability to provide funding support to its arts community, the following changes have been implemented:

Rebrand the program as “Municipal Support for the Arts” instead of “Contracts for Arts Services.”

Since this is a funding support program, and not a bid for city services, removing procurement terminology from the program name will remove the assumption that procurement processes must be used for the administration of funding support.

Prepare and pass annual legislation to acknowledging that the procurement code does not apply to the Municipal Support of the Arts.

The annual legislation will allow the City to shorten the timeline for disbursing grant funds, significantly reducing the burden on the small non-profit organizations that comprise most of the applicant pool.

The Municipal Support for the Arts program will remain the City of Atlanta’s means of granting public funding to the arts, providing general operating or project support to Atlanta’s non-profit arts and community organizations.

The City of Atlanta Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for Eternal Flame Memorial for Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children

The City of Atlanta, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Missing and Murdered Children Memorial Taskforce and artist Gordon Huether, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s Eternal Flame Memorial, dedicated to honoring the lives cut short during what is now known as the Atlanta Child Murders.

The completed memorial will be installed on the exterior grounds of City Hall, near the corner of Mitchell Street and Washington Avenue, in 2022. Artist Gordon Huether designed the monument which will serve as a public place of reflection and recognition of the many lives lost during one of the darkest moments of our city’s history and offers eternal gratitude to those who aided in searches, recovery, and healing efforts. It has been a key initiative of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to create “a lasting and appropriate tribute for the victims and their families, to serve as a testament that those lives mattered–that African American lives matter.”

Huether’s design will be created out of corten steel with LED up lighting and includes an eternal flame with the names of the 30 victims identified by the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce. There will be a space below each name to place, flowers or other tokens of remembrance. This artwork is one of two memorial projects to honor Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children, including a commissioned portrait exhibit at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

More information, courtesy of WXIA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XI8tatQlTM

Community Mural Unveiling, Saturday, December 4th at 11 am

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), through its Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC), have joined forces with the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Atlanta City Councilwoman Marci Overstreet (Atlanta-District 11) and local artist TeMika Grooms to bring together individuals from across metro Atlanta, to create a mural paying tribute to Black Americans in the metro Atlanta community that have been leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

A Community Paint Day took place in November where volunteers contributed to painting the mural which is on display at 3190 Campbelton Road, SW.

There will be a free community event, as a part of on-going WORLD AIDS Day events, on Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 11 am to 1 pm, where the mural will be officially unveiled. All are invited to come out and enjoy the festivities, food, family fun and educational resources.

Location: 3190 Campbelton Road, SW; Atlanta, GA

Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, program begins at 11:30 AM

Parking will be available at Westgate Plaza

Playground Restoration – Maintaining an Interactive Sculpture

Four Corners Park is home to In Search of Awe – a unique interactive playground structure created in 1993 by artist and architect Eleanor Hand. Hand ensured this project was a community collaboration, engaging children of the local neighborhood to participate in, and learn the process. Many children created models of their ideas and the community chose the design of a quaint house encompassed by a heart, created by Isaia Jackson, age 15. Hand implemented plans for a functional sculpture based on Jackson’s idea, and she enlisted the help of children in the community to bring the design to life.

Since its creation in decades past, the painted iron and wood structure has experienced wear and tear at the hands of nature, the elements, and human activity. The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has been working to turn back time and give some love back to this play sanctuary. Prior to the artwork’s restoration, an assessment was performed by Shannon Douglas Kimbro, Public Art Conservation and Maintenance Manager. There was vandalism on many areas of the sculpture, either drawn with graphite, chalk, or paint, or otherwise scratched into surfaces. Paint was discovered to be failing on the metal components of the structure, causing spots of corrosion to appear upon the metal beneath. Lichen was found to be inhabiting areas of the roof and walls.

Full treatment was initiated by the Public Art Conservation and Maintenance team. The site was visited multiple times for general graffiti removal, mold removal, power washing, and meticulous re-painting, ensuring that the structure remains safe and clean for the continued enjoyment within the community. The restoration is now complete, and this outdoor communal play structure is open to the public once again.

Restoring Ex-Static: A Complex System in Flux

A lot has happened lately in the bustling city of Atlanta as residents enjoy the last gifts of summer produce and the first of autumn’s crunchy leaves, and alongside the recent ELEVATE programming, our city had the privilege of seeing nationally renowned artist Maria Artemis unveil her artwork, Ex-Static, in its newly restored state. The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Building Four Fabrications, has restored Maria’s 1996 sculptural array to its original radiance.

The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games were a pivotal point in Atlanta’s history, not only because our city hosted people from all over the world to participate in such a momentous tradition, but also because, during the six years of preparation for such an influx of visitors, Atlanta became further culturally fortified with new structures and works of public art, citywide. The City of Atlanta accessed upwards of forty new sculptural and architectural public artworks in 1996, Ex-Static being one of those. Commissioned by the Corporation for Olympic Development in Atlanta (CODA), Ex-Static showcases marvelous feats of engineering, housed within aesthetic fluidity. Examining Ex-Static is like walking into a complex idea in motion.

Crafted, in part, out of repurposed airplane components donated by Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, the artwork is dedicated to Artemis’s father, a former engineer at Lockheed who worked on the two aircrafts (the C-5 and the C-141) that were the source of materials for this installation. From the artist’s website: “These technically sophisticated elements, engineered for another purpose, are reworked. The surfaces have been polished, sandblasted or left with minimal cleaning, and sealed. The beauty of the interior structure has been revealed and emphasized by contrasting paint. The title of the work comes from a stencil found on one of the engine pylons, which read: Ex-Static Test Program.”

After experiencing decades of urban activity, this landmark was due for some serious maintenance. Maria Artemis generously consulted on the restoration project with Frank Yoculan of Building Four Fabrications, and Frank spearheaded the hands-on restoration efforts. Over the course of months, he and his team performed refinishing and intensive repair on various segments of the artwork, in order to realign the artwork with Maria Artemis’s original vision. Funding for this restoration project was provided by the RENEW TSPLOST Infrastructure Bond. Located within the median triangle at the intersection of Pine Street NE and West Peachtree Street NW, this revitalized artwork is now open and available for public viewing and exploration, just one block north of Civic Center MARTA Station.

Lisa Tuttle’s Postcolonial Karma Now Open at Gallery 72

Atlanta, GA — Lisa Tuttle’s postcolonial karma exhibition at Gallery 72 takes viewers on a journey that has been both complicated and enlightening for the Atlanta-based conceptual artist whose work addresses issues of gender, race and class. As a white woman born and raised in the South, descended from white Southerners, living in a progressive, multicultural Atlanta – Tuttle’s multi-media art practice has often reflected on the relationship, and conflict, between the races. postcolonial karma shares some of these observations. The exhibition opened on Friday, October 8 and will be on view through January 31, 2022. Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. Admission is free and open to the public.

“We are excited to present this timely and thought-provoking artwork by Atlanta artist Lisa Tuttle,” states Kevin Sipp, Manager of Gallery 72 for the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We hope the work encourages conversation.”

postcolonial karma is a focused retrospective of Tuttle’s artworks, created over the last 25 years, whose topic has been a personal exploration of the interaction of black and white cultures in the American South, and in the world, including Belgium and South Africa. These works have been shown in previous solo and group exhibitions, but never collectively.

Tuttle has created new artwork for this exhibition, focusing on alternative proposals to address the carving of the three Confederate leaders at Stone Mountain. In considering the current efforts to remove Confederate iconography from public space, the trajectory of her work shifted – focusing specifically on women’s roles in the erection of Confederate monuments and the construction of the myth of the “Lost Cause”.

Approximately 30 artworks are featured in postcolonial karma, including fabric works, photographs, mixed media constructions, and works on paper. *Artwork featured in this release is Klan Ghosts on Stone Mountain.

Gallery 72 is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Guests are required to wear masks and abide by COVID protocols when visiting the gallery.

This exhibition is part of this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival and the project is funded by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

MEDIA: For artwork for this release, go to the ELEVATE media Dropbox https://bit.ly/ELEVATE-ATL-2021 and click on the Lisa Tuttle folder. To set up interviews, or for more information, contact Karen Hatchett at Hatchett PR, karen@hatchettpr.com.

This Sunday–Free Concert in Westside Park

Join Mayor Bottoms for the City’s first concert in Westside Park, featuring Algebra Blessett (@Yesitsalgebra) and Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics (@TheSoulphonics). Admission is free.

#ElevateATL #ElevateArt #Atlanta #AtlantaArtists #Music

CALL FOR ARTISTS! Submission deadline is 10/25/21

Chastain Arts Center has officially reopened!

Registration for the Fall 2021 Session 2 is Open! Dates: November 8^th – December 17^th

Chastain Arts Center (CAC) offers classes in drawing, printmaking, pottery, painting, jewelry making, framemaking and more. The CAC is located inside Chastain Park, in northwest Atlanta.

Click here for more information or give us a call at 404.252.2927

Now Hiring!

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 & Humanties Month Get Involved!

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.

#showyourart2021

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.

ELEVATE 2021 Showcases Art, Music, Murals, Dance, Movies & More Every Weekend In October!

ELEVATE 2021 will take place each weekend in October in partnership with art galleries, museums, theaters, performance venues, restaurants and bars throughout the city.

The theme of this year’s public art festival, REVIVAL: Reopen, Reconnect, Reignite, will help ignite interest in arts and cultural events in communities across Atlanta, from Buckhead to Downtown and Old Fourth Ward to West End.

Visit https://www.elevateatlart.com/elevate-21 for event details.

Quincy Jones’ QwestTV Teams up with the Atlanta Jazz Festival for Exclusive Livestream

Live stream the Meadow Stage performances on Labor Day weekend, September 5 and 6, 2021 with one month of free access to Qwest TV

Qwest TV, a premium video streaming service focused on music-related content, is joining forces with the 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival as its exclusive broadcast partner. The festival, free to all for nearly half a century, unites jazz icons and newcomers for a weekend of powerful performances in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. On Labor Day weekend, September 5 and 6, 2021, jazz lovers around the world can stream the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Meadow Stage performances through Qwest TV’s exclusive livestream. Qwest TV will also offer fans one month of free access to its platform beginning August 4 with code “atlantajazz“ on qwest.tv/atlantajazz.

In addition to an inspiring lineup of emerging artists, the Atlanta Jazz Festival features multiple seasoned jazz greats. Thanks to a soaring, deeply expressive voice, Patti Austin (September 5) has effortlessly glided between the worlds of jazz and pop, collaborating with everyone from George Benson to Michael Jackson. Revered saxophone player and music scholar Archie Shepp (September 6) has innovated African-American musical lineages for decades, playing with greats like John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor, before further exploring new territory in his work with European jazz performers and spiritual master musicians from Morocco. Part of the Miles Davis Quintet, master double-bassist Ron Carter holds the world record as the most recorded bassist of all time and has won two GRAMMYs for his highly creative work.

“It truly makes my soul smile to announce that my beloved Qwest TV will be exclusive broadcast partner to the Atlanta Jazz Festival,a beacon of free culture in a city with incredibly deep and important music roots!” said Quincy Jones. “Catch true legends alongside today’s trailblazers from the festival’s AMAZING concert schedule only on Qwest TV, my HD and 4K streaming platform. It’s free to sign up and join a family of diverse music lovers.”

“The Atlanta Jazz Festival’s broadcast partnership with Qwest TV will give people around the world the opportunity to see why this is such an important event in our city,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “The concert’s popularity each year proves how culturally relevant jazz remains and exemplifies Atlanta’s ongoing commitment to the arts and culture.”

“The Atlanta Jazz Festival encapsulates everything we strive for as a streaming service dedicated to the world’s best, genre-defying music,” explained Reza Ackbaraly, co-founder and CEO of Qwest TV. “The Festival’s dedication to the community and the access provided for anyone hoping to hear high-caliber music both resonate with our mission, which is to give as many people as possible access to the best, most creative musical performances out there.”

To emphasize this spirit of arts accessibility, Qwest TV will offer Atlanta Jazz Festival fans one month of free access to its extensive, carefully curated collection of 1,300+ key concerts and performances from around the world. Beginning August 4, fans can sign up for the free trial using code “atlantajazz“ on qwest.tv/atlantajazz.

Qwest TV will broadcast from the Festival’s Meadow Stage on September 5 and 6 via its SVOD service and its live channel, Qwest TV Jazz and Beyond. Qwest TV will also share exciting interviews and other content focusing on the festival’s artists and their music lineages and visions. Artists featured on the broadcast will include:

Sunday, September 5, 2021

1 p.m. – Karla Harris
3 p.m. – Ryan Kilgore
5 p.m. – Jazzmeia Horn
7 p.m. – Ron Carter
9 p.m. – Patti Austin

Monday, September 6, 2021

1 p.m. – Isaiah Sharkey
3 p.m. – Laurin Talese
5 p.m. – Theo Croker
7 p.m. – Sean Jones
9 p.m. – Archie Shepp

“Music, and jazz in particular, is a foundational part of Atlanta’s identity,” explains Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We’re excited to share our event and our community with music fans around the world, thanks to this partnership with Qwest TV.”

For a full festival lineup, see https://atlantafestivals.com/.

RSVP to the Facebook event here: Day 1 and Day 2.

Elevate 2021 Exhibitions at City Galleries

Gallery 72 exhibition Set for ELEVATE–September 19^th / November 31^st

Postcolonial Karma will be a focused retrospective survey of Lisa Tuttle’s artworks, created over the last 25 years, whose topic has been a personal exploration of the interaction of black and white cultures in the American South, and in the world. These works have been shown in several previous solo and group exhibitions (but never collectively):

Color, Culture and Complexity – MoCA GA

Inheritance – Sandler Hudson Gallery

Belgian (Congo) Diary – Sandler Hudson Gallery

Palimpsest: A Sea Island Cotton Plantation – City Gallery East, Clark-Atlanta University and Atlanta Contemporary

Haunted – Chastain Gallery

Journey – Caversham Press, South Africa

Fence – Agnes Scott College

Mock Proposal – Poem88

Tuttle is also creating new work for this exhibition, focusing on alternative proposals to address the carving of the three Confederate leaders at Stone Mountain.

Approximately 30 artworks will be exhibited, including fabric works, photographs, mixed media constructions, and works on paper. Community conversations/engagements will be presented, artist talks and panels – and a modest companion catalogue raisonné (print on-demand) will be produced.

…

New Acquisitions- Showcasing City of Atlanta Recent Art Purchases

Chastain Art Center Gallery and The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall -September 18th/October 31^st ,2021

During the Pandemic the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) understood that the best way to support artists was to support their artistry. After promoting a public call for submissions, we received overwhelming responses from each creative category. We convened expert panels to select a final list of poets, short story writers, photographers, painters, and choreographers for the creation of new works and the purchase of existing works. The exhibition New Acquisitions highlights the works of art that are now part of the City of Atlanta’s permanent art collection. Eventually each of these works will be displayed in public spaces owned and administered by the City of Atlanta. This exhibition will feature 30 + artist and their distinctive works.

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.

Chastain Arts Center is an educational facility that offers classes, workshops, and exhibits in a variety of creative mediums. Established in 1968 as an arts center, Chastain Arts Center is the oldest Arts Center in Atlanta.

Chastain Art Center is located at 135 Chastain Park Ave.; Atlanta, GA 30342.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall gives rising and established artists an unparalleled showcase and seeks to establish itself as a launching pad for underrepresented Atlanta art professionals, as well as new Atlanta arrivals deserving of exposure.

The Mayor’s Gallery is a municipal art gallery located at 55 Trinity Ave SW; Atlanta, GA 30303 on the 2^nd floor of the City Hall Annex in the foyer of the Mayor’s Suite.

ELEVATE 2021 To Reconnect Communities With Arts & Cultural Experiences

Media Contact:
Karen Hatchett, Hatchett PR

ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival To Activate Communities With Art As They REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT

Atlanta, GA — As residents and businesses begin the process of moving forward with hope and optimism past the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival will help activate communities throughout Atlanta with art and cultural activities. The festival will include partnerships with art galleries, museums, theaters, performance venues, restaurants, bars, shops, colleges, parks, and libraries. ELEVATE 2021: REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT will take place from September 10 – October 31, 2021.

“As we emerge from a global pandemic, people are eager to share experiences and celebrate,” states Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “During this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival our mission is to assist and amplify the efforts of the cultural community and local businesses as they safely REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT. We continue our commitment to highlight the outstanding work of local artists, and this year we are broadening the festival’s scope. Join us beginning Labor Day Weekend with the return of the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and every weekend through October in neighborhoods across Atlanta to enjoy music, art, dance, film and a few surprises.”

“Over the last year, the world has been forced to pause and affirm its value in LIFE,” says Charmaine Minniefield, artist, activist and ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival 2021 curator. “We have witnessed great loss, while reckoning with difficult truths about our generation and what we want our legacy to be. We have been given a chance to imagine what we truly want for our future. It’s time now to come together in creative spaces of possibilities, safely in community, to begin to make our new world.”

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; preserve and protect the city’s cultural heritage; and expand Atlanta’s international reputation. ELEVATE is a program of the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

For news and updates about ELEVATE 2021: REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT visit the website, elevateatlart.com.

For more information, please contact Karen Hatchett at Hatchett PR, karen@hatchettpr.com.

Atlanta Jazz Festival Returns to Piedmont Park, Labor Day Weekend

After a year off, fans will delight in the sounds of legendary jazz musicians like Patti Austin and Archie Shepp – along with rising stars like Jazzmeia Horn and Ryan Kilgore – as well as jazz education workshops, the Kids Zone and more!

The 2021 Atlanta Jazz Festival (AJF), occurring Sunday, September 5 and Monday, September 6, was moved to Labor Day Weekend in Piedmont Park. Fans are welcome to come out to the park and enjoy live music, education food and fun in open spaces. For those who cannot attend, we will be live-streaming the Meadow Stage performances to jazz fans across the globe through our unique partnership with Quincy Jones’ Qwest TV. Festival fans can use discount code “atlantajazz“ on qwest.tv/atlantajazz for one month of free access!

The AJF features outstanding performances on two stages: the Meadow Stage and the Oak Hill Stage. The Meadow Stage line-up for Sunday will feature Karla Harris, Ryan Kilgore, Jazzmeia Horn, the Ron Carter Quartet and jazz, R+B, pop crossover sensation Patti Austin.

On Monday, the Meadow Stage musicians include Isaiah Sharkey, Laurin Talese, Theo Croker, Sean Jones and revered saxophonist and scholar, Archie Shepp.

On Sunday, September 5, the Oak Hill Stage will feature international jazz artists Pasquale Grasso Trio, Yuko Mabuchi, Alexey Marti and Miguel Zenon, while Monday’s performances feature Brenda Nicole Moorer, Logan Richardson, Irreversible Entanglements and Mike Phillips.

This year, the AJF will also feature an educational component with free Jazz 101 workshops that will be led by Grammy-nominated, Grammy-winning and esteemed jazz musicians, including vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, bassist Ron Carter, saxophonists Mike Phillips, Miguel Zenon and Archie Shepp, and trumpeter Sean Jones. The workshops will be held in the Greystone building at Piedmont Park. Registration is recommended due to limited seating and masks are required.

Local artist Michael Reese created this year’s official artwork, “Theories of the Lowest End,” which will be featured on a throw blanket and poster. The merchandise, along with caps, aprons and T-shirts, are available through shop.atlantafestivals.com, the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s first e-commerce store, where sale proceeds help to keep the event free of charge. This year also includes a special collaboration with Atlanta Influences Everything for a limited-edition T-shirt available through the e-commerce store as well as The Artist Market and merchant tents.

The Festival is hosting a special artist village featuring 10 local artists along with The Artist Market which delights fans with eclectic and handcrafted goods that line the park’s sidewalks, along with a variety of food and drinks available for purchase.

The Kids Zone is back in the Meadow from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday and Monday, September 5 – 6. A free interactive experience for children called “African Drums for Kids” will happen on Sunday and Monday in the Kid Zone and be led by two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer and bandleader Russell Gunn. Participating children will receive a T- shirt and a percussion instrument as keepsakes from the 30-minute workshops. There will also be a Baby Rest Stop with changing tables and a designated area for nursing mothers – all free of charge.

This year’s event sponsors include Publix, PNC Bank, Georgia Power, Tito’s Vodka, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC, MARTA, Qwest TV, Moxy Atlanta Midtown and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For more details, visit the events pages at AtlantaFestivals.com or ATLJazzFest.com.

Know Before You Go – Park Rules & COVID-19 Precautions

The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Jazz Festival are following the science and recommendations for safe events. We encourage those attending the festival to be courteous to their neighbors and follow these protocols:

– Masks are strongly encouraged for all attendees, regardless of vaccination status
– Following City of Atlanta guidelines, masks are required for indoor events like Jazz 101 workshops
– Attendees are encouraged to social distance at all times

In addition, there will be enhanced sanitization at the event, including regularly disinfecting surfaces and hand sanitizer stations available to all attendees.

For a complete list of park rules, click here.

Thank you for helping us make the Atlanta Jazz Festival a fun and safe event for all!

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About Atlanta Jazz Festival

For more information, please visit www.atlantafestivals.com and follow Atlanta Jazz Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Fans also can access information on the go by visiting the mobile channel, ATLJazzFest.com, from their smart device.

Seeking Panelists for 2021-2022 Contracts for Arts Services Grant Cycle

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is seeking Atlanta art leaders, business professionals and community members who are interested in serving on the Contracts for Arts Services grant advisory panels for the 2021-2022 funding cycle. Applications are due by August 13, 2021.

Panelists play a vital role in reviewing grant proposals and supporting OCA’s mission of granting public funding to the arts.

For details and Panelist Guidelines & Applications, click tinyurl.com/contractsforartsservices or contact the Contracts for Arts Services Program Manager, Brittnee Buley, at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.

OCA Seeks Proposals from Atlanta Artists for 2021-2022 Grant Cycle

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) program is now accepting submissions from Atlanta artists for the 2021-2022 grant cycle.

Each year, CAS awards contracts to individual artists within the City of Atlanta. Eligible artists interested in these funding opportunities have until 11:59 pm on Friday, August 20, 2021, to apply for funding.

First-time applicants must attend a virtual workshop covering the submission process.

The final virtual workshop will be held on August 12, 2021 at 3:00 PM via Microsoft Teams. You must RSVP to attend. Click here to RSVP.

Applications will be accepted in the following categories:

- – Individual Artist Projects
- – Emerging Artist Award

For more information on the artist virtual workshop, access to the application and guidelines, click here or contact the Contracts for Arts Services Program Manager Brittnee Buley at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks Project Proposals for ELEVATE 2021

The City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is seeking project proposals for its annual Public Art festival, ELEVATE.

This year, ELEVATE will take place each weekend in September & October in various neighborhoods around Atlanta with a focus on the theme, Reopen, Reignite, Reconnect.

The OCA is seeking proposals for all artforms from Atlanta based artists and arts organizations.

Click below for details and requirements:
https://www.elevateatlart.com/callforproposals

Submission Deadline is 5:00 PM EST, August 20, 2021.

OCA Seeks Art Conservator to Help Restore Iconic Old Fourth Ward Mural

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program seeks an art conservator to help restore the “Triumphant Celebration” (pictured above) mural for the 2021 ELEVATE Public Art Festival. Interested parties should submit their proposals to Shannon Douglas Kimbro via email, at skimbro@atlantaga.gov, by 3 PM on Tuesday, August 03, 2021.

The selected conservator shall work closely with the Conservation and Maintenance Program Manager for the project’s duration. All contracted work identified within this Request for Quotes (RPQ) is anticipated to be completed no later than September 23, 2021. All work will need to be strategically planned and coordinated to assure completion within the timeline.

Additionally, the selected conservator will be responsible for all contracted services, insurance requirements, public safety requirements, permits, and coordination of services.

“Triumphant Celebration” was created by the late master muralist, Calvin B. Jones, in 1990 and sponsored by the City of Atlanta’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs (now known as the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs), the City’s Percent for Arts Program, and the 1990 National Black Arts Festival.

As a part of the 2021 ELEVATE Public Art Festival, the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs would like to sponsor the restoration of this iconic mural on Edgewood Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood. All questions, comments, and submittals regarding this RFQ will be received via email.

If you have any questions, please review the complete RFQ by clicking the link below or contact Shannon Douglas Kimbro at skimbro@atlantaga.gov.

Click here to download RFQ

OCA Seeks Artist for Pittman Park Mural Project

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

OCA Public Art Team Restores Olympic Artwork

The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games were accompanied by a large influx of public artworks acquired by the City of Atlanta, including Games, an abstract Corten steel sculpture by Spanish artist Elisa Arimany. Corten steel is intended to showcase the passing of time through its ever-developing ferric patina. Its appearance tends to be most even and aesthetically pleasing when uninterrupted by alternative influences, but the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, recently noticed the patina on Games had developed a streaky and uneven appearance with previous vandalism and damage becoming more apparent with the passage of time.

Local metalworker Jeffry Loy was brought in to perform a mechanical treatment on the artwork to improve the appearance of the patina. Jeffry’s work should promote a more even appearance to the patina as it continues to develop over time. He also spent time cleaning the sculpture’s concrete base to remove any elements distracting to the viewer’s eye, such as unsightly residues, litter, pollutants and biological debris. The Public Art Conservation and Maintenance team also performed a “bang trim” on some of the trees hanging overhead, clearing the space from any contact between branches and the surface of the artwork. If you are ever traveling up Capitol Avenue near the I-20 exit ramp, you will see this newly restored beauty stepping out from the shadows.

ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival To Activate Communities With Art As They REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT

As residents and businesses begin the process of moving forward with hope and optimism past the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival will help activate communities throughout Atlanta with art and cultural activities. The festival will include partnerships with art galleries, museums, theaters, performance venues, restaurants, bars, shops, colleges, parks, and libraries. ELEVATE 2021: REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT will take place from September 5 – October 31, 2021.

For news and updates about ELEVATE 2021: REOPEN, REIGNITE & RECONNECT visit the website, elevateatlart.com.

OCA, Trust for Public Land Seek Artist for Cook Park Legacy Mural Program

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.

Click Here to Download RFP

OCA Announces Dates for FY ’22 Grant Funding Workshops

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.

City of Atlanta, OCA, and Hartsfield-Jackson Honors Atlanta Child Murder Victims with Portrait Art Exhibit

Portrait of Clifford Jones by artist Dwayne Mitchell, one of a series of portraits that will be apart of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits collection.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) announces the exhibition of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, opening Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.

“This Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits exhibit at Hartsfield-Jackson, one of the busiest airports in the world, will honor these kids and be of great comfort to many of the families and residents of Atlanta,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Selected from a competition of over 100 regional visual art professionals, artist Dwayne Mitchell was commissioned to create 30 portraits memorializing each victim of the Atlanta Child Murders.

The OCA will exhibit Mitchell’s completed portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson in the Domestic Terminal atrium with a companion catalog. After the exhibit, the artwork will transition into the City’s Public Art Collection.

The Atlanta Child Murders were a series of killings committed between 1979 and 1981. At least 30 African Americans—mostly children and adolescents—were targeted.

“I want to thank Mayor Bottoms, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce, and our award-winning art program for honoring the lives that were lost during this horrific time with the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson,” said Airport General Manager Balram “B” Bheodari.

In 2019, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an administrative order to establish the Mayor’s Advisory Committee: Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce. The Taskforce, comprised of mayoral appointees from the community, was charged with determining an appropriate acknowledgment of the lives cut short during the Atlanta Child Murders. The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits was one of two projects determined by the taskforce to acknowledge the memory of the lives lost. The second project, the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame, is currently under review and will reside on the grounds of Atlanta City Hall once complete.

The City of Atlanta thanks artist Dwayne Mitchell for sharing his artistic vision with us as we work to memorialize

the lives lost during one of the City’s darkest hours. To learn more about Dwayne Mitchell and his art, visit www.dartportraits.com.

OCA Seeks Grant Proposals from Atlanta Artists, Arts and Community Organizations for FY ’22 Grant Cycle [Deadline Extended]

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Contracts for Arts Services (CAS), the City’s program for granting public funding to arts and cultural activities, is now accepting proposal submissions for the FY ’22 Grant Cycle.

Each year, CAS awards contracts to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, individual artists, and creative projects within the City of Atlanta. Artists and arts organizations interested in these funding opportunities now have until by 11:59 pm on Friday, August 20, 2021 to apply for funding. 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:

Major Arts Organizations

Arts Organizations

Community Cultural Development Organizations

Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU’s) and Neighborhood Organizations

Individual Artist Projects

Emerging Artist Award

“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 submitting a proposal for Contracts for Arts Services funding must attend one of three virtual workshops covering the submission process. The virtual workshops will be held July 8, July 15, and July 22, 2021, at 10:00 AM via Microsoft Teams. Check back here for additional information and a link to access the virtual workshops.

Returning and new respondents can submit a proposal for Contracts for Arts Services funding consideration by clicking here.

For more information including the virtual workshops, access to the application and guidelines, click here or contact the Contracts for Arts Services Program Manager, Brittnee Buley, at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.

OCA Awarded $25,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

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.

Hulu Commissions Monuments Honoring Coretta Scott King and Other Historic Women Leaders

The Public Artworks Will Honor Coretta Scott King in Atlanta, Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Miami and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Los Angeles

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.

Pitroda Art Shines Light on Racial and Social Justice-Influenced Artworks at Atlanta City Hall

Pitroda Art is excited to present the second public installation of artwork by 15 artists participating in Movement: Art for Social Change. This annual juried exhibition celebrates artists as champions of positive social transformation. The featured artworks, selected by a renowned jury and responding to the theme of racial justice and equity, will be projected on the Atlanta City Hall, Thursday, May 20, 2021, from 9 PM to Midnight, in collaboration with the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

“We are excited to bring this engaging art exhibition to Atlanta,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “This exhibition provides a great opportunity to showcase these artworks while taking a reflective look at social justice, interpreted through art.”

In addition, on May 20, Pitroda Art will launch an auction of the selected artworks in partnership with Mastercard on its Priceless.com platform. Closing on June 17, a portion of the auction’s proceeds will be donated to the National Urban League.

More than 500 entries from 175 artists in 33 countries were submitted in response to Pitroda Art’s open call in 2020. The 14 artworks, selected by jurors Aaron Bryant, Adenrele Sonariwo, Dexter Wimberly, and Nancee Lyons, represent poignant, timely interpretations of Black history, racial identity, and the current realities of the Black diaspora.

As the epicenter for the Civil Rights movement and a thriving hub of art and culture, Atlanta was chosen as one of five US cities to host this event. Pitroda Art has partnered with the City of Atlanta to bring this show to life. The projection provides emerging and mid-career artists a unique opportunity to showcase their work to the public.

The inaugural event was launched in Washington D.C on May 13. Projections onto the iconic structures of four other U.S. cities will follow: Atlanta (May 20), Los Angeles (May 27), Chicago (June 3), and New York City (June 14).

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Antoine Williams (USA), Àsìkò (UK), Heather Haynes (Canada), Kadiejra O’Neal (Barbados), Lloyd Foster (USA), Mark Wilson (USA) and Paola Zarate (USA), Nombuso Dowelani (South Africa), Paul Ogunlesi (Nigeria), Penda Diakité (USA-Mali), Rohan Patrick (USA), Segun Aiyesan (Nigeria), Tim Davis (USA), Tsoku Maela (South Africa), Winfred Nana Amoah (Ghana).

Pitroda Art Presents “Movement: Art for Social Change” at City Hall on May 20

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.

OCA’s Public Art Team Mends Thornton Dial’s “The Bridge” in Freedom Park

“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.

OCA’s Conservation and Maintenance Team Restores “Ancestral Totem”

Ayokunle Odeleye’s “Ancestral Totem” before and after restoration

Even the most brilliant metal sculptures need cleaning and polishing, especially when residing outdoors. As recently illustrated by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Conservation and Maintenance Team, polishing can make a huge difference.

In mid-April 2021, Conservation and Maintenance Technicians Cara Davis and Adrian Barzaga set out to restore the luster of Ayokunle Odeleye’s “Ancestral Totem”. The pair cleaned all surfaces of the sculpture, removing any residues interfering with the surface’s visibility. The technicians then applied a stainless steel polish to remove surface imperfections and reclaim the totem’s original glory. To complete the treatment, they thoroughly washed the base of the sculpture, removing any debris impeding the artwork’s message.

Since its creation in 1993, this sculpture has seen many phases of elemental wear and tear. What was once oxidized steel receding into the background now springs to the forefront of viewers’ attention, no longer hiding in shadow. The Conservation and Maintenance Team is happy to continue efforts to keep artwork like “Ancestral Totem” looking their best.

City of Atlanta Unveils New Sculpture of Congressman John Lewis

City of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (center) and former Mayor Andrew Young (right) standing in front of the recently installed John Lewis statue in the new Rodney Cook, Sr. Park

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to unveil a new sculpture of the late Civil Rights leader and congressman John Lewis, commissioned and donated to the City of Atlanta by the National Monuments Foundation.

Less than a year ago, Atlanta lost a beloved leader in the Civil Rights movement to pancreatic cancer. John Lewis fought the good fight until the very end. This new statue by artist Gregory Johnson in the new Rodney Cook, Sr. Park, signifies the ongoing fight for equality and equity, despite losing such an anchoring and influential figure.

In an eye-opening era with fuller truths unraveling, many citizens remain concerned about the limited perspective in the storytelling of our nation’s history with our monuments. The John Lewis Statue is a valuable contribution toward providing a more inclusive narrative.

Located in Historic Vine City, the new Rodney Cook, Sr. Park is home to 16 acres of recreational space. Whether visitors are looking to “get in good trouble” or ingest a taste of peaceful possibilities, all are welcome to explore the new sculpture and park grounds.

OCA Celebrates New Bronze Statues with Family Members of Civil Rights Leaders

On March 3 at Mozley Park, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs celebrated the installation of four new bronze statues with the family members of Civil Rights leaders Dr. Rita Samuels, Dorothy Bolden, Rev. Hosea Williams, and W.A. Scott.

The family members were instrumental in helping the OCA and artist David Alan Clark recreate the likeness of each sculpture and honor their commitment to Civil Rights.

Family members of W.A. Scott standing from left to right: Kiawanne Scott, W.A. Scott IV, W.A. Scott VI, Nyla Scott, and Staci Walker Lynch Scott. Sitting from left to right: Brian McKissick and Alexis Scott

Standing from left to right are family members of Hosea Williams: Elisabeth Williams-Omilami, Evelyn Williams, Juanita Omilami-Ramey. Seated from left to right are some of Hosea Williams’ grandchildren Perpetua Ramey, Kamaya Ramey, Malachi Ramey, and his daughter Yolanda Williams-Favors.

Standing from left to right are family members of Dorothy Lee Bolden: Indigo Faith Kemp, Bryan R. Ingram, Ingra D’Abram Kemp, Charles D. Ingram, Abram Thompson, Jr., Altermiece Thompson-Gates, Anthony Thompson, Sr., Dorothy Thompson-Ingram, and Dennis Gates. Seated from left to right: Avon Thompson-Whitehead, Tiffany Dawn Roosevelt, and Kennedy Roosevelt

Standing are family members of Dr. Rita Samuels: Bryce Love, Chloe Friendly, Paris Murphy-Doctor, Stanley Samuels (husband), and Estella Jackson (sister). Seated: Ernest Slappey, Gregory Doctor, Darius Parker, Brittany Murphy, Courtney Friendly, and Deion Friendly.

OCA’s Public Art Program Seeks Proposals for Two New Art Installations in Downtown Atlanta

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) invites local metro Atlanta artists to submit proposals for two new public art installations supported by the office’s Public Art Program.

Sculptors interested in participating can submit pre-existing, three-dimensional (3D) sculptures for consideration in our Temporary Art Program. The selected artwork will reside in Hardy Ivy Park, a location in downtown Atlanta, for up to two years and contribute to downtown Atlanta’s cultural amenities. An art selection committee will assist the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program in the selection process. The selected artist will be awarded an honorarium not to exceed $3,000 paid over the two-year period while retaining ownership of the artwork.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program will manage all permitting, engineering reviews, and insurance requirements for the contracted artwork. The deadline to submit a sculpture proposal is Friday, April 30, 2021, at 5 PM EDT.

For full details, including submission requirements, click here to download the complete Request for Proposal (RFP).

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TEMPORARY ART PROGRAM RFP FOR HARDY IVY PARK

In addition, local muralists, visual artists, and designers are encouraged to submit proposals for the “Beloved Community” Road Mural Project. A joint endeavor by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and the Department of Transportation (ATLDOT), the “Beloved Community” Road Mural Project seeks design proposals from local professional visual artists to create a road mural for downtown Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood.

The mural will reside on Auburn Avenue, between Jackson Street NE and Boulevard NE. Proposed designs should take into account the community’s Civil Rights legacy, leaders, and embody aspects of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Beloved Community.”

There may be opportunities to incorporate two crosswalks and traffic barriers near the mural’s designated location on Auburn Avenue. ATLDOT and OCA will work with the artist(s) to modify the selected design if needed.

Please note the design(s) must not violate the standards outlined in the City of Atlanta’s Decorative Street Policy. The selected artist will be awarded $15,000 as compensation for their design and to cover the cost of material to create the mural. The deadline for interested artists to submit their proposals is Monday, April 19, 2021, at 12 PM EDT.

For full details, including submission requirements, click here to download the complete Request for Proposal.

For any questions regarding the project or the proposal submission for either project, please contact Briana Camelo at bxcamelo@atlantaga.gov.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD “BELOVED COMMUNITY” ROAD MURAL PROJECT FOR AUBURN AVENUE

City of Atlanta Installs Bronze Sculptures Dedicated to Local Civil Rights Leaders in Mozley Park

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.”

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.

OCA Creates Self-Guided Civil Rights Public Art Tour

During Black History Month, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) curated a special selection of public artworks, inviting citizens to partake in a self-guided art tour across the heart of the city. The Civil Rights Public Art Tour showcases murals and sculptures that acknowledge and commemorate important events and unforgettable leaders in the Civil Rights Movement.

The tour aspires to shine a light on the historical narrative and culture-specific to the City of Atlanta. This interactive experience includes a virtual tour guide, providing history and artist information for each unique piece.

In addition, the OCA’s Public Art Conservation and Maintenance team members Adrián Barzaga and Cara Davis visited each site to restore artwork in Atlanta’s open-air museum.

The Civil Rights Public Art Tour ushers viewers through Atlanta’s streets to historic sites and monuments celebrating pivotal moments and esteemed figureheads, immortalizing groundbreaking advancements in the ongoing fight for civil and human rights.

Interested parties can explore how Atlanta’s roots and colorful history made an impact on the world. Stay tuned for future self-guided tours from the Public Art Program.

To follow the self-guided Civil Rights Public Art Tour, click here.

Public Art Program Restores Artwork Celebrating Women of the Civil Rights Movement

“Journey to Freedom,” a mixed-media mural installation by Lynn Linnemeier, was recently restored by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance team following a fury of graffiti tags that marred the artwork.

A section of the “Journey to Freedom” installation after restoration and before treatment.

The Conservation and Maintenance team worked hard to restore the installation’s contrasting elements for pedestrians’ peaceful enjoyment on the trail.

Located near the Freedom Trail underpass, the Beltline adjacent installation celebrates women’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The buff-colored concrete areas and contrasting elements help the artwork stand out.

Regulars on the Freedom Trail express their thanks for the team’s efforts to remove graffiti and preserve the City’s public art.

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Releases FY ’20 Annual Report

The City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is pleased to release our FY ‘20 annual report, detailing the accomplishments of the past fiscal year.

“Cosmo” by Maurice Evans and Grace Kisa; mixed media, photography on wood panel

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our staff and supporters, we continued to serve the City’s creative community and provide individuals with access to the arts. Despite the extraordinary events that impacted us, the City’s arts community showcased its resilience and innate ability to innovate. We believe our infusion of support, coupled with bold new undertakings from our grantees, helped them stay the course while exploring long-term solutions for the future.

A digital version of the FY ‘ 20 Annual Report is available for your review, via the link below. We hope you will take some time to review some of our greatest accomplishments of the past fiscal year and that you will continue to support our efforts to come. To read the report, click here.

City of Atlanta Installs New Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the installation of a new bronze sculpture of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The installation, titled “Hope Moving Forward,” is located at the intersection of Northside Drive and Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive near Mercedes-Benz Stadium as part of the City’s MLK Innovation Corridor Project. The artwork is the first of seven installations commissioned to honor the legacy and global influence of the civil rights leader.

Mayor Bottoms (middle), OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love (Far Right), and other City officials cutting the unveiling ribbon for “Hope Moving Forward” created by renowned sculptor Basil Watson.

“This sculpture is a fitting and timely tribute to Atlanta’s son, Dr. King,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Atlanta is the cradle of the Civil Rights movement and is the birth home and final resting place of Dr. King. Erecting this sculpture underscores our administration’s commitment to creating my vision of One Atlanta while celebrating Dr. King’s dream of a beloved community. Both aspire to create societies based on justice, equal opportunity, and love of one’s fellow human beings,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Thank you to all who had a role in creating this tribute sure to inspire generations of Atlantans.”

Created by the internationally renowned Jamaican-born sculptor Basil Watson, the monument pays tribute to Dr. King’s walk toward peace and equality for all people. Watson’s winning sculpture proposal was selected from a national call for artists released in January 2018, by a selection committee which included representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), MARTA, and Clark Atlanta University.

“The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is commissioning world class artworks that celebrate Atlanta’s unique and impactful civil rights history, while honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other local heroes hailing from the community along the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

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 through the implementation of new multi-use trails. A portion of the project, from Ollie Street to Northside Drive, is substantially complete, with the remainder of the project from Ollie Street to Fulton Industrial Boulevard to be completed by spring 2021. Work also includes a protected bike and pedestrian facility from James P. Brawley Drive to Northside Drive.

“The MLK Corridor is an outstanding representation of the complete street concept of urban infrastructure design and the City of Atlanta’s Vision Zero commitment,” said ATLDOT Commissioner Josh Rowan. “The corridor employs a variety of transportation improvements –resurfacing, restriping, signalized pedestrian crossings, bicycle lanes, medians and landscaping—to reduce accidents and improve the quality of life for area residents.”

The artwork was added to the City’s Public Art Collection on Thursday, January 14, 2021. A celebratory event to recognize the improvements to the corridor and public art additions will be scheduled at a later date.

OCA Announces 2020-2021 Contracts for Arts Services Grantees

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) announces the recipients for the 2020-2021 Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) awards. Each year, the CAS program provides 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 CAS awards celebrate the contributions and resiliency of the Atlanta cultural community—this year, even more so amidst economic challenges posed by COVID-19,” said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “Atlanta’s creative community has written our city’s story through their excellence and truths, and those are invaluable gifts that will benefit generations to come.”

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.

“In the past 10 years, the City of Atlanta has increased the annual investment to artists 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.

During fiscal year 2021, the City of Atlanta through the Contracts for Arts Services program will provide municipal support for the arts totaling more than $1,700,000 to 13 individual artists, 75 arts organizations, and 14 community and neighborhood organizations in the city of Atlanta.

In addition to the Contracts for Arts Services awards, the City of Atlanta through the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has supported artists and the non-profit arts sector at this vital time through the following:

$159,800 – to 35 choreographers, 18 literary artists, 11 photographers, 25 musicians, and 32 visual artists

$127,000 – to 64 small mid-sized arts organizations through the second round of power2give/Atlanta crowdfunding campaigns

Since inception, power2give/Atlanta has generated more than $2.6 million for Atlanta’s arts community and has helped fund over 330 projects. With City funding constraints stemming from COVID-19, Fractured Atlas has made the decision to retire the power2give crowdfunding platform.

In spite of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the City’s finances, the City of Atlanta remains committed to supporting local artists and non-profit organizations as evidenced by the City’s continued financial support.

2020-2021 Contracts for Arts Services Grantees

Major Arts Organization

Art Organizations

Community Cultural Development

Artist Project

Amina S. McInytre
Andrew Robert Gal
Barry S. Mann
Caleb M. Brown
George Galbreath
Gregor Turk
Kiera A. Nelson
Lisa M. Tuttle
Matthew F. Terrell
Okwae A. Miller
Robbie W. Land
Ronesha L. Strickland

Neighborhood Arts Grant

Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association
Friends of Howell Station, Inc.
West Side/Howell Mill Community Improvement District (CID)

OCA Public Art Program Repairs Monument in Heritage Park

The “Untitled Granite Archway” in Heritage Park following emergency repairs made by the OCA’s Public Art Program in December 2020.

In early December, Heritage Park’s defining monument, “Untitled Granite Archway,” required emergency repairs. The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs enlisted Black Galaxy Marble and Granite to aid in reinforcing the archway’s waterproofing to prevent water and elemental debris from further damaging the structure.

The archway’s top segment was previously protected only by a temporary waterproofing barrier, which dissolved – allowing water and sediment to enter the structure’s interior. The weight of all the sediment caused sections of the stone to break.

A layer of matching granite was installed on the top of the archway as a permanent water barrier. This new granite piece will prevent water from entering the monument and keep it safe from further elemental damage.

Along with the surrounding plaza, the archway is a landmark within Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood, located at a prominent point within Heritage Park.

This monument was created in 1996 by Georgia Institute of Technology professors Stuart Romm, Frederick Pearsall, and Harris Dimitropoulos as a memorial to the founders of Summerhill.

It acts as a symbolic gateway to the community that overlooks downtown Atlanta and Georgia State Stadium, connecting onlookers to the backbone of the city. With the repairs behind it, the archway will stand firm for years to come.

Staff of the OCA Public Art Program and Black Galaxy Marble and Granite making repairs to the archway.

Original Artist Returns to Restore Washington Park Mural

Artist Carl Joe Williams restoring “Legends” a mural he originally created in 2003 for the the Washington Park Tennis Center.

It is always a wonderful sight when an artist can help restore their artwork and breathe life into it once again. In late November, artist returned to Atlanta to restore his mural “Legends” at the Washington Park Tennis Center.

A New Orleans native, Williams is a former student of the Atlanta College of Art, now the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). His artwork bridges the space between two of the South’s most beloved cities – bringing some of Louisiana’s artistry to Atlanta’s Public Art Collection. Full of color, “Legends” features snapshots of tennis players in action and acknowledges the athletic lineage of the sport.

Originally added to the City of Atlanta Permanent Public Art Collection in 2003, “Legends” has endured almost two decades of weathering. Williams and his assistant performed an overall surface clean – including the removal of old, unstable pigments.

The duo also addressed paint failure across the mural by applying fresh paint and polishing all metal surfaces to renew their appearance. Finally, a coating of varnish was used to protect the newly restored work – enlivening the tennis center once again with bright colors and radiating energy.

Legends Before and After Restoration

Public Art Program Installs Three Artworks at New ZONE 3 Police Precinct

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

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

OCA Launches First-Ever Virtual Exhibition with Sara Hornbacher’s “PRECESSION OF THE SIMULACRA”

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to share Sara Hornbacher’s “The Final Flag,” an excerpt from “PRECESSION OF THE SIMULACRA,” in our first-ever virtual exhibition.

Premiering digitally on the OCA’s Facebook page on Monday, November 2 at 3 PM, the virtual and social-distanced installation features remixed video work created by pioneering video artist Sara Hornbacher. The exhibition will also be on view at Gallery 72 (72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA) through the exterior gallery window from Monday, November 2, 2020, to Wednesday, January 21, 2021.

Created in 1988, the excerpt is the final leg of a 22-minute video responding to attempts to abridge artistic or political use of the American Flag.

The Flag Finale represents the third order of the simulacra, where reality is immediately contaminated by the simulacrum. The stabilized form of the code is corrupted and separated.

At this stage of representation, the conventions of individuality and community are experienced as by-products of ‘memory’ (both human and technological), as the socializing power shapes the immediate sense of self within the techo-luminous spectacle.

The soundtrack, composed by the artist in collaboration with Brooks Williams at Harmonic Ranch, builds to a telemetric electro-frenzy, incorporating fragmented melodic strains of American patriotic songs along with Shelley Hirsch’s near-hysterical vocals as the image of the flag ‘whites out.’

To experience this virtual exhibition, watch the video below.

Chastain Instructors Create Tiny Park for all to Enjoy

In October, Chastain Arts Center teaching artists Iris Eve Schaer, Jessica Locklar, and Georgia Nagle created a miniature garden for the Tiny Little Parks along Buckhead’s PATH400 experience.

A partnership between Livable Buckhead and Tiny Doors ATL artists, the project re-invented the annual PARK(ing) Day hosted along PATH400 into an outdoor event that adorned the path with miniature green spaces from October 16 to 18.

The event’s goal was to demonstrate the value of increasing green space in our community by showing the impact of community art and the value of parks – no matter how small.

The three Chastain instructors collaborated to make a “Tiny Chastain Sculpture Garden” sponsored by the arts center. The miniature sculpture garden also featured recycled elements and found items to add p
ersonality to the tiny green space.

OCA’s Public Art Program Restores Artwork in West End Park

Before and After Restoration

In the southeast corner of Atlanta’s West End Park stands a lofty steel sculpture, which remained, until recently, weathered and anonymous.

Its colors long since faded due to year’s of weathering, this sculpture was fabricated in 1979 for the City of Atlanta, and it was de-accessioned from the City’s Public Art Collection during the 1990s.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs recently restored and reinstituted this piece into the City’s Public Art Collection once again, in congruence with this year’s ELEVATE festival, highlighting public art within Atlanta’s West End neighborhood. This restored artwork was included in a walking art tour developed for this year’s ELEVATE.

The 24-foot-tall sculpture suffered severe paint flaking and cracking along the main structure while the upper cable wire began to break and rust away. The sculpture’s restoration was performed in early October by Jeffry Loy, a local artist, blacksmith, and art conservator. Jeffry removed the preexisting paint and repaired the mechanism. He also primed and painted the sculpture with fresh color, renewing the sculpture’s appearance with an effect that ripples out to the entirety of West End Park and the surrounding neighborhood.

OCA Releases Pandemic Atlanta 2020 Magazine

Presented by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Pandemic Atlanta 2020 magazine is an assortment of artwork, literature, poetry, and photography documenting the experiences of Atlanta-based artists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to download a copy of the magazine.

Public Art Program Restores West End Historic Walk for ELEVATE

Facebook Partners with ELEVATE to Install Five Voter Awareness Murals in Atlanta

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

ELEVATE 2020 to Examine Inequity and Promote Community Building and Activism

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will bring its annual ELEVATE public art festival to Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood from Sunday, October 4 to Saturday, October 10, 2020. This year’s festival events will be virtual.

2020 has brought a pandemic, racial unrest, an economic recession, food shortages, and a political struggle for the soul of our country. Voices calling for change have risen to a deafening pitch. Against this backdrop, ELEVATE: Equity, Activism, Engagement is inviting artists, thought leaders, and the public to examine issues of inequity and injustice with the goal of inspiring community building, activism, and hope.

“We want this year’s ELEVATE festival to be a platform for dialogue about important issues, provide resources for activism, and help set a course for positive change,” states Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “For the first time, the festival enters the digital space. We invite people to join us for virtual events including visual art experiences, dance, poetry, lively conversations, film screenings, musical performances and more. All of the events are free.”

Leatrice Ellzy Wright, Executive Director of Hammonds House Museum, is this year’s Curator for ELEVATE: Equity, Activism, Engagement.

Here are some of this year’s events and programs:

Mural installations honoring civil rights leader Reverend James Orange and Black women activists from the West End community.
An online and in person voter registration event at the West End MARTA station.
A conversation with New York Times best-selling authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones, who frequently feature Atlanta’s West End community in their work.
The opening of Hammonds House Museum’s exhibition Elements of A Revolution.
A conversation between the executive directors of Atlanta Contemporary and Les Abattoirs/Toulouse to discuss challenges of promoting art during COVID-19, issues of gender equality and racism in their field. Since 1974 Atlanta and Toulouse have been Sister Cities.
A screening of the stirring new documentary, “John Lewis: Good Trouble,” an intimate account of the legendary U.S. Representative’s life, legacy, and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism.
An Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performance of Lazarus created by acclaimed hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris. The ballet connects the past and the present in a powerful work that addresses racial inequities America faced when Mr. Ailey founded his dance company in 1958 and still faces today.
Renowned artist Carrie Mae Weems, in collaboration with SCAD, will launch RESIST COVID/TAKE 6, a public art initiative raising critical heath awareness about COVID-19 and the ways racial inequities have manifested in the pandemic.
Musical performances by Kebbi Williams and The Wolf Pack, The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, Gritz and Jelly Butter, Tony Hightower, and Julie Dexter.

Partners for this year’s festival are Kroger, MARTA, Hammonds House Museum, Selig Enterprises, Goodwill Industries, West End Mall, Consulate General of France in Atlanta, Georgia STAND-UP, The Atlanta Hawks, Fulton County Registration and Elections, SCAD, West End Tours, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, and Canopy Atlanta. Destination Dance Ailey Atlanta Partners include Rialto Center for the Arts at GSU, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, AREA, Reigning Victory Dance Academy, and The Atlanta Ballet.

For more information about ELEVATE, please visit the web site: elevateatlart.com.

Volunteers Help Restore Journey to Freedom

before // after volunteer‐performed graffiti removal

Thanks to the watchful eyes and commitment of volunteer Alexander Parker one of our most beloved murals, “Journey to Freedom”, recently underwent treatment.

Located at the Freedom Trail underpass, “Journey to Freedom” is a mixed media mural installation that celebrates the contribution of women to the Civil Rights Movement.

The area is a particularly vulnerable target for tagging. However, thanks to Parker’s vigilance the mural has been restored to its former glory. A nearby resident, Parker frequents the path and has noticed the repeated tagging of the public art installation. In support of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Conservation Team, Parker began volunteering his time to help watch for new graffiti tags and help cover up graffiti on certain, specified areas of the mural.

Parker, who is often accompanied by his wife, Jill Savitt, the President and CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, volunteered to help keep the neighborhood looking beautiful for all residents and visitors, stating, “Where you walk is as much a part of your home as your actual home.”

Alexander Parker and his Wife Jill Savitt

When asked what he likes most about participating as a volunteer, Alexander commented, “I like doing something in my own community, plain and simple. It’s also nice when people out of the blue thank me for what I am doing!”

Even in light of recent events, the OCA continues to discourage graffiti and preserve public works of art. The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is thrilled to have volunteers like Parker support our efforts to protect these cultural beacons during such harrowing times.

OCA Seeks Muralists for Dual Social Justice Inspired Murals for ELEVATE 2020 [CLOSED]

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:

Live or work out of a studio in Atlanta,
Have experience in painting large scale murals,
Have experience in working closely with communities.

All applicants, regardless of race, sex, religion, nationality, origin or disability will be considered.

Artist Proposal Submission Requirements

CV/Resume (one page)
Proposed Mural Design
Artist Statement
3-6 images of previous work (preferably images of mural projects)
Budget breakdown with detail explanation of materials, equipment, and assistants needed to complete artwork.
Your availability from September to October 2020
A Completed E-Verify Contractor Affidavit OR No E-Verify Memorandum (review full RFP for more information)

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.

Public Art Program Completes Multi-Year Restoration of Fork Art Park

“Guitar Girls” by James Harold Jennings before and after restoration.

In June, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program finished its multi-year restoration of Folk Art Park, a vibrant homage to southern folk artists.

Opened prior to Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Fork Art Park gradually succumbed to two decades of weathering.

Partnering with the Georgia Department of Transport, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, the Community Foundation, and Renew Atlanta, the Public Art Program’s Conservation and Maintenance Team has worked to restore the site’s original polish.

Since the initial phase of the restoration, each piece in the collection has undergone extensive restoration in order to revive the voices and visions of these works of art amidst the bustling activity of urban life.

Adorned by the windmill-inspired artwork of Vollis Simpson and James Harold Jennings, the southwest corner of the Ralph McGill Boulevard and Courtland Avenue intersection was the final phase of the restoration. In July 2019, local artist and art restorer Jeffry Loy, and his team, dismantled Vollis Simpson’s four “Windmills” and spent the next six months working with art re-finisher Jan Riley to restore each installation off-site. The four windmills were then reinstalled at the intersection in December of that year.

Shortly afterward, Loy and his team disassembled the final piece in the restoration, James Harold Jennings’ “Guitar Girls” and its accompanying archway, in February 2020.

Loy and Riley again worked together to restore each artwork and finish the restoration. Following the four-month restoration process, the artworks were re-installed in June 2020.

Vollis Simpson’s “Windmills” before and after restoration.

“Star Wheel with Guitar Girls” Windmill by James Harold Jennings after restoration.

OCA Delays Cultural Experience Project Trips Until 2021

In accordance with the City of Atlanta’s reopening guidelines and best practices as advised by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and peer health organizations, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) will delay offering our Cultural Experience Project’s on-site experiences until the second half of the school year.

As Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and other school districts in metro Atlanta grapple with the challenges of the upcoming school year, it is in everyone’s best interest to allow administrators and staff to focus on providing quality education to tens of thousands of students.

Following the completion of the first half of the school year, we will work with APS and our venue partners to evaluate how best to resume the Cultural Experience Project (CEP) program while adhering to what health guidelines may be at that time.

Since mid-May, our office has worked tirelessly with our many cultural partners on how to continue providing these beloved experiences to APS students. Like our cultural partners, we are concerned about the health and safety of students, teachers, chaperones, and colleagues during the world’s current health climate.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs expects that by late fall we will have a better understanding of the situation and will make decisions regarding future trips in concert with APS and our cultural venue partners.

Public Art Program Restores Mural Dedicated to Civil Rights Icons

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.

Public Art Program Seeks Local Artists for New Mural Projects [CLOSED]

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).

“Birth of Atlanta” Rises Again in Westside Park

After restoration and relocation, funded by Renew Atlanta, Birth of Atlanta is now on view at Westside Park. The sculpture was originally located above Heritage Row in Underground Atlanta, at the intersection of Central Avenue and Alabama Street.

Lord Aeck Sargent, an architectural design firm specializing in responsive design, was commissioned to create the artwork and worked with prominent artist and architect Amy Landesberg who designed “Birth of Atlanta”. The Corporation for Olympic Development in Atlanta (CODA) commissioned the monument to commemorate the Centennial Olympic Games hosted in Atlanta in 1996.

Measuring at 32 feet wide by 45 feet tall, the steel structure consists of seven pairs of perforated metal “feathers and wings” outstretched, as if in flight. Its design makes an abstract reference to the Phoenix, a bird from Greek mythology that emerged victoriously from the ashes of its funeral pyre. This Phoenix personifies Atlanta’s recovery following the destruction caused by the Civil War.

In 2016, the sculpture was de-installed and disassembled for restoration and stored until its new home was ready in Westside Park.
Southern Valve and Metal, the firm that originally installed the artwork, handled the relocation, re-assembly, and installation of the artwork with oversight from the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance Program.

The City of Atlanta – Department of Parks and Recreation funded and managed the construction of an elevated platform to hold the artwork in Westside Park where it now resides. The restored sculpture serves as the centerpiece of the initial opening phase of the park.

OCA’s Conservation Team Restores ELEVATE Mural

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance Team recently restored a mural at Atlanta’s Pittsburgh community. Located on 1029 McDaniel Street, the mural was created by Charity Hamidulah during our annual ELEVATE Public Art Festival in 2019.

Children in the Pittsburgh neighborhood were used as references for the mural. The piece evokes a sense of global awareness, acknowledging children as an important part of the future of our world and giving them a chance to feel seen and involved.

The OCA strives to engage small, emerging communities through ELEVATE, in order to make a sustainable impact with art and culture. Addressing the graffiti on this mural communicates the City’s continued investment in the neighborhood and while celebrating cultural and artistic expression.

Mayor Bottoms Launches CreATL Relief Fund for Atlanta’s Creative Workforce

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.

OCA’s Conservation and Maintenance Team Restores Complementary Murals

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.

Chastain Arts Center Launches #ChastainStaysCreative Initiative

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.

OCA Launches #GivingTuesdayNow Fundraising Campaigns to Support 62 Local Arts Organizations

This #GivingTuesday, we encourage you to donate to one of the 62 local, arts-based organizations we support through our partnership with power2give/Atlanta, a crowdfunding site for the arts designed specifically to connect donors to proposals that inspire. Local organizations post projects that are in need of funding and you help bring them to life with a gift.

In light of recent unprecedented global events, support for these organizations is needed more than ever. Join us this Tuesday, May 5, for a special #GivingTuesday campaign. #GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In our efforts to support our local arts organizations and artists during this time, the City of Atlanta through the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will provide matching support up to $2,000 for each of the 62 proposals posted on power2give/Atlanta.

We hope these efforts will provide some financial relief and comfort to the City’s art & culture ambassadors.

OCA Postpones the Atlanta Jazz Festival Until Further Notice

Based on an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus pandemic and keeping the public’s safety as a top priority, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has decided to postpone the 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival previously scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 24. Organizers are currently exploring alternative dates to hold the festival in 2020.

“This was a very challenging decision as the Atlanta Jazz Festival is a time honored and treasured tradition,” said OCA Executive Director Camille Love. “And while Memorial Day weekend falls beyond the shelter-in-place timeframe, large gatherings are still being discouraged. With 150,000 attendees typically attending our event in Piedmont Park, we thought it best to find other dates later this year,” she added.

Other festival programming has also been affected by the postponement, including canceling the May 22 India.Arie concert and the May 23 Late Night Jazz Jam, featuring the Irreversible Entanglements.

On a brighter note, the OCA is creating a new program called “Atlanta Jazz Festival Sessions,” which will not only celebrate the 31 Days of Jazz in May, but also give a specially-curated list of Atlanta jazz artists the opportunity to perform virtually for thousands of viewers via the Atlanta Jazz Festival social media platforms. More details will be provided soon.

Check the our website frequently for future updates and announcements.

OCA’s Conservation and Maintenance Team Restores Quilt Traditions

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.

OCA Seeks Grant Proposals from Atlanta Artists, Arts and Community Organizations

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Contracts for Arts Services (CAS), the City of Atlanta’s program for granting public funding to arts and cultural activities, has opened its proposal submission process for the upcoming FY ’21 Grant Cycle.

Each year, CAS awards contracts to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, individual artists, and creative projects within the City of Atlanta. Artists and arts organizations interested in these funding opportunities should apply by 11:59 pm on July 1, 2020 (Deadline Extended). 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:

Major Arts Organizations
Arts Organizations
Community Cultural Development Organizations
Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU’s) and Neighborhood Organizations
Individual Artist Projects
Emerging Artist Award

First-time applicants interested in submitting a proposal for Contracts for Arts Services funding must complete our virtual workshop covering the submission process. To access the FY21 virtual workshop, click here.

Returning and new respondents can submit a proposal for Contracts for Arts Services funding consideration by clicking here.

For more information including the virtual workshop, access to the application and guidelines, click here or contact the Contracts for Arts Services Program Manager, Brittnee Buley, at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.

Photo Credit: The Super Bowl Show (2019) by Dashboard Featuring Branden Collins & Pneuhaus (pictured), Melissa Word, Erik Thurmond, Claire Molla, Oren Goldberg, Michael Oliveri, Imoto Hardy & Thadeus Bridwell Photo by David W. Batterman.

Atlanta Jazz Festival Seeks Artists for 2020 Artist Village

Photo by Tim Mossholder

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) seeks exceptional visual artworks to feature in our 2020 Art Village for the 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival.

The festival will select the works of artists whose art highlights the legacy and influence of jazz, and its contribution to world culture.

Artists interested in this opportunity have until Monday, April 20, 2020, by 5 PM EST to submit their work.

To celebrate not only the music but also the visual components of jazz culture, we seek submissions for this year’s Artist Village that showcase jazz or music themes in a visually engaging way.

All visual art mediums are encouraged, including, but not limited to, drawings, paintings, mixed media pieces, photography, sculptures, digitally designed prints, and etc. Each selected artist will be assigned an artist booth to use during the jazz festival at no cost to the artist.

This booth space will include on-site power, a 10 ft. x 10 ft. tent, an 8 ft. long table, and two (2) folding chairs. Selected artists are responsible for providing additional furnishings or display materials for the space. Each booth will be placed in a location determined by the City.

To learn more about the call and eligibility requirements, download the full request for proposal (RFP) below.

The deadline to submit your work is Monday, April 20, 2020, by 5 PM EST. Submissions received after this deadline will not be considered.

If you have questions, contact Kevin Sipp via email to KSipp@AtlantaGA.gov.

Click Here to Download RFP

NEA Releases CARES Act Guidelines for Grant Program

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.

Click Here to Learn More

United States Artists Launches $10M Artist Relief Fund to Help Artists

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.

Click Here to Learn More

Mayor Bottoms Launches #ATLSTRONG Fund Giving Campaign

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:

Food security for Atlanta’s children and seniors;
Support for individuals experiencing homelessness;
Small business assistance;
Emergency assistance for Atlantans suffering financial hardship due to the pandemic, such as loss of income, rent or utility assistance, etc.

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

OCA Shares COVID-19 Resources with Atlanta’s Arts Community

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

United Way of Greater Atlanta and Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund

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 Opens Grants to Support Arts Organizations Dealing with COVID-19

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/

Folk Art Park Restoration Nears Completion

In February, “Guitar Girls” and the artwork’s companion archway, titled “Windmills”, were uninstalled to undergo a complete restoration. The posts of the archway remain in place and will be treated on-site.

Developed to pay homage to the south’s deep folk art traditions, Folk Art Park opened prior to Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. However, the vibrant multi-piece installation has gradually succumbed to weather damage sustained over the past two decades.

In partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, and the Community Foundation, The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance Team has performed extensive restorations to preserve these artistic voices and folk visions amidst Atlanta’s bustling urban life.

“Guitar Girls” and “Windmills” at the the southwest intersection of Ralph McGill Boulevard and Courtland Avenue are the last pieces in the restoration.

Funded by Renew Atlanta’s TSPLOST Landmark Art Program, local artist and art restorer, Jeffry Loy, managed the removal of the two artworks. Loy is also working with art re-finisher, Jan Riley, of Riley Creative Solutions, to fully restore these kinetic masterpieces.

Soon these components will be reinstalled, and the vibrancy of all works within Folk Art Park will hearken back to their original glory.

How the City of Atlanta is supporting Atlanta’s Art Community during Economic Challenges as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs we would like to share what the City of Atlanta is doing to support Atlanta’s non-profit arts sector and artists during this trying time.

In a national survey by Americans for the Arts, 91% of responding arts organizations indicated that they have cancelled one or more events. Many arts organizations have closed their doors for months to come. More than one-third of respondents expect to make reductions in staff; 26% have already reduced their creative workforce.

Similarly, Atlanta’s non-profit arts organizations are economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to support the non-profit arts sector at this vital time, the City of Atlanta through the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is committed to the following:

Fiscal Year 2020 Contracts for Arts Services final payment acceleration ahead of schedule.
power2give.org/Atlanta campaigns for small to mid-sized arts organizations. There will be another opportunity for small and mid-sized organizations that have not posted campaigns during Fiscal Year 2020 to do so. power2give.org/Atlanta, a crowdfunding site for the Arts designed specifically to connect individual donors to art and cultural projects. The City of Atlanta will fund up to 40 campaigns, each organization could post a $2,500 campaign on power2give.org/Atlanta that will generate a total of $5,000 ($2,500 from City of Atlanta, $2,500 from the general community) for the organization.

Public Art Commissions

Renew Atlanta Projects
- Commissioning 20 artists to design Mural Bike Racks and
- Commissioning 1 artist to design 4 Civil Rights Sculptures
- Commissioning 1 artist for the Adamsville Gateway Project
Zone 3 Police Precinct
- Commissioning 3 Artists projects for the interior and exterior of the building.

We hope these efforts will provide some financial relief and comfort to the City’s art & culture ambassadors.

Information for Arts Organizations Regarding COVID-19

In line with Mayor Bottoms and her administration, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is closely monitoring developments surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and its potential impact on the City’s arts and culture organizations.

In light of the recent spread of the illness, Americans for the Arts (AftA) recently shared some valuable information to help arts organizations combat this challenge.

To learn more about how you can respond and prepare for this situation, follow the link below.

Click Here for Information from AftA’s COVID-19 Resource and Response Center

CEP Closes 15th Anniversary on a High Note

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.

The Mayor’s Gallery Showcases the Vibrant Art of Melissa Mitchell

Opening on February 21 at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, “Views From My Kaleidoscope: Volume II” is the sequel to artist Melissa A. Mitchell’s original compilation of quotes, mantras, and beliefs that fuel her art, spirit and optimistic outlook.

A self-taught artist, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker, Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, where her love for the vibrant colors, unique shapes, and bold dark lines that adorn her artwork took root. She attributes her artistic aesthetic to her music-filled and vibrant Bahamian heritage and upbringing.

In 2014, she founded Abeille Creations and began her journey in the world of abstract art. Since then, Mitchell has gone on to create more than 500 original artworks and 40 large-scale murals. She has also been featured in publications such as Forbes, Vogue, ESSENCE, SHEEN Magazine, Rolling Out Magazine and The Huffington Post.

Most notably, she is known for turning her lively artwork into textiles, specifically head wraps named after influential women in her life. Her head wraps have been seen on the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Amara La Negra, Yandy Smith, Karen Civil, Rebecca Gross and more. She is also the author of a coffee table book, “Views from My Kaleidoscope”.

Her unique artistry has made her a highly sought-after creative, who has worked with major brands for exclusive collaborations and commissioned artwork. She was a featured artist for Champs Sports and Nike’s “Ill-ustrated” sneaker exhibition during Miami Art Basel, Jack Daniel’s Art, Beats and Lyrics showcase and ESSENCE’s “My City, 4 Ways” tour stop in Atlanta.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall is a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The gallery is dedicated to exhibiting the works of accomplished Atlanta-based artists who have yet to garner gallery representation or receive major recognition for their artwork.

The Mayor’s Gallery resides on the second floor of City Hall near the entrance of the Mayor’s Executive Suite. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Gallery 72 Opens Exhibition Celebrating Southwest Atlanta Photographer

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.

APS Students Explore Complex Topics with Upcoming CEP Trips

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.

OCA Seeks Artist to Design Official Artwork for the 2020 Atlanta Jazz Festival

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is seeking an exceptional artist to create the official artwork for our 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, which will adorn the marketing collateral and festival merchandise for this year’s festival.

The selected artist will receive $1,000 for their work and a complimentary vending booth to use during the festival. The deadline to submit your proposed artwork is Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, by 5 pm.

Artists are encouraged to create an unique and visually expressive design that evokes the storied and beautiful legacy of jazz music. For full details, review the request for proposals (RFP) linked below.

For questions regarding the call, contact Kevin Sipp at KSipp@AtlantaGA.gov.

Click Here for the Atlanta Jazz Festival Artwork RFP

Submissions received after this deadline and those found to be incomplete will not be reviewed.

Proposals will be reviewed by our office, and the selected artist will be notified on February 14, 2020.

City of Atlanta Hosts Reception for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Project

Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits from ATL26 on VimeoOn Thursday, Jan. 16, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce hosted an opening reception for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits gallery exhibition at City Hall.

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.

Mayor Bottoms, OCA Hosts Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits Gallery Exhibition at City Hall

Portrait of Clifford Jones by artist Dwayne Mitchell, one of a series of portraits that will be apart of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits collection.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce invites you to the opening reception for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits gallery exhibition at City Hall, Thursday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm.

The curated gallery exhibition will showcase select artworks from the more than 100 submissions shared by Atlanta visual artists for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits RFP.

This exhibition will be hosted in the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall from January 16 to February 6, 2020. In addition, the winning portrait artist, Dwayne Mitchell, will be introduced. His portraits memorializing victims of the Atlanta Child Murders will be displayed in the Atrium of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from May 28 to July 22, 2020.

In 2019, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an Administrative Order to establish the “Mayor’s Advisory Committee: Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce”. The Task Force—comprised of mayoral appointees from the community—was charged with determining an appropriate acknowledgment of the lives cut short during the Atlanta Child Murders.

The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits was one of two projects determined by the Task Force to acknowledge the memory of the lives lost. The second project, the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame, is currently under review and will be installed on the grounds of Atlanta City Hall.

Email publicartatlantaga@atlantaga.gov to RSVP and attend this event.

CEP Kicks Off New Year with Romare Bearden and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Experiences

As Atlanta Public Schools’ students and teachers return from the holiday break, the High Museum of Art and the King Center will welcome them to our first Cultural Experience Project (CEP) trips of 2020.

At the High Museum, students will experience “Something Over Something Else” from renowned artist Romare Bearden. Inspired by a 1977 New Yorker article, the two-part series of collage paintings documents the artist’s childhood in North Carolina and his experiences as a young artist in Harlem.

For the article titled “Putting Something Over Something Else”, Bearden (1911-1988) described the process of making collages and reflected on his life, particularly his childhood and his work as an artist.

Appropriately, APS students will also visit the King Center to learn about the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late Civil Rights activist, created the center in 1968 shortly after the reverend’s assassination. Had he lived, Dr. King would be 91-years-old on January 15.

Fifty-two years later, the King Center not only serves as the couple’s final resting place but is also a place where millions of people come to pay their respects to two people who dedicated their lives to nonviolence and equality for all people.

Other venues APS students will visit this month include the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Continue to follow us this year as we make good on our promise to ensure at least one cultural experience for all APS students: One grade. One Venue. Guaranteed.

OCA Seeks 20 Artists for New Bike Rack Public Art Collection

Mural Bike Rack by KingPig , 2016, Little 5 Points

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program seeks proposals from local visual artists to adorn 20 metal bike racks with original painted artwork for the City’s Mural Bike Rack Project by Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.

Twenty artists will be selected to paint mural bike racks that will reside along the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Innovation Corridor, between Northside Drive and I-285.

Selected artists will receive an artist fee of $800 for their work. In addition to the $800 award, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will provide protective breathing equipment (respirators) and will purchase oil enamel paints (up to $150) for each artist to use. Artists will be required to provide their own preferred paint application tools (sprayers, brushes, or other devices) to complete the project.

Artists interested in this opportunity should review the full Request for Proposals (RFP) linked here and submit their information as a single PDF to PublicArtAtlantaGa@AtlantaGA.gov with the subject line [YOUR NAME HERE]: Mural Bike Rack MLK by 4 pm on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Download the full Request for Proposals Here

Application materials required to be considered for this opportunity include the following:

1.) A one-page statement of interest using font no smaller than 12pt. Your statement of interest should explain the conceptual approach of the project and how the project will contribute to your existing body of work.

2.) Bike Rack design on the supplied template (included in full RFP).

3.) A one-page résumé with your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address that outlines your professional accomplishments (maximum one page per person). Also, include three (3) professional references (name, affiliated organization, email address and phone number).

4.) List of works submitted for review that includes title, location, date completed/performed, media, brief description of the project/conceptual information, and budget (if applicable).

5.) Past Work Samples. Submit images of past work (A maximum of four (4) image).

6.) One Shot Lettering Enamel supply list (included in full RFP) with colors and sizes (cost o supplies should not exceed $150).

7.) We strongly recommend that interested artists register as a Vendor with the City of Atlanta prior to submitting a proposal. Register as a “Spend Authorized Supplier” for the City of Atlanta. Click here to register online anytime. Note: It is the sole responsibility of each respondent to ensure all business information is correct and current in the City of Atlanta online portal.

8.) With your quote submission please submit, please include a signed and notarized E-Verify contractor affidavit (the IIREA form attached to the Request for Quote or an E-Verify memo if respondent is an individual with no employees), and a copy of a government issued ID for the individual that signs the affidavit on behalf of the organization.

Download the full Request for Proposals Here

Chastain to Open Dual Exhibition on January 31

CEP Kicks Off New Year with Romare Bearden and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Experiences

Appropriately, APS students will also visit the King Center to learn about the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late Civil Rights activist, created the center in 1968 shortly after the reverend’s assassination. Had he lived, Dr. King would be 91-years-old on January 15.

Continue to follow us this year as we make good on our promise to ensure at least one cultural experience for all APS students: One grade. One Venue. Guaranteed.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talk Celebrating Latinx Artists in Atlanta

Join us at Gallery 72 on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 pm, for “Latinx Voices in Atlanta’s Contemporary Art Scene: A Conversation with Contrapunto”.

In this artist talk, artists Pedro Fuertes (Peru), Jorge Arcos (Mexico), Graciela Nunes-Bedoya (Peru), Dora Lopez (Peru), Catalina Gomez (Colombia), and Carlos Solis (Venezuela), collectively known as Contrapunto, will explore the contributions of Latin artists in Atlanta.

The collective will also share insights and their inspiration behind their current exhibition at Gallery 72 “Contrapunto: A Latinx Visual Artists Collective in Metro Atlanta”, which will be on display until Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Public Art Program Enters Final Phase of Fork Art Park Restoration

On December 11, OCA’s Public Art team re-installed the newly restored, multi-piece installation “Whirlygigs” by artist Vollis Simpson.

“Whirlygigs” is the most recent artwork in Fork Art Park to receive restoration thanks to funding provided by Renew Atlanta’s TSPLOST Landmark Art Program.

Restoration of the 23-year-old artwork started back in July 2019, when local art conservator Jeffry Loy, and his team, were hired to dismantle and restore the artwork at an off-site location.

Created in 1996 in celebration of the Centennial Olympic Games, Folk Art Park pays homage to southern folk artists’ techniques and traditions.

In the coming weeks, the “Star Wheel with Guitar Girls” Windmill by James Jennings will undergo restoration, completing the Fork Art Park restoration project.

Watch the video below or the follow the link here to see how the crew tackled the project.

City of Atlanta, Councilmember Brown Seek Creative Talent for Mural 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

CEP Students Experience The Nutcracker’s Final Year at the Fox Theatre

Image from the Atlanta Ballet’s production of the “The Nutcracker”. Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Ballet.

In July, the Atlanta Ballet announced that the December 2019 production of “The Nutcracker” would be its last year at Atlanta’s famed Fox Theatre. Beginning in December 2020, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center will serve as the show’s new home.

For 25 years, Fox Theatre’s audiences have delighted in the Ballet’s interpretation of the 1892 classic. The score, composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, provides a whimsical orchestra-supported soundtrack for the holiday season. For 15 of those 25 years, the Cultural Experience Project (CEP) has provided Atlanta Public Schools’ second-grade students with the opportunity to enjoy this Atlanta tradition.

As we prepare to close out the first semester and the 2019-20 school year, CEP students will spend December enjoying experiences from ArtsBridge, Giwayen Mata, the High Museum of Art, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), and Ballethnic.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is thankful for our partnership with Atlanta Public Schools and the generous donors and cultural venues who continue to support the program year after year. Our joint efforts provide cultural and artistic experiences for tens of thousands of Atlanta students — many of whom would not be able to enjoy these trips, otherwise.

On behalf of the OCA and the Cultural Experience Project staff, we wish you and your families a safe and joy-filled holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

OCA Invites Creatives to Submit Qualifications for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame Project

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) invites architects, visual artists, and designers to submit qualifications for the design and installation of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame to memorialize the victims of the Atlanta Child Murders. The monument will be located on the grounds of Atlanta City Hall.

Interested artists are invited to submit their digital portfolio (as one PDF document), resume, and statement of intent for review and consideration to OCA Public Art Program Manager Robert Witherspoon ,via email, at rwitherspoon@atlantaga.gov.

The deadline to submit the requested information for this call is Monday, December 16 at 11:59 pm. The selected artist or team of artists will receive $200,000 for their work.

This is an open call to both local and national design teams and individual artists. Additionally, all artists in the City of Atlanta Artists Registry, which includes both local and nationally recognized artists, are eligible to pursue this call. All qualifying applicants, regardless of race, gender, orientation, religion, nationality, origin, or disability will be considered.

For more details, please review the full Request for Proposals, linked below.

Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame Monument RFP

Submission Guidelines:

Artists who wish to submit proposals must send a complete digital portfolio (as one PDF document), resume, and statement of intent to Robert Witherspoon, via email, at rwitherspoon@atlantaga.gov, with the subject line:

ATLANTA CHILDREN’S MEMORIAL ETERNAL FLAME MONUMENT – [YOUR NAME HERE]

Artists interested in pursuing this call must submit their digital portfolio, resume, and statement of intent for review and consideration no later than Monday, December 16 at 11:59 pm. Proposals received after December 16 will not be considered.

Selection Criteria:

All applicants will be evaluated through a competitive process based on the following criteria:

Expressed interest in creating artwork for the opportunity presented by this request for proposals.
Artist merit and technical expertise.
Demonstrated successful and innovative approach to design and projects of a similar scope.
Artist should be sensitive in response to the subject matter.

Upon review of all submissions, three (3) finalists will be selected to develop and present a final proposal. Each of the three finalist will receive $1,000 to develop a mock-up of their final proposal over a six week period.

Project Background:

The Atlanta Child Murders were a series of killings committed between 1979 and 1981. At least 30 people, all African American, and mostly children and adolescents, were targeted. The legacy of Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children profoundly impacted a generation of Atlanta’s youth.

In 2019, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an administrative order to establish the “Mayor’s Advisory Committee: Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce”. The taskforce, comprised of mayoral appointees from the community, is charged with determining an appropriate acknowledgment of the lives cut short during the Atlanta Child Murders.

“It is important for Atlanta to acknowledge the innocent lives lost during one of our City’s darkest hours,” said Mayor Bottoms. “This taskforce will determine a lasting and appropriate tribute for the victims and their families, and serve as a testament that those lives mattered. That African American lives matter.”

The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame monument will reside on the grounds of Atlanta City Hall and stand as a constant reminder of the lives we lost during this difficult time in our city’s history.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is sponsoring this installation, which will join the City of Atlanta’s Public Art Collection upon completion.

Public Art Program Recaps the 2019 National Creative Placemaking Leadership Conference

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.

Gallery 72 Hosts Exhibition Showcasing Atlanta’s Latin Artists

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.

Chastain’s Annual Holiday Show and Sale Enters Final Weeks

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.

OCA Seeks Artists for Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children Exhibition

The City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is seeking an artist to create 30 color drawings or paintings for an exhibition dedicated to the victims of the Atlanta Child Murders.

All metro-Atlanta artists living in Fulton and Dekalb County are welcome to apply. Interested artists should review the full Request for Proposals (RFP), linked here.

In addition, artists pursuing this opportunity must submit a digital portfolio and a single drawing of one of the victims, Clifford Jones (photo linked here), to the information below.

The deadline to submit your digital portfolio and original artwork for the project is Friday, November 22 at 11:59 pm. The selected artist will receive $18,000 for their work.

Submission Guidelines:

Artists who wish to submit proposals must send a complete digital portfolio, as one (1) PDF document, to Robert Witherspoon via email at rwitherspoon@atlantaga.gov, with the subject line:

ATLANTA MISSING CHILDREN PORTRAIT COMMISSION – [YOUR NAME HERE]

Also, artists must mail their submission of the Clifford Jones portrait in a self-addressed, postage paid, envelope to the address below. The portrait should measure no smaller than 16 inches by 20 inches in size.

Attn: Robert Witherspoon
Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs
233 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1700
Atlanta, GA 30303

Selection Criteria:

Artwork will be selected through a competitive process with an Artist Selection Panel based on the following criteria:

Quality of the portrait proposal and drawing sample submitted.
Expressed interest in creating artwork for the opportunities presented by this request for proposals.
Artist merit and technical expertise.
Demonstrated successful and innovative approach to design and projects of a similar scope.
Artist should be sensitive in response to the subject matter.

Project Background:

The Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children’s Memorial Portraits will be displayed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the main atrium. Along with the exhibition of these 30 framed portraits, the City plans to publish a catalog of the images with commentary and remembrances memorializing the victims.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is sponsoring this installation, which will join the City of Atlanta’s Public Art Collection after the airport exhibition.

Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children Drawings in Memorial Project RFP

Photo of Clifford Jones

OCA Brings Fair Saturday 2019 to the U.S.

Chief of Staff Carmen Chubb (Center), OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love (Far Right) and representatives from participating organizations at Fair Saturday press conference.

On Monday, Oct. 28, the Fair Saturday Foundation announced Atlanta as an Official Fair Saturday 2019 City during a press conference at the Atlanta City Hall.

First started in Bilbao, Spain, Fair Saturday is a global cultural movement and celebration. The annual event aims to positively respond to the commercialism and consumerism of Black Friday with a collective arts and culture celebration supporting social causes.

In July 2019, in Bilbao, the Fair Saturday Foundation announced its U.S. expansion with Atlanta being one of the first U.S. cities to participate in Fair Saturday 2019, taking place on Saturday, November 30 – the Saturday after Black Friday.

During this year’s event, artists and cultural organizations from all over the world will come together in a global festival to support a social cause of their choice through art and cultural presentations. Through these collaborations, the Fair Saturday movement will raise awareness of the impact that culture has on society.

Sixteen Atlanta-based arts and cultural organizations will participate in this year’s celebration. Representatives from Actor’s Express, Alliance Theatre, Center for Puppetry Arts, Horizon Theatre, Theatrical Outfit, and Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company joined Mayor Bottoms’ Chief of Staff, Carmen Chubb, and Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Executive Director, Camille Russell Love, for the City’s kick-off event.

Jordi Albareda, the Director and Founder of Fair Saturday, shared his greetings to Atlanta from Bilbao, Spain welcoming the City to the global movement.

“Since its inception in 2015, Fair Saturday has seen great success, growing year after year. In 2018, the movement delivered 1,200 shows in 180 cities, involving 10,000 artists, attracting 200,000 attendees, and generating €1 million (or more than $1.1 million in U.S. currency) of cultural and social impact.”

Along with Atlanta, multiple cities have decided to join this year’s Fair Saturday celebration, such as Bilbao, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Bristol, England (UK); Lima, Peru; Helsinki, Finland; Leeuwarden, Netherlands; Lisbon, Portugal; Quincy, Massachusetts (USA); Cardiff, Wales (UK) and the entire country of Scotland.

To learn more about Fair Saturday, visit their website at fairsaturday.org.

OCA’s Public Art Team Repairs Summerhill Memorial

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.

OCA Hosts Ceremony Celebrating 15 Years of the Cultural Experience Project

Chief of Staff Carmen Chubb providing remarks on behalf of Mayor BottomsOn September 17, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) celebrated the Cultural Experience Project’s 15th anniversary at the Atlanta History Center.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) celebrated the Cultural Experience Project’s 15th anniversary at the Atlanta History Center on Tuesday, September 17.

The Atlanta History Center’s President and CEO, Sheffield Hale, welcomed those in attendance. Before making remarks, OCA Executive Director, Camille Russell Love, invited Chief of Staff, Carmen Chubb, to share greetings from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

During her presentation, Love spoke about the program’s early beginnings and the City’s enduring partnership with Atlanta Public Schools (APS).

Following Love’s remarks, APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen discussed the importance of the City’s and APS’s partnership, the vision of the program, and the impact the Cultural Experience Project (CEP) has had on APS students.

Each speaker recognized the critical role the arts play in the lives and development of children. They each expressed deep gratitude to the program’s cultural venue partners and their staff for supporting the initiative.

In addition to presentations from partner organizations, the anniversary event showcased student talent from select APS schools. North Atlanta High School students presented artwork inspired by CEP trips to the Georgia Aquarium and performed an original dance piece for the occasion.

Students from Young Middle School and Mays High School joined together to play an orchestra interlude as attendees gathered for the event. Not to be outdone, students from Smith Elementary School sang and acted out the lyrics of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”.

Now, just over six weeks into the anniversary, almost half of Atlanta Public Schools’ 52,000 students have completed experiences to 16 metro-Atlanta cultural venues.

Thus far, APS students have seen experiences from the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, the CDC Museum, Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), Ailey II at the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Chick-fil-A’s Backstage Tour, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Symphony.

The value of the Cultural Experience Project rests not only in the fact that the trips tie into the state’s Georgia Standards of Excellence curriculum but also teaches students important life and character lessons.

Playwright Jason Reynolds’ “Ghost” (playing now at the Alliance Theatre) is such an example. Throughout the performance, the main character, Castle Crenshaw (aka Ghost), is confronted with numerous challenges, each one having the potential to get him into serious trouble. With the support of his family and community, Ghost takes responsibility for his mistakes and learns to strengthen his internal moral compass.

Among November’s upcoming experiences are trips to the Atlanta Opera, Hammonds House Museum, Oakland Cemetery, the APEX Museum, and ArtBridge.

We thank all the organizations who have supported CEP for the past decade and a half. Stay tuned for future updates recapping trips and milestones from the Cultural Experience Project.

Atlanta-based Poet Ashlee Haze Awarded 2019 Emerging Artist Award

Ashlee Haze Accepting the 2019 Emerging Artist Award.

On October 23, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Arts and Education program honored Atlanta-based poet and spoken word artist Ashlee Haze with the 2019 Emerging Artist Award.

Held at Chastain Arts Center, each year the Arts and Education program hosts a ceremony awarding select up-and-coming, Atlanta-based artists with the Emerging Artist Award. The award recognizes the artistic vision and achievements of select artists and provides grant funding to support and promote their creative talent and projects.

A graduate of Georgia State University, Haze is one of the most accomplished poets in the poetry slam circuit. She is a three-time “Queen of the South” Poetry Slam Champion, a two-time “Women of the World” Poetry Slam finalist, and a two-time National Poetry Slam semi-finalist.

She started writing at the age of 10, performing her first piece at her church. By age 15, Haze was regularly performing at public competitions and events, and she has been a staple of Atlanta’s poetry circuit for more than a decade.

Haze amassed more acclaim after her heartfelt poem “For Colored Girls Who Don’t Need Katy Perry When Missy Elliott is Enough” went viral, which prompted a surprise visit from the award-winning artist Missy Elliott.

Most recently, Haze appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk series alongside the musical group Blood Orange. Haze currently works as a full-time poet and artist.To learn more about Haze’s works, visit her website at AshleeHaze.com. You can also listen to her new poetry album “Smoke” on Spotify.

If you wish to learn more about the Emerging Artist Award and funding opportunities provided by the Arts and Education’s Contracts for Arts Services program, click here.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall Announces New “SANKOFA” Exhibition

Correction: On November 1, 2019, the opening date of the “SANKOFA” exhibition was accidentally listed as Sunday, Nov. 10 in the OCA Newsletter. The actual opening date of the exhibition is Thursday, Nov. 14. We apologize for the confusion.

The City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is pleased to announce the dual exhibition of “SANKOFA” from international artists, Alfred Addo and Andrea Mckenzie, opening Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019.

Hosted in the Mayor’s Gallery, on the second floor of City Hall, this joint exhibition commemorates the ideas embodied in Ghana’s “Year of Return”, a reflection on the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans arrival to Jamestown, VA.

Born in the West African country of Ghana to a family of artists, Addo has been exposed to art since infancy. His primary inspiration came from his father, who exhibited his work regularly and challenged Addo to produce unique artwork. Although Addo was passionate about art, he also possessed a keen interest in the physical sciences, a field he found satisfyingly challenging. He was torn between going to college to study medicine and pursuing his passion to be a professional artist. In the end, he chose to follow his passion and pursue art full-time.

Since then, Addo has specialized in sculpture as his core medium. Interestingly, his physical science background led him to experiment with different materials, including sawdust, which he played with as a child in the sawmill where his father bought and cut wood for his sculptures. Naturally, Addo grew up loving this medium and decided to make it the main material he uses in all his artwork. Passionate about the sustainability of the earth, Addo perfected the method of recycling sawdust and waste materials to create various types of sculptures and relief works.

Addo has successfully participated in many international art exhibitions throughout Johannesburg; Cape Town; New York; Chicago; Washington D.C.; Miami; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Atlanta; San Diego, CA; Martha’s Vineyard, and of course in his home city Accra, Ghana.

A true island girl, Andrea Mckenzie comes from one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, Trinidad and Tobago. Mckenzie’s natural aptitude for creativity was nurtured at an early age because of her family’s involvement in the nation’s world-famous Carnival.

She attributes her extraordinary creative ability to her family’s creative legacy. The art of painting quickly bonded with her identity, making her a household name on the island by her mid-20s. Mckenzie’s fascination with contrast, textures, and fabrics was the fuel behind her kaleidoscope-like pieces. She uniquely infused glass, acrylic, and other materials on varying canvas, which propelled her into achieving a viable international clientele.

Throughout her young career, she has exhibited works in multiple nations including Trinidad and Tobago, and neighboring Caribbean islands. Mckenzie’s art has also been exhibited in New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, London, and Australia.

In 2019, Mckenzie was honored with The Black I Am “Power, Art & Creativity” Award.

West End Placemaking Project Offers $4,000 to Local Artists for Mural Designs

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

CAS Honors Emerging Artists with Award Ceremony

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to presents this year’s Emerging Artists Award Exhibition. The reception for the exhibit will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm at the Chastain Arts Center Gallery.

This exhibit is designed to support practicing artists residing in the City of Atlanta. The public is invited to join us in celebrating this year’s Awardees: Kiera A. Nelson, aka “Ashlee Haze”, and Miriam Robinson.

If you can’t make the reception, stop by the Gallery and check out the show before it closes. The exhibition will be on view from Monday, October 21 to Friday, November 8, 2019. Come out and support these local artists!

OCA Announces ELEVATE: Pittsburgh’s Event Line-up and Activations

The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) announced the 2019 lineup of exhibitions, events, and community activities for the city’s annual public art festival, ELEVATE, which will be hosted in the historic Pittsburgh neighborhood from Monday, Oct. 14, to Saturday, Oct. 19.

This year, the City of Atlanta has teamed up with the curatorial team from the African Diasporic Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA) to present a number of exhibitions featuring artists from across Atlanta.

Monday, October 14th will mark the opening of the newly redesigned Pyramid Grocery Food Store, a cultural cornerstone of the Pittsburgh neighborhood. The grocery store has undergone an interior makeover to emphasize its focus on community access to fresh fruits and vegetables redesigned by a group of local artists Chloe Floyd, Katina Benenate, Lamont Rudolph, and Alison Hamil. The exterior of the store will also feature decorative murals from artists Kimberly Binns with Tracy Murrell, Charmaine Minniefield, and Fabian Williams.

The festival will install a variety of murals across the Pittsburgh neighborhood. In Pittman Park, community inspired murals by Corey Barksdale will be featured on picnic tables, benches, the pavilion, and grill. 1029 McDaniel Street, previously known as “The Pink Store,” will also receive a new inspirational mural by Charity Hamidullah. The OCA has also partnered with the Department of City Planning to install several mural bike racks in Pittman Park.

OCA has partnered with various local organizations to present a variety of community events during the week of ELEVATE for all ages.

Additional support from this year’s festival comes from Home Depot, Lifecycle Building Center, The Department of City Planning, The Department of Parks and Recreation, Carver STEAM Academy, Atlanta Music Project, France Atlanta, The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alliance Theatre, The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club, and SHAPE.

For more festival information including a complete list of ELEVATE activations, artists, and full event schedule, visit www.elevateatlart.com.

ELEVATE: Pittsburgh’s Schedule of Events

Monday, October 14

Senior Storytelling Workshop with Sistah Olufani

Pittman Recreation Center

950 Garibaldi St.

12 pm

Seniors in the Pittsburgh community are invited to join Sistah Olufemi of Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia for interactive storytelling workshop that uses storytelling to explore human connections.

By educating community members on the power of storytelling, the workshop hopes to encourage Pittsburgh’s legacies residents to share their unique stories about themselves and the community to foster a stronger connection between the past and future of the community.

Monday, October 14

Pyramid Food

825 McDaniel St.

5 pm

Food scarcity and having consistent access to nutritious food is a problem faced by thousands of people across the country every day.

The re-imagining of the Pyramid Food Store in Pittsburgh explores questions around food, access, and community. By transforming where and how people gets their food, we explore the impact of food deserts on a community’s livelihood.

Join us as we re-invent and reclaim one of the Pittsburgh community’s cornerstones.

Thanks to the vision of Chloe Floyd, Katina Benenate, Lamont Rudolph, and Alison Hamil, the grocery store has a new design to match its focus on access to fruits and vegetables. The re-invented store will also be adorned with new decorative murals from Kimberly Binns with Tracy Murrell, Charmaine Minniefield, and Fabian Williams.

Tuesday, October 15

Suppressed: The Fight To Vote Documentary Screening + Panel Discussion

Pittman Recreation Center

950 Garibaldi St.

8 pm

ELEVATE: Pittsburgh explores how political disenfranchisement impacts our communities with a special screening of the short film “Suppressed: The Fight to Vote”. After the screening, join us at the Pittman Park Recreation Center for a panel discussion with The New Georgia Project where we will discuss the power of voting, help people register to vote, learn about the 2020 Census, and share information community resources and support.

Wednesday, October 16

The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Short Film Screenings

Pittman Park Pavilion

Garibaldi St & Delevan St.

6:30 pm

Movie night features the critically acclaimed film, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”, a poignant story about gentrification as one young Black man struggles to hold on to the sense of belonging in the face of rapid change.

The screening also features two short films, “Grace” directed by Roni Nicole Henderson and “Black Girl Magic” by Kaylee Jade Warfield, that explore the theme of personal and cultural memory.

Accompanying the screenings will be the unveiling of new decorative murals by local artist Corey Barksdale.

Content Warning: This film is rated R for language, brief nudity, and drug use.

Thursday, October 17

Ways of Seeing Opening & Sacred Street Zine Release

1029 McDaniel St.

6 pm

“Ways of Seeing” is an interactive photo exhibit and Zine that imagines Pittsburgh through the eyes of existing community members, architects and photographers who reflect on the past while imagining a potential future of this once thriving intown neighborhood. Photography by Phil Winters, Ken West, and Michael Reese, Architectural renderings from NOMA and SHAPE, research from Dr. Richard C. Kelsey. In partnership with The Department of City Planning.

Thursday, October 17

Soundscape Concert featuring DJ Kemit

1029 McDaniel St.

6 pm

One of the greatest repositories of Cultural Capital can be found in the music of a community. Hosted in tandem with “Ways of Seeing,” Acclaimed DJ and Producer DJ Kemit mines his musical archives to take us on a journey of sound. From the 1930s to today, Kemit explores the impact Atlanta has had on Southern music. Enjoy the music while you take in the gallery exhibition and new murals by Charity Hamidullah.

Friday, October 18

Komansé Dance Theater Performance of Skid

Carver STEAM Academy Auditorium

55 McDonough Blvd.

7:30 pm

Komansé Dance Theater takes a provocative look at homelessness and gentrification in the metro Atlanta area and beyond in their riveting performance of SKID.

Content Warning: SKID engages serious social issues and includes some adult themes and language. Parental discretion is advised.

Friday, October 18

Silent Disco Featuring DJ Salah Ananse

Carver STEAM Academy

55 McDonough Blvd.

9 pm

After Komansé’s Performance, join us for our annual ELEVATE Silent Disco and curate your own specially design dance soundtrack featuring a mix from DJ Salah Ananse and two original playlists created exclusively for this event.

Saturday, October 19

ELEVATE Community Festival

Pittman Park

291 Delevan St.

12 PM

Join us for a day full of fun, art, and celebration. We kick off our annual ELEVATE Community Festival with a community mural project as Pittsburgh residents and supporters help Atlanta-based artist Corey Barksdale finish a mural dedicated to the community.

At 2 pm, join us for the opening of the Artist Market, featuring the Blackberry Arts Collective, and explore our free Book Fair.

Shortly afterward, settle into our Storytelling Pavilion featuring entertainment from the Atlanta Music Project, movies from Sweet Blackberry Films, and more.

Also, author Pearl Cleage will treat guest to a reading of her children’s book “In my Granny’s Garden”.

At 8 pm, We close the evening with a special 30th Anniversary Screening of Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” Content Warning: This film is rated R for language, brief nudity, and drug use.

This event is free and open to the public.

Community Mural

950 Garibaldi St.

1 pm

Artist Corey Barksdale and volunteers from the community will be finishing a mural. Lend a hand, learn painting techniques, and leave your mark.

Book Fair and Artist Market

Pittman Park Pavilion

Garibaldi St & Delevan St.

2 pm

Join us for a day of family fun in Pittman Park. Browse the Artist Market featuring the Blackberry Arts Collective and explore our free Book Fair.

Performances in The Park

Pittman Park Pavilion

Garibaldi St & Delevan St.

2 pm

Settle into our Storytelling Pavilion for performances including Atlanta Music Project, movies from Sweet Blackberry Films and more. Pearl Cleage will join us to read her children’s book “In my Granny’s Garden”.

“Do The Right Thing: 30th Anniversary Screening”

Pittman Park Pavilion

Garibaldi St & Delevan St.

8 pm

End the night with a special screening of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing.

Content Warning: This film is rated R for language, brief nudity, violence, and drug use.

All schedule information, as well as a complete list of ELEVATE activities, artists, and more is available at www.elevateatlart.com.

Mayor’s Gallery Opens New Exhibit Dedicated to Master Artists

Artwork by James Wellington Taylor, Jr.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall is pleased to announce the exhibition of two master artists, Carl Owens and James Wellington Taylor, Jr., at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, from September 16 to November 1, 2019.

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1929, Carl Owens was based in the city until he retired to Atlanta, GA. Owens’ career includes commissions and personal work in a variety of styles and media. His forte into portraiture includes images of icons such as Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson, Henry Ford II, and Diana Ross. Among Owens’ many works are his paintings of King Affonso I and King Khama in the “Great Kings of Africa” series for Anheuser Busch, Inc.; 25 “Soul of a Nation” drawings for the McDonald’s Corporation; two displays – “Roots, Stems and Flowers” and “Ford Salutes the Black Composer” – which were exhibited nationally by the Ford Motor Company; the portrait series “Ingenious Americans” for the national Distillers, Inc.; and many other works that were commissioned by major corporations.

James Wellington Taylor, Jr. was born to two career educators in the Gary Public Schools System in Gary, Indiana. After completing high school, James went to the Airforce Defense Language Division and proceeded to study chemistry at Grinnell College in Iowa.

In 1992, Taylor had his first encounter will terminal illness. After being confined to the Veterans Administration hospital, James began to paint as his therapy, developing a deep love for the art form. He pursued his passion for painting, which garnered him awards from the Atlanta Artists Center, Fulton and Dekalb County Public Art Programs, and African-Americans for the Arts.

Taylor would later serve as President of the Georgia Water Color Society in 2003. He continued to educate and instruct Life Drawing Classes at the South Dekalb Arts Center and Atlanta Metropolitan College. His insatiable interest in art and unwavering diligence combined to manifest new levels of mastery in over three mediums – Charcoal, Watercolor, and Oil.

He would again be challenged by terminal illness; however, his momentum of producing amazing pieces of artwork never diminished. After his passing, Taylor left behind an almost endless reservoir of material. Some of which are featured in more than 14 corporate and private collections nationwide.

Portions of this article were written by Meserette Kentake for the website Kentake Page.

Chastian Hosts Two New Drawing Pop-up Workshops This Fall

Artwork by Jessica Locklar

This Fall, Chastain Arts Center and Gallery will introduce two, new one-day only drawing workshops from new Chastain instructor, Jessica Locklar. During these workshops, students will learn to draw with realism in their artwork using the same techniques Locklar uses in creating her own artwork. No matter your skill level with drawing, these workshops are for you.

NEW! Drawing the Face With Colored Pencil

Dates: October, Sat. 19 and October, Sat. 25

Time: 10 AM 2 PM

Cost: $28 (1 Day)

While learning about the history of collage, students will create mixed media works that emphasize the use of color, texture, and imagery. Inspired by such masters as Matisse and Picasso, students will be taken through the collage process, from basic painting and drawing techniques, to composition and assemblage, and then to completion. Students are welcome to bring in items which they would like to incorporate into their collages

Dates: October, Sat. 5 and November, Sat. 23

Time: 10 AM 2 PM

Cost: $28 (1 Day)

NEW! Drawing Eyes, Lips, & Noses

In this class, Locklar will teach you how to render facial features convincingly using graphite, colored pencils, and some ink. In addition, Locklar will be drawing from photo references, but we will not be tracing.

OCA Public Art Team Restores “Fish Dreams” by Lynn Linnemeier

Before treatment (left and right)

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, and Conservation Technician, Adrian Barzaga, with the assistance of Laura Lewis of Elm Studios, LLC and local artist, Cara Davis, treated “Fish Dreams” by Lynn Linnemeier. The 6-panel mural on the Adams Park Pool House was created in 1992. Facing pool house parking, this mural welcomes visitors and community members to the Adams Park Pool.

The previously applied varnish was blanching, causing visibly milky areas in the aged finish, and possibly, additionally, blooming, with is a superficial cloudy area in varnish, most often caused by moisture penetrating the varnish layer.

The cloudy or milk areas, visible in photographic documentation prior to treatment, were distracting and characteristic of a failing protective coating. Previous attempts to scrub off the milky areas had resulted in pigment losses.

The mural was gently and thoroughly cleaned, and isolation varnish was applied. Paint touch ups concealed minor pigment losses and a top coat of Goldens MSA-UVLS Mural Formulation Varnish was applied. Visitor and community members are now able to view the mural without obstruction.

Gallery 72 Explores Gentrification with BlandTown Exhibition

Opening on October 10, artist Gregor Turk explores the maligned neighborhood of Blandtown through “Reclaim /Proclaim [Blandtown]”, an exhibition at Gallery 72. Through a combination of sculptural installations, works on paper, and photographs. Turk provides insight into the community’s obscured history, playfully skews the neighborhood’s derided name, and raises a critical eye on the area’s rapid transformation.

In 2003, Turk purchased a house in the neighborhood and repurposed the cinderblock building as his studio. Today, that structure remains as one of the last four original houses still standing in Blandtown. The exhibition focuses on the demise and resettlement of the residential core of the neighborhood, exploring the shapes of both the original and newly-constructed building footprints. Turk produced several series of artwork in response. Much of this work was fabricated with reclaimed building materials from the new residential development surrounding his studio.

Through wit, lamentation and artistic probing, this one-man chamber of commerce provides options to proclaim Blandtown’s existence. Turk presents an exhibition that is part history lesson, part manifesto, and part civic rousing, with interviews of former residents providing historical context. Dubious propagandistic posters manipulated images of local signage, and unofficial merchandise rounds out the exhibit.

As the title indicates, Turk’s exhibition serves to raise awareness of the Atlanta neighborhood with its often-disparaged name. Better known as part of the Westside, Midtown West, and/or West Midtown. The area has a bit of an identity complex, further complicated by developers applying additional monikers to rebrand sections of the neighborhood (Huff Heights, Huff Trail, West Town, etc.) all while avoiding incorporating the proper name, Blandtown, which was named after freed slave Felix Bland.

Originally an African-American community comprised of two to three hundred homes, the neighborhood was strategically forced into decline through rezoning to an industrial district in the mid-twentieth century. Turk presents Blandtown as a case study for current development issues relating to the greater city: legacy housing, gentrification, and conflicts resulting from the proximity of residential and industrial land use.

The exhibition will open October 10, 2019 and run through November 22 at Gallery 72, a municipally owned art gallery located in the heart of downtown Atlanta at 72 Marietta Street. 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.

About the Gregor Turk:

Known for his public art installations, sculpture, photography, and mixed-media constructions, Gregor Turk often incorporates mapping imagery, signage, and cultural markings into his artwork. He has permanent public art installations at the Atlanta and Jacksonville airports as well as at the Metropolitan Library in Atlanta. His work is in the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection, High Museum, MOCA-GA, and numerous other public and private collections. Turk grew up in Atlanta, received his B.A. from Rhodes College in Memphis and his M.F.A. from Boston University. Between degrees he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia.

Previous temporary projects include a set of five inwardly facing billboards emblazoned with tightly cropped images of General Sherman’s eyes (Atlanta BeltLine, 2014); a pop-up store stocked with over a hundred rubber wrapped objects including furniture and globes (Ponce City Market, 2016); a set of 17 convex security mirrors absurdly placed along the GA/NC border adjacent to a hiking path (Hambidge Center, 2017). Additional information and images at: www.gregorturk.com

For more information contact Gregor Turk: info@gregorturk.com

OCA’s Contracts for Arts Services Program Opens Application for P2G Funding

We invite organizations to participate in this year’s Power2Give/Atlanta campaign. An online platform used to maximize fundraising for OCA supported organizations, Power2Give (P2G) annually contributes matching funds to arts organizations for art projects and experiences in Atlanta.

This allows us to support artistic efforts throughout the city and provide an opportunity for arts organizations to raise additional funds for their endeavors.

To be consider for the program, an organization must be headquartered in the City of Atlanta, has received funding from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Contracts for Arts Services program within the last five years, and submit arts and culture proposals that will take place in the city limits of Atlanta.

If you have any questions about proposal submission, please contact Contracts for Arts Services Manager, Brittnee Buley, at bjbuley@atlantaga.gov.

OCA’s Public Art Team Begins Final Restoration of Folk Art Park

Two conservators dismantling one of the windmill installations that is a part of the multi-piece artwork called”Whirlygigs” by artist Vollis Simpson in Folk Art Park.

Prior to the Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Folk Art Park, an homage to southern folk artists’ techniques and traditions, opened to beautify the Downtown Connector. Two decades later, each section required extensive restoration to preserve the public artwork for the enjoyment of the pedestrians and commuters that frequent the area.

Partnering with the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, and the Community Foundation, the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has revitalized nearly every section of Folk Art Park, except for the southwest corner of the Ralph McGill Boulevard and Courtland Avenue intersection. Adorned with works by Vollis Simpson and James Harold Jennings, the intersection is the final phase of the park’s restoration.

Jeffry Loy, a local artist and art conservator, was hired by Renew Atlanta’s TSPLOST Landmark Art Program to dismantle the four Whirlygigs by artist Vollis Simpson. In addition, Loy is working with art re-finisher Jan Riley to fully restore Simpson’s kinetic masterpieces.

Loy was on-site in late July 2019 with a crew of four conservators to dismantle the large artworks so the pieces can be restored off-site. Watch the time-lapse video below to see how the crew tackled the project.

OCA’s Cultural Experience Project Celebrates 15th Anniversary

Fifteen years have passed since the first group of students participated in the Cultural Experience Project (CEP).

In the years since those inaugural trips, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and our partner, Atlanta Public Schools (APS), continue to commit ourselves to each student – One Grade. One Venue. Guaranteed.

Since its inception, the program has served more than 52,000 students and raised nearly $6 million in funding from an assortment of individuals, corporations, private organizations, and foundations. And, metro-Atlanta’s cultural venues have supported the program’s efforts every step of the way —providing experiences rich with fun and engaging learning opportunities.

As we kick off the new year and celebrate this important milestone, we reflect on the impact each experience has had on APS students, teachers, and chaperones, alike.

We are grateful for the generosity of donors, and we appreciate the commitment cultural venue staff demonstrate through the thoughtful and mind-expanding curricula they create.

During this 15th-anniversary year, we will highlight moments from the program’s past. We also will keep an eye to the future while ensuring each APS student continues to have annual cultural experiences.

The Cultural Experience Project will kick-off its 15th anniversary with an event on Tuesday, September 17, at 3 p.m., at the Atlanta History Center. Make sure to check back soon to learn about each experience we host during the school year.

ELEVATE Opens Artist Calls for Signage Artists and Artisans for 2019 Festival

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is currently seeking creative and innovative local Signage Artists with Graphic Design experience, Interior Designers, and Artisans for the 2019 ELEVATE Public Art Program. Experienced Signage Artists experience and Artisans are encouraged to submit qualifications and budget breakdowns for each respective call.

For more information about each call, follow the links listed below for the opportunity you wish to pursue. Selected signage artists experience and artisans will be compensated for their time and work.

The deadline to apply is Friday, August 9, 2019, by 11:59 pm EST.

ELEVATE 2019 Call for Artists – Pyramid Project (Artisan)

ELEVATE 2019 Call for Artists – Pyramid Project (Signage Designer)

ELEVATE 2019 Call for Artists – Pyramid Project (Interior Designer)

About ELEVATE

Presented each October in a culturally significant neighborhood within the City of Atlanta, the week-long festival showcases the city’s cultural offerings by providing free, quality cultural experiences that highlight the City’s cultural and economic vitality.

Each ELEVATE is presented with a specially curated “theme” that emphasizes various cultural topics and trends while incorporating the talent and creativity of local, national, and international art and artists. Hosted this year in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh community, the festival seeks to use art to bring a new perspective to the culturally significant yet overlook community.

Gallery 72’s Opens New Exhibition Featuring the Work of Artist Michael Scoffield

“Deep Crevice with Anomalies” by Michael Scoffield – Acrylic and texture on canvas – 60”x 48” – 2019

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is excited to host artist Michael Scoffield’s exhibition, “When Shallow is Deep and Other Musings”, Thursday August 8, 2019.

Scoffield’s artwork takes a critical view of social, political, and cultural issues. Often referencing professional sports, his work explores the varying relationships between the Black community, sports media, and its industry. Scoffield art reproduces familiar visual signs such as objects, drawings and paintings, while using a variety of materials and processes in each project.

Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects, the works are linked by recurring formal concerns and through subject matter. Scoffield’s subject matter is determined by the materials and forms of the work. Multiple works are often produced consisting of different media, centered around specific themes and meanings.

Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating this unique and talented artist. 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.

About the Artist

Michael Scoffield is a native of Tennessee, where he attended Fisk University and received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Fine Art. While at Fisk, he studied under such noted artists as Aaron Douglas, Martin Puryear, and David Driskell. Later, he attended Georgia State University where he received a Masters in Fine Art.

ELEVATE Seeks Creatives for 2019 Festival

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is currently seeking creative and innovative local Scholars, Photographers, Signage Artists with graphic design experience, Interior Designers, and Artisans for the 2019 ELEVATE Public Art Program. All experienced candidates are encouraged to submit qualifications and budget breakdowns for each respective call.

For more information about each call, visit the ELEVATE website listed below. Selected artists will be compensated for their time and work.

The deadline extended to Friday, August 16, 2019, by 11:59 pm EST.

ELEVATE 2019 Artist Calls

About ELEVATE

Chastain Hosts Pop-up Raku Workshop on August 3

On Saturday, August 3, Chastain Arts Center and Gallery will host a Raku workshop with instructor Bob Petersen. During the workshop, students will learn the general history, philosophy and methods of firing ceramics in a Raku Kiln. In addition, glazing techniques will be taught and put into practice. Whether this is your first time Raku firing or you have experience, all levels are welcome to participate.

What to bring:

Four (4) to Six (6) bisque fired pots. Fired at cone 04/06, 6 to 8 inches tall or smaller and no more than 6” in diameter. Please have one bisque pot glazed before the workshop If you don’t have a pot, you can purchase pots to Raku for $20.
Notebook and pencil/pen
Food/snack
Proper attire such as long sleeves, long pants (no synthetic clothing – ONLY COTTON), no open toed shoes, and hair tied up.

Please avoid bringing:

Flat pieces like plates and wide bowls can be problematic and for purposes of this workshop are discouraged

Also, be aware that Raku firing does not produce work suitable for food service and vessels may be too porous to hold liquid.

Note: Do to time constraints for the workshop, we cannot guarantee all pieces will be fired.

For more information or to sign up, call 404-252-2927.

OCA Seeks Panelists for 2020 Contracts for Arts Services Grant Cycle

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is seeking art leaders and professionals, as well as business and community members, who are interested in serving on the Contracts for Arts Services grant advisory panels for the 2020 cycle.

Panelists play a vital role in reviewing grant proposals and supporting OCA’s mission of granting public funding to the arts.

For details and Panelist Guidelines & Applications, click here or contact Arts and Education Director, Monica Prothro, at mdprothro@atlantaga.gov.

OCA Brings the Fair Saturday Movement to America

The Fair Saturday Movement welcomes Atlanta as a Fair Saturday Official City 2019. The City of Atlanta is excited to partner with the Fair Saturday Movement. Last weekend in Bilbao, Spain, the announcement of Atlanta as a Fair Saturday participant was announced.

Atlanta is one of the first cities in the United States to welcome Fair Saturday, a collective celebration of arts and culture supporting social causes. The initiative is a global mobilization that aims to create a positive social impact every last Saturday of November, the day following Black Friday.

Artists and cultural organizations from all over the world get together in a global festival to support a social cause of their choice through their art and cultural presentation. Thirteen of Atlanta’s Cultural organizations has committed to participation this year’s celebration.

How can your organization participate in Fair Saturday Atlanta 2019?

Support a social cause of your choice through your art and cultural presentation.
Generating funds for the chosen social cause by freely and voluntarily donating part of the value generated in the event (tickets, donations, etc.).
Helping spread your participation through your communication channels and dedicate some time before the show/presentation/exhibit to share with your audience.
You can couple Fair Saturday with an already existing or planned event.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs welcomes other cultural organizations to participate in this initiative. You may express your interest by contacting Monica Prothro at mdprothro@atlantaga.gov.

For more information and details about Fair Saturday, please visit www.fairsaturday.org.

OCA Announces Dates and Host Neighborhood for 2019 ELEVATE Festival

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to announce that our 9th annual ELEVATE Public Art Festival will be held in Atlanta’s historic Pittsburgh neighborhood from Monday, Oct. 14 to Saturday, Oct. 19.

An annual celebration of Atlanta’s creative energy, ELEVATE is a week-long, free public art festival that brings premier cultural experiences and community-specific art installations to its host community.

Throughout the week, community residents from across the city are treated to a series of artistic exhibitions, performances, and events that aims to enrich, educate, and celebrate the host community’s history and culture.

More details about the upcoming festival, including artist calls, event information, and sponsorship opportunities, will be announced in the coming weeks. Until then, follow the festival on social media @ELEVATEATL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to receive news and updates as they emerge.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talks with World Renown Sculptor Basil Watson

“Sacred Ground” Artist Talk
Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 12 and 7 pm

Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA

On July 18, 2019, join us at Gallery 72 as we host an artist talk with revered sculptor Basil Watson. Watson will give two artist talks for his exhibition “Sacred Ground” at Gallery 72.

The first talk will be an opportunity for City of Atlanta employees to meet the artist and discuss the inspiration behind his work and will take place at 12 pm. The second talk will be for the general public and will start at 7 pm. Both talks will be hosted at Gallery 72.

Please join us in this opportunity to hear this world renown sculptor speak about his work. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

OCA’s Public Art Team Visits the Twin Cities for 2019 AFTA Annual Conference

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.

Public Art Team Restores Journey to Freedom After Vandalism

In May, our Conservation and Maintenance team restored “Journey to Freedom: Women of the Civil Rights Movement”, a mixed media public installation by Lynn Marshall Linnemeier with photographs by Dr. Doris A. Derby, Shelia Turner, and Susan Ross.

Created in 2015 through the “Imagine Your Parks” grant, a joint program between the National Park Service and the National Endowment for the Arts, Journey to Freedom was defaced by multiple graffiti tags from suspected vandals.

After an initial assessment, Public Art’s Conservation and Maintenance Team member, Ian Killian, and Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, buffed out and removed the multiple graffiti tags to restore the artwork.

Gallery 72 Unveils “SACRED GROUND” Exhibition From Artist Basil Watson

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to host Basil Watson’s exhibition “SACRED GROUND”, opening on Thursday, June 13, 2019. The exhibition will be the artist’s meditation on the transcendent, present and eternal power, beauty and sacredness of the female body.

On Thursday, June 20, join us for a public opening reception from 6 pm to 9 pm at Gallery 72.

For more than 40 years, artist and sculptor Basil Watson has been translating life’s most important attributes – positive emotions and attitudes, the spirit of freedom and spontaneity, strength, beauty, energy and vigor – into finely crafted works of art.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of internationally renowned painter Barrington Watson, it was a natural progression for Watson to study at the Jamaica School of Art. He then went on to establish a successful career as Jamaica’s leading sculptor. The most notable of his achievements include having monumental works on the campuses of the three primary universities in the island, as well as signature works at the two major Stadia.

In 2016, the Government of Jamaica awarded Basil the “Order of Distinction” (Commander) in recognition of his contributions in the field of Art.

Emigrating to the United States in 2002, Watson established his home and studio in Lawrenceville, GA. Having continued the steep climb to international recognition, he has completed major works in China, Guatemala, and in various States within the US.

“SACRED GROUND”

Thursday, June 13 – Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Gallery 72

72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta GA.. 30303

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 20, at Gallery 72, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Chastain Announces Two-day Handbuilding & Sculptural Ceramic Workshop

Join Chastain Arts Center and Gallery for a two-day workshop, “Handbuilding Functional & Sculptural Ceramic with Slabs”, featuring Grace Tessein & Dennis Ritter.

Tessein and Ritter will share their approaches to slab building using soft and leather hard slabs to construct functional and representational sculptural forms using mid-range iron rich clays.

Participants will be introduced to various slab building techniques, drop and hump molds, and methods for developing surfaces using slips and underglazes.

Guest will also discuss the use of the clay extruder as a tool for creating components for functional forms and for sculptural embellishments.

This two-day workshop will be hosted Friday, June 14 from 10 AM – 5 PM and Saturday, June 15 from 10 AM – 2 PM.

The registration fee is $85. All Levels Welcome! For more information or to sign up, call 404-252-2927.

Chastain Announces Second Pop-up Workshop

Join Chastain Arts Center and Gallery for its second Pop-Up series, Fold-Forming Bangel Workshop featuring Robert McGinnis.

Learn the art of fold-forming sheet copper in this dual session workshop on June 8 and June 15.

This workshop is great for the inquisitive beginner to the intermediate jeweler.

The registration fee for the workshop is $58 with a $10 supply fee. For more information or to sign up, call 404-252-2927.

Chastain Arts Center and Gallery Unveils “Ini-she-ation” by Artist Shanequa Gay

Chastain Arts Center and Gallery is pleased to announce“Ini-she-ation” by Shanequa Gay. This is a solo show highlights works focuses on young black girls, their freedom or the lack there in… a young girl is initiated into womanhood, the world, understanding, utopia, belief, faith, and the imaginary.

The show will be on view from Friday, June 7 to Saturday, August 3. An opening reception for the show will be held on Friday, June 7, from 6 pm to 8 pm.

The Artist Talk will be July 27 at 1 PM.

All events are Free and Open to the public. We will see you there!

OCA’s Public Art Team Treats German Sundial by Charles Mitchell

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Conservation and Maintenance Team treated German Sundial by Charles Mitchell. The German Sundial commemorates 300 years of German Immigration to the Colonies of the New World. There are five similar works in the southeast. There are located in Memphis, Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, Huntsville, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Can you find them?

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Conservation and Maintenance Team, Conservation Technicians, Adrian Barzaga and Addison Adams, and Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, treated the artwork on March 28, 2019. They cleaned the sculpture; removed oxidation from the bronze elements, patched voids in the limestone base, treated the stone with biocide, and finally waxed and buffed the bronze surfaces.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: OCA and Enterprise Management Seek Art Proposals for New Zone 3 Police Precinct

Through a partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Department of Enterprise Asset Management, the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs seeks metro Atlanta-based, professional artists for new public artworks that will be installed in a new Zone 3 Police Precinct on Metropolitan Parkway.

Artists interested in pursuing these opportunities must review the artwork proposal packets linked below. In addition, candidates should share up to six (6) high-resolution images of past work samples, a one-page artist statement describing your proposal, and a résumé outlining your professional accomplishments with three (3) professional references. The deadline to submit a proposal has been extended to Monday, June 17, 2019, by 5 pm.

Questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFP must be directed in writing to Public Art Project Coordinator Emily Fisher at EAFisher@atlantaga.gov. The deadline for submitting questions is Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at 5 pm.

Call for Proposals

OCA’s Public Art Program Installs New Art in Hardy Ivy Park

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.

Chastain Arts Center Hosts Pop-Up Ceramic Workshop on May 10

On Friday, May 10 from 10 AM to 4 PM, the Chastain Arts Center presents a Pop-Up Raku Workshop conducted by instructor Bob Peterson. In this one-day Raku workshop, Peterson will discuss the general history, philosophy and methods in firing ceramics in a raku kiln. Whether this is your first time Raku firing or you a seasoned artist, all levels are welcome to participate. For more information about the Pop-Up Workshop or to register, please call us at 404.252.2927. We hope you join us!

OCA and Parks & Recreation Seek Teaching Artists to Work with Atlanta’s Youth

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), in partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation, is seeking creative and innovative teaching artists to mentor and instruct children between 5 to 18 years of age for a new art program, entitled “Centers of Hope Saturday Art School” program. OCA is accepting proposals until Friday, May 3, 2019, from experienced teaching artists that detail workshop curriculums and budgets for the upcoming program.

The Centers of Hope Saturday Art School program seeks to offer K-12 art educational opportunities to children and assist them in developing their artistic abilities of choice. We also seek to foster in students a lifelong appreciation of the creative arts and their potential to transform individual lives.

The OCA is excited to work with teaching artist passionate about creating unique artistic student programming. The Centers of Hope Saturday Art School program strives to have visual art, dance, theatre, music, and graphic and craft design as opportunities every year for K-12 students by offering free arts educational programming.

The Centers of Hope Saturday Art School program will take place at Rosel Fann, Martin Luther King, Jr., C.T. Martin, and William Walker Recreation Centers from May 18 to July 20, 2019. Selected Teaching Artists will receive hourly compensation of $35 for their time.

If you can satisfy the requirements outlined above, please submit a completed PDF packet to this Request for Proposal to ksipp@atlantaga.gov.

All proposals must be received by 5 pm on Friday, May 3, 2019. Responses that do not contain all the requested information and received after the deadline will not be accepted.

For more information contact, Kevin Sipp at 404-546-3220 or ksipp@atlantaga.gov.

Program Details:

Teaching Artist will commit to 3 hours each Saturday (30 minutes prep time, 2 hours instruction time, 30 minutes clean-up time).
Children/Youth Age Range – 5 – 8, 9 – 12, 13 – 18.
All mediums and disciplines are welcomed to apply. Potential Classes proposed may include – Dance, Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media (paint/collage), Graphic Design, Creative Writing, Jewelry Making, Drama/Comedy (Improv), Cartooning, and Animation.

Minimum Qualifications

All experienced metro Atlanta artists, organizations and artist partnerships are invited to submit a proposal.

Applicants must be experienced in:

Producing high quality, innovative artwork.
A history of working with the specified neighborhoods.
Demonstrated leadership and ability to manage time sensitive projects
Familiarity with materials and ideas for artwork proposal
Ability to discuss and present ideas in a professional manner
Submit a Brief artist bio (1 pg. max)
Submit Artist Resume/CV that includes contact information ‐address, telephone number, email and website (If more than one applicant, please provide information on lead artist and/or collaborator and names of participating artists).
Provide List of 3 References
Submit Project Theme and Statement of Intent (1 pg. max) describing intent, concept, method of working, anticipated outcome, and include maximum number of students
Provide budget outlining supplies and materials for the course

Program Location: Rosel Fann, Martin Luther King Jr, C.T. Martin, & William Walker Recreation Centers

Program Dates: May 18 – July 20, 2019

Potential Class Hours: Saturday • 11a-1p / 1p-3p

Teaching Artist Fee: $35 an hour

DEADLINE EXTENDED: OCA Releases Application for FY ’20 CAS Grant Cycle

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:

Major Arts Organizations
Arts Organizations
Community Cultural Development Organizations
Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU’s) and Neighborhood Organizations
Individual Artist Projects
Emerging Artist Award

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.

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.

OCA and Mayor Bottoms Reveals Lineup for 2019 Atlanta Jazz Festival

Highlights include the The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, Richard Bona, Slim Gamble and Diana Ross’ daughter Rhonda Ross & Rodney Kendrick

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms revealed the artist lineup for the 42nd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival in a video announcement today. The lineup includes a variety of jazz sounds and stylings that will delight more than 150,000 attendees on three newly-named stages: The Meadow Stage, Oak Hill Stage and Park Drive Stage.

The country’s longest running free jazz festival will take place for two days over Memorial Day Weekend: Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, in Piedmont Park. Sunday will feature a special lineup of all Atlanta-grown artists on the Meadow Stage that will epitomize the city’s deep, rich history of local jazz talent.

The complete lineup for the 2019 festival includes:

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Park Drive Stage:

12:30 p.m. Avery Dixon, Saxophone Extraordinaire

2:30 p.m. Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes’

4:30 p.m. Christian Sands

6:30 p.m. Makaya McCraven

Oak Hill Stage:

1:30 p.m. Ofer Assaf Quartet

3:30 p.m. Delfeayo Marsalis

5:30 p.m. Takuya Kuroda

7:30 p.m. Richard Bona

Meadow Stage:

1 p.m. Alicia Olatuja

3 p.m. Stefon Harris + Blackout

5 p.m. Rhonda Ross & Rodney Kendrick

7 p.m. Marcus Strickland ‘Twi-Life’ feat. Pharoahe Monche

9 p.m. Lizz Wright

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Park Drive Stage:

12:30 p.m. Rialto Jazz for Kids

2:30 p.m. Nicole Banks Long

4:30 p.m. Slim Gambill

6:30 p.m. Michael Mayo

Oak Hill Stage:

1:30 p.m. The Kenny Banks, Jr. Trio

3:30 p.m. OKCello

5:30 p.m Freelance

7:30 p.m. Kandace Springs

Meadow Stage:

1 p.m. The Milkshake Quintet

3 p.m. Alex Lattimore

5 p.m. Gary Motley

7 p.m. Rhonda Thomas

9 p.m. The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra

In addition to the Festival on Memorial Day Weekend, the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will again host 31 Days of Jazz events throughout metro Atlanta beginning on May 1. Most of the events are free and will occur in a variety of locations across metro Atlanta, including at various MARTA stations, neighborhood parks, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. More information can be found on AtlantaFestivals.com.

For companies interested in sponsoring the Atlanta Jazz Festival, please contact Jihan Ali with the City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs at jali@AtlantaGa.gov.

About Atlanta Jazz Festival

The Atlanta Jazz Festival is regarded as one of the country’s largest free jazz festivals and invites music lovers from around the region to be immersed in jazz music culture. Mayor Maynard Jackson founded the Festival to promote the art form that originated in the south. The Atlanta Jazz Festival is an annual musical showcase that celebrates jazz legends and features up-and-coming jazz performers in venues throughout metropolitan Atlanta, culminating on Memorial Day weekend with performances at Piedmont Park. For more information, please visit www.atlantafestivals.com and follow Atlanta Jazz Festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Fans also can access information on the go by visiting ATLJazzFest.com, from their smart device.

OCA Hosts Gallery Exhibit by TILA Studios’ Garden Fellows at Mayor’s Gallery

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

Atlanta Jazz Festival and Gallery 72 Hosts Exhibition Celebrating Jazz and African Traditions

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present the exhibition of “The African Jazz Quilts of Michael A. Cummings” at Gallery 72 to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month. The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, April 18 and runs until Thursday, June 6, 2019. An opening reception for the installation will be hosted at Gallery 72 on Thursday, April 18, starting at 6 p.m.

The exhibition coincides with 42nd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival hosted in Piedmont Park, Memorial Day Weekend, May 25 and 26.

Michael A. Cummings, a native of Los Angeles, is a world-renowned quilt maker. Cummings uses reclaimed fabric to create new art and narratives that evoke engagement from its viewers. He has had solo exhibitions with Bates College in Maine, Hallmark Cards, New York City’s Cinque Gallery and Studio Museum in Harlem, among others.

Concerning the quilts of Mr. Cummings, Michael James, Professor of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln says “Michael Cummings has been working with the quilt form since the early 1980s. Cummings has successfully synthesized aesthetic qualities found in folk art, in African and African American art, in music (specifically, jazz), and in diverse textile and non-textile narrative traditions, to arrive at a unique and sincere expression… He’s committed to telling the stories of African-Americans across a broad historical, social, cultural, philosophical, and mythological spectrum”.

As observed and stated by author and curator Martha Sielman ‘the energy of Michael A. Cummings central applique images threatens to escape the boundaries set by his traditional pieced borders, combining elements from his African American heritage, Yoruba Mythology, and formal art training his narratives focus on subjects such as Jazz musicians, historical heroes, and the Yoruba water goddess. Cummings has produced a body of work filled with energy edginess and excitement.“

The Atlanta Jazz Festival Presents: The African Jazz Quilts of Michael A. Cummings

Thursday, April 18 – Thursday, June 6, 2019

Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta GA.. 30303

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 18th 2019 at Gallery 72, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

About Gallery 72

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. Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street NW Atlanta Ga. 30303 and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

NEARBY PARKING FOR GALLERY 72: 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.

Spirit Bench Receives Spring Cleaning

Before and after photo of “Spirit Bench” by John Riddle (circa. 1976) at Arthur Langford Park

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Conservation Team recently treated “Spirit Bench” by John Riddle.

The conservation team removed light graffiti from the concrete sculpture in late February. A supplemental treatment followed in early March to pressure wash the sculpture, patch concrete voids, and weed the site bed. The team even received help from one of the neighborhood’s budding art conservators. (pictured below)

Riddle was a beloved community leader and a nationally recognized artist. In 1974, he moved to Atlanta and was an active member of the City’s arts community and director of the Neighborhood Arts Center.

He created “Spirit Bench” in 1976, which incorporates etched Adinkra motifs from Ghana, West Africa. This inviting archway sculpture creates a visual gateway that welcomes visitors to Arthur Langford Park.

In 1999, Riddle returned to Los Angeles to curate exhibitions for the California African American Museum. Riddle passed away in 2002 at the age of 68.

CEP Closes Out School Year with Trips to Atlanta History Center, High Museum, and More

Spring is in the air, and the final Cultural Experience Project (CEP) trips are underway. Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students will end the academic year with visits to the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Georgia Aquarium, the Atlanta History Center, and the High Museum of Art.

A select group of APS high school students will visit the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University to see local Atlanta artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou’s acclaimed exhibit, “DO or DIE: Affect, Ritual, Resistance.” The exhibition is an extension of Dr. Pecou’s Ph.D. dissertation and explores the intersections of African-based spiritual traditions and the political and societal violence against Black male bodies in the United States.

“DO or DIE: Affect, Ritual, Resistance.” is on display through April 28, 2019, and was organized by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston, in collaboration with the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

This year’s final CEP trip will be in May. The last group of kindergarten students will visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

As we close the year, CEP staff and the entire Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ team would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to all our cultural venue partners. Each year, the staff members of these venues create informal learning opportunities and offer exciting cultural experiences that remain with the students for a lifetime. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to all funders and sponsors. Without their generous financial donations, these trips would not be possible.

Finally, none of this work could happen without our partners at Atlanta Public Schools. We appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Cultural Experience Project. Thank you, everyone.

Look for the next CEP updates in the June newsletter. We will have more information about our funders, next year’s cultural venue partners, and how we will celebrate the Cultural Experience Project’s 15^th anniversary!

Latin Music Sensation CimaFunk Performs in Southwest Atlanta on April 13

On the heels of a critically acclaimed American debut at South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival and Fulton County Arts and Culture will host a concert featuring Afro-cuban musician Cimafunk at the Southwest Arts Center on Saturday, April 13 at 8 pm.

Dubbed the “James Brown of Cuba”, Cimafunk is a multi-talented singer and producer who has taken over Cuba’s alternative music scene. The medical student turned musician rocketed to prominence following the release of his viral debut album, “Terapia” in late 2017. His infectious fusion of funk, dance-centric Afro-cuban music and fun authentic lyrics direct from the Cuban streets turned the country upside down in 2018.

Recently named by Billboard as one of “10 Latin Artists to Watch in 2019,” Cimafunk revitalized Havana’s music scene while infusing funk into Cuban rhythms. He draws inspiration from an eclectic panel of black musicians from James Brown, George Clinton, Prince and the soul music of Al Green and Bill Withers. He also pays homage to the Cuban music movement known as of Nueva Trova, popularized by singer Beny Moré as well as Cuba’s Songo music created by the band Los Van Van.

Winner of the Lucas Award for “Most Popular Video” and named “Artist of the Year” by Vistar Magazine, Cimafunk has created a movement in Havana and throughout Cuba with sold out concert halls.

Poised for international discovery, Cimafunk believes in nothing but the power of the Groove and the cathartic communion of dancing bodies. A renaissance man, conscious of his roots and musical ancestry, Cimafunk looks to firmly inject a new century of style into Cuban and black music.

The concert is presented in partnership with Cuba Educational Travel as a part of a cultural exchange program. The visit aims at building and strengthening networks and communities involved in US/Cuba cultural exchange. Tickets for the concert are on sale now and are available at Eventbrite.

For more information on Cimafunk, visit his website at cimafunk.com. To listen to Cimafunk’s newest single “Me Voy”, below.

Gallery 72 Exhibits New Immersive Installation from Local Artists

“Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta” runs from March 1 – April 12 at Gallery 72

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present “Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta”, a collaborative installation from multimedia artists Carolyn Carr and Michael Gibson at Gallery 72.

In this dual artistic exhibition, Carr and Gibson explore the complicated nature of Atlanta and their shared southern heritage.

The artists share the fruits of their exploration through an immersive installation, which seeks to embed gallery visitors into a welcoming space while delivering a transformative and participatory public art experience.

“Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta”, runs from March 1 – April 12 at Gallery 72 on 72 Marietta St. NW.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 14, starting at 6 p.m.

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Contact Gallery Supervisor, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Public Art Team Restores “Phoenix” Sculpture

“Phoenix”, a sculpture by artist Francesco Somaini, recently underwent restoration under the direction of the OCA Public Art team.

The 10-foot tall monument was a gift from the First National Bank of Atlanta after its merger with Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) in 1980.

The abstract bronze sculpture depicts the mythological creature ascending into the sky with a maelstrom of fire and flames trailing behind it.

The sculpture’s strong and disruptive curves are accentuated by the gold leaf foil lining the crevices of artwork.

During the restoration, the base of the artwork was treated while minor maintenance and site enhancements were performed, included removing debris and residues from the plaza.

To learn more about this artwork and other pieces in the City’s Public Art Collection, visit our ArtsHub.

Special thanks to Terra Mare Conservation for their work in restoring the sculpture.

Gallery 72’s Curator Discusses City’s Art on Loan Program

With more than 400 pieces in the City’s Collection, art is infused into the DNA of Atlanta.

Kevin Sipp, Gallery 72 Project Supervisor and Co-Public Art Manager for the “Art On Loan” Program, recently shared some of the artistic gems lining the walls and hallways of the City of Atlanta’s various offices.

Chastain Prepares for 2019 Summer Camps and Workshops

What will your children be doing this summer?

Let your children explore their creative talents this summer with one of Chastain Arts Center and Gallery’s upcoming Summer Camps or Teen Workshops!

Registration starts Monday, February 18 for new students.

For returning 2018 campers, pre-registration opens Monday, February 11.

Look for Chastain’s 2019 Art à La Carte Summer Camp and Teen Workshop schedule coming soon!

OCA Restores Sculpture of Former Council Member

Side-by-Side Comparison of Restoration. Before Restoration (Left) and After Restoration (Right)

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Conservation and Maintenance Team recently completed treatment of “Architect for the Future, Barbara Asher” by sculptors Don Haugan and Teena Stern.

Created in 1997, the sculptor captures the likeness of former City Council Member, Barbara Asher, who was instrumental in bringing the Olympics to Atlanta. This monument provides visual interest while beautifying this important downtown district.

The OCA Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, initiated treatment on January 11, 2019, with the assistance of Conservation Technicians Adrian Barzaga and Addison Adams.

The team addressed the oxidation on the sculpture’s surface and missing silicone seals in the plaza. To round out the restoration, the trio cleaned the area around the statue and polished it with a new coat of wax.

Several pedestrians thanked the team for their work and mentioned the impact former Council Member Asher had on Atlanta.

To learn more about this piece and others in the City’s Public Art Collection, make sure to visit our Art Hub.

APS Students Prepare for Trips to the Woodruff Arts Center and Atlanta Botanical Garden

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.

OCA’s Public Art Team Finalizes Restoration of Olympic Statue

In December, the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art team completed restoration of “Niki” by Pavlos Kougioumtzis.

The abstract statue was a gift from Athens, Greece to Atlanta in commemoration of the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympics. The sculpture consists of three bronze pieces resting on a triangular marble base and depicts Nike, the winged Goddess of speed, strength, and victory from Greek mythology. A sister sculpture resides at the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece.

Since the centennial games, versions of the sculpture have been bestowed to Olympic host cities around the world.

“Niki” Before Restoration

The 11-foot-tall sculpture was assessed for treatment by Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) on November 2, 2018, and was immediately prioritized for treatment due to significant base instability and a safety concern. Although the sculpture was securely attached to its concrete base, the statue’s marble veneers were unstable with substantial gaps between the top panel and the sides.

With the support from Jalal Slade, Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Enterprise Assets Management, and Maurice Calhoun, City Hall’s Facilities Maintenance Manager, OCA’s conservation and maintenance manager Shannon Douglas Kimbro initiated treatment on November 29, 2018. Conservation technicians, Adrian Barzaga and Addison Adams, discovered the extent of the damage while removing the caulking when one of the statue’s marble veneer panels immediately dislodged.

“Niki” During Restoration

The team re-engineered the marble veneer system by adding multiple points of contact with a construction-grade adhesive and galvanized steel connectors designed to reinforce the varying gaps between the concrete base and marble veneer panels. For additional support, silicone caulking was used to provide a long-lasting, flexible, and weather-proof seal while the top marble panel was sanded to remove embedded dirt to improve adhesion. After this initial treatment, the sculpture was washed and waxed.

“Niki” after restoration

The sculpture will receive final treatments in the final weeks of 2018. To learn more about this artwork and other pieces in the City’s Collection, visit our ART Hub to explore the City’s collection.

CEP and APS Students Prepare for 2019 Trips

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.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks Local Artist RFQs for Westside MLK Corridor Gateway

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.

APS Students Experience Two Dynamic Multicultural Performances Courtesy of Atlanta Opera, Alliance Theatre

In November, the Atlanta Opera and the Alliance Theatre thrilled Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students with productions of “West Side Story” and “Paige in Full”, respectively.

A modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” presented by the Atlanta Opera, “West Side Story” remains culturally relevant more than six decades after its Broadway debut in 1957.

The story embeds the APS students into diverse communities constantly engaged with the ever-present possibilities of hate, love, triumph and tragedy. West Side Story’s lively use of storytelling evoked some powerful lessons to the students.

During Alliance Theatre’s production of “Paige in Full”, APS students met Paige — a multiracial and multicultural woman who grew up in 1980s Baltimore. Paige’s hour-long, autobiographical “mixtape” took students through her personal journey to self-acceptance. The dynamic, music-filled performance helped students understand the importance of valuing the entirety of who they are, and not only selected elements.

Coming up in December, APS students will head to the Fox Theater for an APS exclusive preview of the Atlanta Ballet’s reinterpretation of the holiday classic The Nutcracker. This production of the ageless tales is the ballet’s first completely new production of the story in 20 years. The new Nutcracker promises to delight another group of APS students.

As we prepare to close out 2018 and welcome in a new year, we thank you for supporting the Cultural Experience Project and Atlanta Public Schools students. Enjoy the holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in 2019!

Public Art Team Repairs Vandalized Sculpture in Downtown Atlanta

Earlier this fall, one of the city’s most adorable sculptures received a touch-up thanks to the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art team.

Donkey, created in 1996 by Burgess Dulaney and located in Folk Art Park near Courtland Street NE, sustained multiple abrasions in suspected vandalization from a blunt object.

Photos of the damaged sculpture before restoration

The impact of the suspected object broke the small statue’s top layer of paint and protective coating, causing noticeable dents near the artwork’s right eye, the nose, jaw, rear legs, and underbelly.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) Conservation and Maintenance Manager, Shannon Douglas Kimbro, assessed the damage sustained by the installation and oversaw the restoration.

Photos of the damaged sculpture after restoration

In partnership with Central Atlanta Progress, a nonprofit community organization providing leadership, programs, and services to preserve and strengthen the economic vitality of Downtown Atlanta, the restoration team lightly washed the artwork and removed loose materials with water and a soft bristle nylon brush. Voids caused by the vandalization were filled with a polyester resin and a new coating of paint was applied to complete the restoration.

Chastain Arts Center Celebrates National Shop Local Artists Week

From December 2 to 8, 2018, help the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) celebrates Americans for the Arts’ inaugural National Shop Local Artists Week during our annual Holiday Show and Sale at Chastain Arts Center and Gallery.

Beginning as a local initiative created by the Northshore Cultural Economy Coalition in 2016, National Shop Local Artists Week encourages cultural supporters to join together to promote the purchase work created by local artists. The week-long celebration promotes art as a holiday gift —including tickets to events and organization memberships!

Outlets like Chastain Arts Center and Gallery’s annual Holiday Show and Sale allows some of Atlanta’s most talented artists to exhibit and sale their work. The Show and Sale also helps support the City’s booming arts and cultural economy, which accounts for more than 60,000 jobs across multiple creative sectors in metro Atlanta.

“Chastain Arts Center is a place for emerging artists to showcase their work in our gallery and for aspiring artists to learn how to create art for themselves, “ said Karen Lowe, Chastain Arts Center and Gallery’s manager and curator. “The annual Holiday Show and Sale allows us to showcase the art of our instructors and students on an annual basis.”

According to a 2015 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural economic activities account for more than $700 billion of the United States’ gross domestic product. This demonstrates that the arts are a valuable business asset with significant financial benefits.

The value of the arts and cultural economy is particularly significant to metro Atlanta. As detailed in the Americans for the Arts’ 2017 Creative Industries report, the city of Atlanta has approximately two times the number of arts-related businesses and jobs than the national average.

During this holiday season, the OCA encourages all arts and cultural supporter to invest in the city’s budding arts and cultural economy by purchasing a unique, handmade gift or attending one of the amazing cultural experiences presented by the City’s many arts organizations. Your support will go a long way in growing Atlanta’s arts and cultural economy.

For more information about National Shop Local Artists Week, visit www.ShopLocalArtistsWeek.org.

To learn more about Chastain Arts Center and Gallery’s Holiday Show and Sale, follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest news and updates.

OCA Launches Annual Crowdfunding Campaign to Help Atlanta-based Arts Organizations

Just in time for #GivingTuesday, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) 2019 Power2Give crowdfunding campaigns are underway.

Administered through the office’s Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) program, power2give (P2G) is OCA’s crowdfunding platform designed to leverage private donations and city funding to provide additional financial support to Atlanta-based arts organizations.

With each dollar donated to a power2give campaign, OCA makes a matching donation up to the goal amount to help further the organizations’ cultural initiatives.

Since its inception, P2G has generated more than $2,000,000 for the arts in Atlanta, funding more than 300 projects.

Thanks to the unrivaled generosity of the city’s cultural supporters, beloved Atlanta-based arts organizations such as Actor’s Express, BronzeLens, BurnAway, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, just to name a few, have received the financial support they need to continue enriching Atlanta’s artistic spirit.

Visit power2give.org/atlanta to see all the active fundraising campaigns or follow the link below to learn about the funding opportunities provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Contracts for Arts Services program.

OCA Presents Joint Art Exhibitions at Gallery 72

Artwork by Yanique Norman (Left) and Namwon Choi (Right)

Gallery 72 is proud to present the dual exhibitions of artists Yanique Norman and Namwon Choi from November 29 to January 31, 2019.

Housed in the gallery’s South Gallery, Yanique Norman’s exhibition, “Lesson on How to be a More Interesting Woman”, is a visual exploration of Safiya Sinclair’s poems “Notes on the State of Virginia, I-III”, where Sinclair’s surveys Thomas Jefferson’s denigration of the black woman.

Norman follows a similar vein by uniting drawings and film to create a radical re-imagining of how one can further construct a more complex and nuanced internal black narrative.

Fellow artist Namwon Choi’s exhibition “In-Betweenness”, on display in the North Gallery, investigates the concept of “migrancy” through its movement in both space and time.

According to Choi, “Since [relocating], the idea of transitional states and the notion of ‘in-betweenness,’ have led me to [become] interested in the network of spaces…”

Throughout both of these works, the two artists provide dynamic and thought-provoking artistic voices that explore the importance of an internal narrative and its role in constructing a resilient self-identity in a changing world.

Gallery 72 encourages you to stop by the gallery and experience the engaging narratives Norman and Choi are sharing in their respective exhibitions.

Atlanta Jazz Festival Receives Creative Loafing’s “Reader’s Pick” Award for “Best Free Annual Event”

Photo courtesy of Creative Loafing.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) is thrilled to announce that our annual Atlanta Jazz Festival was named a Reader’s Pick for Best Free Annual Event in Creative Loafing’s 2018 Best of Atlanta list.

“Receiving this recognition speaks to the passion this city has for music, especially jazz,” said OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love. “The Atlanta Jazz Festival has brought the genre’s most beloved jazz performers to our wonderful city free-of-charge, and we’re excited to bring more superb talent for the upcoming festival.”

Creative Loafing’s annual Best of Atlanta list honors institutions, creatives, entrepreneurs, and businesses that are true to the Atlanta spirit, while showcasing the best the city has to offer. The full list of winners can be found here.

The Reader’s Pick award follows the announcement of the 2018 lineup for the Emerging Jazz Icons Series concerts featuring Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Trio on Saturday, November 17, followed by Joel Ross on Saturday, January 12.

Both concerts lead into the 42nd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, hosted in Piedmont Park on Memorial Day Weekend, May 25–26, 2019.

The OCA thanks everyone who voted to recognize the Atlanta Jazz Festival for this distinction. Look for more details regarding the upcoming 42nd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival as they emerge. For additional information about the Emerging Jazz Icons Series concerts, click here.

OCA Grants Funding to 85 Arts Organizations and Artists

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.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talk with Street Photographer Ken West

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.

OCA’s Public Art Team Restores Two Southwest Atlanta Sculptures

In October, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) Public Art Conservation and Maintenance team performed restorations on two public artworks by artist Ayokunle Odeleye, “Spirit, Family, Community” and “Chi Wara Sundial Lantern.”

Created in 1996 and residing on the corner of Hank Aaron Drive SW and Haygood Avenue SE, “Spirit, Family, Community” features an embedded sculpture of a close-knit family of four that honors the families and members of the Cascade Road community. The steel and bronze sculpture doubles as a working sundial and light fixture. The installation also includes design elements that pay homage to the significant impact members of the community made on Atlanta and beyond through scholarship and creativity.

Five miles west, on the corner of Cascade Road SW and Benjamin E. Mays Drive SW, sits Odeleye’s “Chi Wara Sundial Lantern.” Installed in 2012, this site-specific sculpture is part of the Cascade Road/Benjamin E. Mays streetscape improvement project led in partnership by the OCA and the Department of Public Works. An art selection committee picked Odeleye to develop artwork to anchor the project.

Inspiration for the sundial comes from the Chi Wara, a mythical creature of the Bambara ethnic group of the Republic of Mali in West Africa. The Chi Wara is a special ceremonial headdress used to pass knowledge from wise elders to young people in the village. Odeleye’s sculpture uses this concept to suggest the ceremonial passing of scholarship from Cascade elders to the youth of the community.

During the restoration process, the Conservation and Maintenance team addressed and treated surface abrasions and scratches, organic residue, and elemental exposures each installation sustained.

Surfaces of both sculptures were polished to restore the original shine and to apply a protective coating. In addition, the exterior surfaces of the sculptures were washed, treated, and waxed. The Conservation and Maintenance team also corrected an elevation issue along the right side of “Spirit, Family, Community” to protect the base’s corner.

For more information about these sculptures and the city’s Public Art Collection, visit our Arts Hub.

APS Students Experience the Dynamic Dancing of Ailey II

Photo Courtesy Rialto Center for the Arts. Photographer: Judy Ondrey

Hosted by the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) high school students experienced the dynamic and thrilling choreography of Ailey II as one of October’s Cultural Experience Project (CEP) trips.

Ailey II, the junior company of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is a universally celebrated dance company known for developing some of the country’s best young dancers.

As part of Ailey II’s Rialto residency activities, the company performed some of their most admired routines for the APS students, including Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece “Revelations”.

APS students also had the opportunity to learn choreography from the company’s dancers and performed a dance routine they created.

Throughout November, APS students will continue engaging the city’s cultural offerings with productions of “West Side Story” and “Paige in Full” presented by the Atlanta Opera and the Alliance Theatre, respectively. Students will also attend experiences at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Oakland Cemetery, ZuCot Gallery, the Atlanta History Center, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to learn about the many cultural experiences enjoyed by APS students.

Also, in February, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform at the Fox Theatre or a four-day residency from February 21-24, 2019.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Chastain Arts Center’s Annual Holiday Show and Sale Starts November 2

Join us on Saturday, November 3 from 11 AM to 2 PM in the Chastain Gallery for the Chastain Arts Center’s Annual Holiday Show and Sale Opening Reception.

The Holiday Show and Sale will be on view from November 2, 2018, through January 4, 2019.

Winter Workshop Registration Opens on November 5

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.

CeeLo Green, SOS Band and Others Celebrate the Arts and Culture of the SWATS

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.

OCA Partners with T.I. and artist Austin Blue to Celebrate Atlanta’s Cultural Pioneers

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.

ArtsATL Discusses Photographer Sheila Pree Bright new book “#1960Now”

When protests broke out in Ferguson, Missouri, Atlanta-based photographer Sheila Pree Bright embarked on a journey that gave birth to her new book “#1960NOW”. ArtsATL journalist Kelundra Smith speaks with Pree Bright about her new book and her exhibition at the Arnika Dawkins Gallery, hosted in partnership with For Freedoms and the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ ELEVATE public art festival. Read the full story at ArtsATL.com

Arts Funding Taskforce Discusses Atlanta’s Cultural Future

The City of Atlanta recently added $1M to the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ FY ‘19 grants budget. An Arts Funding Taskforce of Atlanta’s emerging cultural leaders was formed to map out strategies for equitable distribution of funds to small and midsized organizations and Atlanta’s underserved communities.

Over a two-day period in September, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs met with arts leaders and artists to identify potential projects and partnerships that will meet Mayor Bottoms objectives of equitable distribution and access to art and culture that can further engage our art community with national and international artistic experiences. The work of the taskforce will continue over the next two months.

Members of the taskforce include Chandra Stephens-Albright, Chris Appleton, Leatrice Elzy Wright, Christopher Escobar, Angela Harris, Jessyca Holland, Heather Infantry, Bem Joiner, Veronica Kessenich, Loli Lucaciu, Fahamu Pecou, Dantes Rameau, Lara Smith, and Malika Whitley.

The Emerging Jazz Icons Series Returns for the 2018 Season

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.

OCA’s Cultural Experience Project Commences 14th Year

The Mayor’s Chief of Staff Marva Lewis shown with OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen

On September 18, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) commenced the Cultural Experience Project’s (CEP) 14th year with representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Atlanta Public Schools (APS), the Woodruff Arts Center, and this year’s 28 cultural partners.

The Mayor’s Chief of Staff Marva Lewis shared remarks regarding the importance of the program, while OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love highlighted the notable experiences each grade level will have throughout the academic year.

APS Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen also expressed her thoughts about the value of the program and the impact these cultural experiences have on APS students.

The first experience of the 2018-2019 Cultural Experience Project took place on August 30 with APS high school students seeing Theatrical Outfit’s production of “The Book of Will” — a witty historical quest about a band of merry men and women coming together to keep Shakespeare’s words from fading into obscurity.

Throughout October, APS students will experience performances of Ailey II at the Rialto Center for the Arts, “Paige in Full” at the Alliance Theatre, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem at Cobb Energy Center, presented by the ArtsBridge Foundation.

Students will also visit experiences provided by the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Chick-fil-A, the Carter Presidential Library and Museum, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Atlanta History Center, the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) this month.

Special thanks to Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director and Dan Reardon Director of Education Christopher Moses and his colleagues for hosting this year’s commencement event at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Center-Space.

Stay tuned as we share news and stories from the 2018-2019 Cultural Experience Project during the academic year.

OCA, Alliance Theatre, and AJF Host Night of Jazz and Theatre at the Woodruff Arts Center

Georgia State University Associate Professor Dr. Maurice J. Hobson pictured with panelists Phillip DePoy, Playwright of Nick’s Flamingo Grill, and Joe Alterman, Jazz Pianist and Director of The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.

The “History of Jazz in Atlanta,” presented in collaboration with the Alliance Theatre and The Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc. saw more than 120 people come together at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium to engage in an enlightening panel discussion and Q&A about jazz music’s influence on the city’s culture. The event included exclusive excerpts from the Alliance Theatre’s new musical “Nick’s Flamingo Grill,” which tells the story of two G.I.s turned jazz musicians who attempt to transport their racially mixed performance from abroad to 1950s Atlanta.

The evening opened with remarks from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Executive Director, Camille Russell Love. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Maurice J. Hobson, Associate Professor of African American Studies at Georgia State University, with insights from panelists Phillip DePoy, Playwright of Nick’s Flamingo Grill, and Joe Alterman, Jazz Pianist and Director of The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.

The speakers shared their thoughts regarding the importance of Jazz as an art form and the cultural significance of the city’s first integrated jazz club, which inspired the play. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in the discussion.

Performances of Nick’s Flamingo Grill start September 29 and run until October 28 in the Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage. For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org.

Also, look for information regarding the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Emerging Jazz Icons Series returning this fall.

Chastain Arts Center and Gallery Releases Winter Workshop Schedule

Fall is officially here, and the Chastain Arts Center and Gallery’s winter session is just around the corner. Registration for the center’s winter session opens on Monday, November 5.

Choose from a series of mediums such as drawing, painting, collage and more. We also offer an open studio for ceramicist during our winter workshops.

You can view our full workshop schedule online at tinyurl.com/CACFall2018. Call us at 404-252-2927 to register!

Make sure to register early because classes are filled on a first come, first serve basis.me, first serve basis.

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Announces ELEVATE: S.W.A.T.S

City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs moves its annual public art festival to Southwest Atlanta to honor the neighborhood’s culture, history, and heroes.

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) will host the city’s annual public art festival, ELEVATE, in Southwest Atlanta from Sunday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 21.  

Traditionally hosted in Atlanta’s south Downtown area, the festival’s move to the southwest community marks the OCA’s efforts to present cultural experiences from artists and organizations like the Alliance Theatre and High Museum of Art to a new audience. The move also provides a platform to showcase Southwest Atlanta’s cultural institutions such as Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company, Dancemakers of Atlanta, and the Arnika Dawkins Gallery. 

Titled ELEVATE: S.W.A.T.S. (Southwest Atlanta, Too Strong) in honor of the community’s nickname, the week-long festival seeks to commemorate the heritage of the community while infusing the area with a variety of cultural activities. Featured events include a book signing and photo exhibition by photographer Shelia Pree Bright, a theatrical production of “Bone Hill: The Concert”, “A Night of Dance” by Ailey II and the Dancemaker of Atlanta, and the “Right in the Eye” movie concert. 

Four large-scale murals will be installed in the Cascade Business Corridor as part of an exclusive community art collection. An impressive mural will be dedicated to the community’s five Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients: Reverend Dr. C. T. Vivian, Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Joseph E. Lowery, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Atlanta Braves legend, Henry “Hank” Aaron.  In collaboration with France-Atlanta and Atlanta’s sister city of Toulouse, France, a mural by world-renowned urban artist Ceet will be installed, while a collective of metro Atlanta-based artists selected by the community will complete the collection. 

The Art of the S.W.A.T.S. House, a visual celebration of artistic and musical excellence from the S.W.A.T.S., will be curated by platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning musician T.I., and will incorporate the art of Austin Blue. 

Featuring 13 different cultural events and 12 different art installations, this year’s ELEVATE aims to offer a diverse array of cultural experiences while celebrating the rich history, culture, and accomplishments of one of Atlanta’s strongest communities. 

Additional support for this year’s festival includes Mailchimp, Chick-fil-A, For Freedoms - 50 State Initiative, the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, New England Foundation for the Arts, Live Fresh, Atlanta City Studio, Street Art ATL, Discover Atlanta, the Point at Cascade, Atlanta Music Project, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Hillside International Truth Center, Church of the Incarnation, and Cascade United Methodist Church.  

For more festival information and a full event schedule, visit elevateatlart.com. 

Gallery 72 Presents Dual Exhibits from Photographer Ken West

Ken West

“The Beauty of Everyday Thangs”

A-side: October 18 – November 16, 2018, at Gallery 72

B-side: October 18 – December 31, 2018, at The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall

Opening Reception – Thursday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m. at Gallery 72

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce a dual exhibition by photographer Ken West at Gallery 72 and The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall.

“The Beauty of Everyday Thangs” is an exhibition of documentary photos that illustrate the natural beauty and power of normalcy.

This series of images seeks to display a sliver of the emotional truth and power of our world as it is. Shot almost entirely using film cameras and captured over the past decade, these images speak to the values of simplicity and beauty that exist in all of us.

The photos cast aside the stereotypes associated with marginalized members of our society. Instead, the exhibit encourages audiences to appreciate the intricate realities of who we are and how we choose to live. Each image is the product of West’s conscious awareness of the importance and beauty of Now.

This exhibition will be exhibited in two City’s galleries. Part one will display at Gallery 72 on 72 Marietta St. NW with an opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m., at Gallery 72.

Part two of the exhibition will be at The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall located on the second floor of Atlanta City Hall Annex in the Mayor’s Executive Suite Foyer. Both exhibits are free and open to the public.

Please contact Gallery Supervisor, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

OCA’s Public Art Team Restores “Emerging” Sculpture

“Emerging” is located at the intersection of Spring Street NW and Carnegie Way NW, in front of The Westin Peachtree Plaza.

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art team just completed restoration of “Emerging.”

Created in 1981 by Atlanta-based sculptor Mark Smith, the bronze sculpture resides at the intersection of Spring Street NW and Carnegie Way NW and depicts a partial male figure posed in the process of standing up from a crouching position.

The flat highly polished surface on top of the figure reflects the moving streetscape and towering skyscrapers around it. Each side of the reflective surface offers a unique view of the surrounding area while creating symbolism of a contemporary man “emerging” from the environment.

The sculpture underwent restoration in September. The exterior of the sculpture was washed, treated, waxed, and polished to restore the surface’s original shine. The Public Art’s Conservation and Maintenance Team also addressed the staining on the concrete under the figure’s left foot and copper staining on the sculpture.

For more information about the sculpture and the City’s Public Art Collection, visit our Arts Hub.

OCA’s Public Art Program Restores Sculpture Dedicated to Congressman John Lewis

“The Bridge” (c. 1997), by artist Thornton Dial. Dedicated to Congressman John Lewis in 2005

This month’s City of Atlanta Public Art highlight is “The Bridge” (c. 1997), by American artist Thornton Dial. This 42-foot-long abstract sculpture, dedicated to Civil Rights Icon Congressman John Lewis, is part of the City’s Public Art Collection and can be found in Freedom Park near the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and the newly renamed John Lewis Freedom Parkway.

Dial, a self-taught artist, created the sculpture using found objects, such as scrap metal, tires, wood, plastic, various textiles, and glass. “The Bridge” evokes the image of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama while also representing Congressman Lewis’ enduring crusade for a more just society.

Simultaneously, the assemblage is a memorial to the efforts of local intown neighborhoods in protecting their homes against the construction of a planned highway.

For more information on this piece and other artworks, visit our Art Hub to learn about the more than 200 pieces of art in the City of Atlanta’s Art Collection.

Click the link below to listen to our exclusive interview with Congressman Lewis discussing the sculpture.

OCA and APS Celebrate 14 Years of the Cultural Experience Project

Created 14 years ago with the purpose of providing cultural experiences to Atlanta Public Schools students, from Pre-K to 12th grade, the Cultural Experience Project (CEP) is a unique opportunity that illustrates the meaningful ways public and private entities can come together for a common good.
City government, a local public school district, cultural venues, and corporate and private donors work together to ensure that Atlanta’s youth has access to the City’s arts and cultural offerings.

As the CEP program enters a new academic year, the OCA staff is pleased to welcome Moving in the Spirit to the fold. Among the returning venues are the Michael C. Carlos Museum, which will exhibit the work of renowned Atlanta artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou during this year’s visit, and the Chick-Fil-A Backstage Tour.

Atlanta Botanical Garden, the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, the College Football Hall of Fame, Theatrical Outfit, and the ZuCot Gallery are also among the 28 venues represented in this year’ program.

Look for more information about this year’s cultural experiences throughout the school year.

City of Atlanta Honors Congressman John Lewis with Playscape Dedication and Street Renaming

Congressman John Lewis pictured with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (middle), Councilmember Andre Dickens (far left), OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love, and playscape artist Gregor Turk (far right).

On Wednesday, Aug. 22, a portion of Freedom Parkway was renamed “John Lewis Freedom Parkway” in honor of American civil rights activist U. S. Congressman John Lewis of the Fifth Congressional District.

Spearheaded by the John Lewis Task Force, the renaming ceremony occurred at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and the parkway that now carries Lewis’ name. The celebration featured remarks from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Congressman John Lewis, and an opening statement from City Councilmember Andre Dickens. Former mayors Bill Campbell and Shirley Franklin were also in attendance.

The occasion also revealed two additional projects — led by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) — the restoration of “The Bridge”, a sculpture by Thornton Dial, and the installation of “Ride to Freedom”, a playscape by Gregor Turk. “The Bridge,” an assemblage constructed of multiple found objects, creates an abstract interpretation of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The artwork, originally dedicated to Congressman Lewis in 2005, also symbolizes his lifelong quest for the advancement of civil and human rights.

Funded through KaBOOM !, a national nonprofit organization that helps provide safe places for children to play, the “Ride to Freedom” playscape tells the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides, where John Lewis and fellow activists traveled from Washington, D.C., through the south, to New Orleans, Louisiana to protest racial inequality. Resting along the PATH Trail, the playscape leads children and adults alike to the John Lewis Plaza.

Be sure to visit the new John Lewis Freedom Parkway and the Journey to Freedom Playscape next time you are in Freedom Park!

Gallery 72 Hosts Panel Discussion with Renowned Artist Deanna Sirlin

Respected artist will discuss her latest exhibit on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

Image courtesy of ArtsATL.com

On Color: A Panel Discussion

Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA

About the Panel Discussion:

The language and meaning of colors are central to the work of artists, scientists, chefs, musicians, and designers.

Designers use color to finding the right palette to bring life to their products. Musicians often think about the color of tonality and sound so they can produce body moving rhythms. Blending warm and cool tastes, Chefs use color relationships in creating their recipes. Pastry chefs, like chefs, use color as an element to sculpt their edible forms. Color is a crucial dimension of artistic expression; this can easily be seen in “Translucence,” an exhibition of new work by painter Deanna Sirlin.

This panel accompanies Sirlin’s exhibition by focusing on her primary concern as a colorist – the language of color. Speakers from a variety of fields will address what color means to them and how they use it or address it in their work.

Panelist:

Deanna Sirlin, artist
Euneika Rogers Sipp, multidisciplinary artist and designer, and founder of Destination Design School
Deborah VanTrece, chef of Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours
Daryl White, anthropologist, professor emeritus at Spelman College
Gregory Zinman, assistant professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at the Georgia Institute of Technology

Click here to RSVP for the panel discussion.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Selects 45 Metro Atlanta Arts Organizations for AIM Training Program

OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love (right) pictured with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (middle) speaking with Moving in the Spirit students. Photo courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) congratulates the arts organizations selected to participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) training program. Of the 45 selected organizations, 37 are based here in Atlanta.

Through this $43 million, multi-year initiative, small and midsize cultural organizations will receive access to unrestricted general operating support and arts management training in areas that include fundraising, strategic planning, marketing and board development. This unique program focuses on multiple, nonprofit arts organizations in urban areas because of the vital roles these institutions play in building communities, driving local economies and supporting artists.

This additional support reinforces the investment made by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms when she doubled the OCA’s arts funding in the 2019 budget.

In a statement given to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Mayor Bottoms said, “Our Administration was proud to add a million dollars to support the arts in our 2019 budget.”

“…Investing in the arts also makes good business sense. It unleashes the creative synergies that bring people together to solve problems and advance innovation. That’s also the goal of our One Atlanta vision: to take a diverse palette of cultures and communities and blend them all into a tapestry of success for everyone. We thank Bloomberg Philanthropies for sharing that vision,” she added.

“We were delighted to host former Mayor Bloomberg at Moving in the Spirit and highlight Atlanta’s cultural offerings,” said OCA Executive Director Camille Russell Love. “Thanks to this additional support, there will be an infusion of cultural activity and operational stability for these arts organizations.”

Again, congratulations to the participants of this outstanding program. The OCA is proud to have been involved with this initiative.

Five Public Artworks Receive Restorative Treatments

Through support provided by the City of Atlanta and Renew Atlanta, five public artworks in the City’s Public Art Collection, managed by Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, were recently restored by Patrick Kipper, a fine arts patineur and conservator.

Kipper performed conservation treatments on Atlanta from the Ashes (pictured above), designed by Jim Seigler, located in Woodruff Park; Ceremonial Circle by Maria Artemis — located at 254 Peachtree St. SW; Threshold by Robert Llimos — located at Boone Park; the Five Points Monument, created by George Beasley –located at the Five Points intersection; and the Henry W. Grady Monument by Alexander Doyle — located at the corner of Marietta Street NW at Forsyth Street NW.

Commissioned in 1967, Atlanta from the Ashes symbolizes Atlanta’s rise to become a global city. Dedicated and installed in 1969, the sculpture depicts a woman being lifted from flames by a phoenix, a reference to the mythological Egyptian creature that rose from its ashes.

Created by Atlanta-based artist Maria Artemis in 1994, Ceremonial Circle is an inlaid circular plaque made with sandblasted text. The work has decorative swirls and is labeled with familial relationships: mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, friend, etc.

Relocated from Underground Atlanta to the City’s newly opened Boone Park, Threshold, created by Robert Llimos, is a bronze sculpture from Barcelona, Spain that joined the City’s art collection as part of an Olympic cultural exchange in 1996. A spectrum of colors beautifies the figure in the doorway, summoning ideas of diversity and multi-culturalism.

The Five Points Monument is an asymmetrical sculpture that commemorates the historic intersection where trolley tracks, an artesian water tower, and the five streets that form the heart of Downtown Atlanta. The sculpture’s traditional girder construction is an ode to early water towers constructed during the 19th century while its structural steel trusses allude to the trolley tracks now buried below the street. An adjacent smaller sculpture displays texts that focus on the history and destination of each of the five streets forming the intersection: Peachtree Street., Edgewood Avenue, Decatur Street, Whitehall Street (South Peachtree), and Marietta Street.

Dedicated on October 21, 1891, to 25,000 on-lookers, the Henry W. Grady Monument is a bronze sculpture that memorializes Atlanta’s famous “New South” advocate and editor of The Atlanta Constitution (now known as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).Two bronze statues of women sitting on benches with footstools rest on both sides of the base. The women each hold a wreath with an inscription taken from an address Grady delivered in Boston in 1889.
“This hour little needs the loyalty that is loyal to one section and yet holds the other in enduring suspicion and estrangement. Give us the broad and perfect loyalty that loves and trusts Georgia alike with Massachusetts that knows no South, no North, no East, no West; but endures with equal and patriotic love every foot of our soil, every State in our Union.”

Gallery 72 Hosts Arts and Culture Podcast “Today Maybe Forever”

Today Maybe Forever, a podcast hosted and produced by arts and cultural journalist Floyd Hall, will record a series of podcasts in Gallery 72 in the month of August, starting August XX

Featuring compelling ideas and discussion with extraordinary people, Today Maybe Forever discusses the importance of context and cultural memory in the arts, sciences, design and pop culture.

Subscribe and Listen to the newest episode on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Artist Deanna Sirlin to Exhibit New Artwork at Gallery 72

just-you-deanna-sirlin

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce an exhibition of new works by Deanna Sirlin opening Thursday, August 16 at Gallery 72

This exhibition features 21 of Deanna Sirlin’s new works, including mixed media collages that incorporate both traditional art materials and pieces of her own works alongside elements of recycled and found objects. a site-specific large-scale window installation created exclusively for Gallery 72, and paintings on canvas.

Sirlin is well-known as a pioneer of using digitally printed transparent materials as a vehicle for her intensely colored abstract imagery. She has completed eight such installations around the world; this will be her first, new installation exhibited in Atlanta since 2006. Sirlin will also present a video work that she made in collaboration with New York artist Matthew Ostrowski.

As the artist herself states,

“My works employ collage because of a desire to hold a color in my hand and place the color into the composition. The works are made by creating and finding color shapes that are cut into particular forms. My interest is in the interaction of color and shape; the structure is based on affinities and inclinations between and among the elements that are found, made, and rescued. Forms and shapes overlay each other–sections are embedded into the surface as a response. Elements conceal and reveal the underpinnings of the structure of map-like compositions that are also a kind of plan view. As I place each piece on each color in the composition, all is in response. I replay, reply and reaffirm with each piece in the individual conversation to create a place, a thought, and a pictorial idea.

I am repurposing my paintings and drawings into new works. With each piece of a former work that I hold in my hand and place within the new work, a new history is created that calls upon my past. I also create new pieces of color and add found images to this visual dialogue. Forms overlay, overlap, reveal and conceal as they are placed in the work.”

Opening Reception
Thursday, Aug. 16. from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

RSVP for the reception here.

11Alive Shines Light on Atlanta’s “Forgotten” History and Faces

11Alive’s Liza Lucas reported on Rusty Millar’s “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta” exhibit, currently on display at Gallery 72.

The story highlights the history of the photos, which documents the lives of Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, and Buttermilk Bottom residents, and the search to find the people in these half-century old photos.

Click the video above to watch the story. If you recognize any of the people in the photos, contact the exhibit’s curator, Susan Todd-Raque, at info@SusanTodd-Raque.com.

Visit Gallery 72 at 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA to view the exhibit for yourself. The exhibit ends on Friday, August 10.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks Signature Murals for Elevate 2018

Request for Proposals: The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program Seeks Painted Murals for Elevate 2018

Mural by Yoyo Ferro

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) Public Art Services seeks proposals from local artists to paint murals along Cascade Road in Southwest Atlanta. The murals should be abstract or non-objective and have an uplifting theme. Each selected artist will be granted to a different wall/location. These will serve as part of the overall programming for the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ 2018 public art festival ELEVATE.

Project/ Scope of Work

Project Description

ELEVATE 2018 is working closely with Cascade Heights and all surrounding communities to plan events that will showcase the neighborhoods’ rich history. Murals should be mocked up on the proposed wall and be colorful, positive additions to the neighborhoods. Wall owners will have final approval on mural images and may ask for changes to be made to the mock-up. Walls will be cleaned for the artists. Ladders or scaffold will be made available if needed. Artist’s fee includes $500 for paint and materials.

*Please note: the exhibition of the murals will be a ‘temporary’ installation. The OCA hopes to leave the murals indefinitely but projects can be removed for any reason after the October event.

Project Timeline

August 20: Proposals due

August 27: Selected artists will be notified

October 14: Artwork must be complete by this date.

October 21: Murals will be a major focus on this day of ELEVATE, The OCA’s annual Public Art Festival

Budget/Compensation

The budget includes artist fee, supplies, and paint.

Artist Compliance

Artists are responsible for worksite safety and will be asked to sign a liability waiver prior to work beginning.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

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

How will the design interact with its viewers in this community? How will it complement its surroundings?

Previous professional art experience

Do the submitted portfolio examples show artistic merit and support the proposal’s feasibility?

Proposal Guidelines & Requirements

A written summary describing the proposed painted artwork takes into account the location, its surroundings, the history of the area, and the community (not to exceed max 250 words)

Contact information for artist including name, address, telephone number, & email address

Examples of past works – At least three (3) JPEG images relevant artworks sent as each separate attachment.

Biographic information including an artist Resume or CV.

All proposal submission materials must be received by 5 p.m. on August 20, 2018.

Please email application packets to eafisher@AtlantaGA.gov

For any questions regarding the project or the proposal submission, please contact Emily Fisher at eafisher@AtlantaGA.gov.

Contract Terms

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.

Selection Notice

Proposals will be evaluated beginning August 23, 2018. Selected artists will be notified by August 27, 2018. Artists will be contacted, and contracts will be handled shortly after. Non-accepted artists will be notified by September 1st, 2018.

Download Mural RFP

Chastain Arts Center Commemorates 50 years with Anniversary Celebration

The Chastain Arts Center and Gallery is pleased to announce its 50th Anniversary Celebration, a creative family event for all ages. The celebration will take place on Saturday, August 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Festivities will include Plein Air Paint Out, Raku Firings, Kids Art Zone, food, and live music.

Additionally, the celebration will feature open studio demonstrations to encourage public participation in jewelry making, printmaking, and ceramics throughout the day.

The Chastain Gallery will also unveil duel exhibitions, The Chastain Experiment and Fifty|Fifty. The Chastain Experiment invites participating artists to create large-scale, ephemeral drawings directly onto the gallery’s walls.

Featured artists are current drawing and painting instructors of the arts center. Fifty|Fifty, located in Chastain’s gift shop area, showcases the arts center’s rich tradition of ceramics and jewelry by featuring the work of 18 former teaching-artists from Chastain Arts Center’s 50-year history.

Furthermore, an original short film documenting the history of Chastain as Atlanta’s oldest art center will premiere during the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Admission is FREE and open to the public. Pre-registration for the Plein Air Paint Out is found here: www.ocaatlanta.com/chastain.

This event will be hosted at the Chastain Arts Center located at 135 West Wieuca Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA. Please call 404-252-2927 for more information or contact us at chastainarts@atlantaga.gov.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks Bench and Picnic Table Murals for Cascade Springs Nature Preserve

Request for Proposals: The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program Seeks Mural Benches and Picnic Tables to be Painted for Elevate 2018

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Services seeks proposals from local artists to paint park benches and picnic tables in Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. The murals should serve as a single body of work and will serve as part of the overall programming for the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ 2018 public art festival ELEVATE.

Project/ Scope of Work

Project Description

ELEVATE 2018 is working closely with the community surrounding Cascade to plan events that will showcase the neighborhood’s rich history. Murals should be presented as a full body of work that compliments the beauty of Cascade Springs Nature Preserve without competing with it. Benches and picnic tables to be prepped, primed and painted are located in three areas of Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. Each area will have a different artist therefore 2 artists will paint 2 picnic tables and 3 benches ($3000), and 1 artist will paint 2 Picnic Tables ($2,500). This budget includes supplies and artist fee.

*Please note: the exhibition of the murals will be a ‘temporary’ installation. The OCA hopes to leave the murals indefinitely but projects can be removed for any reason after the October event.

Project Timeline

August 20: Proposals due

August 27: Selected artists will be notified

October 1: Artwork must be complete by this date.

October 21: Murals will be a major focus on this day of ELEVATE, The OCA’s annual Public Art Festival

Budget/Compensation

The budget includes artist fee, supplies, and paint.

Artist Compliance

Artists are responsible for prepping, priming and painting tables and benches with products recommended by OCA’s Public Art program.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

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 Spring Nature Preserve

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?

Proposal Guidelines & Requirements

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 – At least Three (3) JPEG images relevant artworks sent as each separate attachment.

Biographic information including an artist Resume or CV.

All proposal submission materials must be received by 5 p.m. on August 20, 2018.

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

Contract Terms

Selection Notice

Proposals will be evaluated beginning August 24, 2018. Selected artists will be notified by August 27, 2018. Artists will be contacted, and contracts will be handled shortly after.

Non-accepted artists will be notified by August 31, 2018.

Public Art Team Celebrates Storied Musicians with Sculptures at Chastain Park

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art team recently installed bronze busts of legendary musicians at the State Bank Amphitheater (formerly known as Chastain Park Amphitheater) at Park.

These artworks were donated to the City of Atlanta in 2007 by Claude Nobs of the Montreux Jazz Festival to celebrate our partnership with the music festival. These expressionistic bronze busts by Italian sculptor Marco Zeno are a part of the city’s collection and showcase legendary performers Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Willie Nelson, all performing artists from the venue’s renowned history.

Learn more about our various cultural and arts projects by subscribing to our newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee and WonderRoot Celebrate Atlanta’s Civil Rights Legacy

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

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks Mural Proposals for Utility Boxes in Cascade Heights

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/ Scope of Work

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).

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

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?

Proposal Guidelines & Requirements

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

Contract Terms

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.

Selection Notice

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.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: OCA Seeks New Bike Rack Murals for Cascade Heights

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 Bike Racks for ELEVATE: Cascade 2018

Bike Rack Mural by Sanithna Phansavanh; Photo courtesy of Sanithna Phansavanh

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Public Art Program seeks proposals from local and regional professional visual artists to adorn metal bike racks with original painted artworks to continue the Mural Bike Rack Project. The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program will install two Mural Bike Racks at different locations around the Cascade Heights neighborhood. The goal of the Mural Bike Rack project is to supplement and promote the City of Atlanta’s biking infrastructure through the creation of functional Public Art.

The Mural Bike Rack Project will…

Provide additional parking for the increasing number of people who choose bicycling as a form of transportation in the neighborhood.
Further encourage and promote the use of biking as transportation.
Enhance Atlanta’s image as a bike and community arts-friendly city.
Engage and promote the work of regional and local painters and mural artists.
Encourage creative place-making through public art by creating aesthetic objects that symbolize the City’s creativity and livability.

Project/Scope of Work

Project Description

If selected, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will provide selected artists with a fabricated and primed bike-shaped bike rack for artists to embellish with original, hand-painted works of art. Artists will be responsible for completing the design for the mural and applying the paint to the bike rack. After each painted design is complete, artists will return the bike racks to the OCA. The OCA will then install them in the neighborhood.

*Please note: the exhibition of the artist-painted bike racks will be a”‘temporary” installation. The OCA anticipates leaving the painted bike racks in place until the murals become dilapidated (likely around three years).

Project Timeline

August 1: Proposals due

August 13: Selected artists will be notified

August 18: Artist orientation re: expectations and materials; Artists pick up bicycles and begin painting (this is a Saturday)

September 28: Completed Bike Racks are due back to OCA

October 1 – 12, 2018: City of Atlanta installs bicycles

Budget/Compensation

Awarded artists will receive artist fee/compensation of $800 for painting a mural bike rack

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

Bike racks will be installed by the City of Atlanta. Artists must complete and deliver finished bike racks to the OCA on September 28 or the artist will breach his/her contract. Non-local or Regional artists may apply, but there will be no travel compensation provided by the OCA

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

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 the 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?

Proposal Guidelines & Requirements

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.

Two renderings (front and back of bike rack) of proposed painted design(s) for the bike rack using one of two options:

Place painted design inside the 2-D template using hand drawn or digital technologies (download image here, or see image attached at the end of RFP packet)

If an applicant has Photoshop skills, rendering your image on top of a 3-D blank bike rack image. (download image here).

*Please note: The seat of the bike rack and the circular plates inside of the wheels will be made of flat metal sheets. The rest of the bike rack is composed of cylindrical metal tubing.

Biographic information including a written explanation of past relevant experience and artist Resume or CV.

https://www.dickblick.com/products/1-shot-lettering-enamels/

*Artist may also apply for the Utility Box 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

Contract Terms

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.

Selection Notice

ELEVATE 2018 Dates Announced!

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will host our 8th annual ELEVATE Public Art Festival in Atlanta’s historic Cascade neighborhood from Sunday, Oct. 14 to Sunday, Oct. 21.

ELEVATE seeks to infuse culture into a neighborhood through visual art, performances, and cultural events that present the city’s cultural offerings in various locations around Atlanta.

In addition to showcasing one of Atlanta’s storied neighborhoods, we are partnering with France-Atlanta and our sister city of Toulouse, France to present a mural by world-renowned street artist Ceet. A self-taught artist, Ceet developed his own style by using various mediums to produce 3D, abstract and figurative art and has partnered with major brands such as Adidas, Prada, and Lancel.

More details on this year’s schedule of events will be made available on our website. To learn more about ELEVATE, visit elevateatlart.com.

Gallery 72 Hosts Panel Discussion on Development, Economics, and Race in Atlanta

The City of Atlanta’s Gallery 72 will present the panel discussion: Memory, Race, and Erasure in Urban Atlanta on Friday, July 6 from 7 pm to 9 pm.
The panel discussion, inspired by Gallery 72’s current exhibition, “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta,” will include panelists, Paul Crater, Maurice J. Hobson, Kelly Kristen Jones, C. Rose Smith and Mtamanika Youngblood, who will discuss concerns regarding development, economics, and race in Atlanta. Stop by Gallery 72 on July 6 for our artist talk and come see the current exhibit, showing until August 10.

About “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta” by Rusty Miller

Russell “Rusty” Stough Miller (1933-1992) grew up in Atlanta and decided he wanted to be a commercial photographer rather than work in the family printing business. Rusty Miller followed his personal passion on the weekends by documenting the people who lived in Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, Summerhill, Washington-Rawson and Buttermilk Bottoms, where there were unpaved streets, electricity was rare and life went on as usual, outside of the turmoil during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement activities in downtown Atlanta.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Brings 27 Cultural Experiences to Atlanta Public Schools Students

The Cultural Experience Project was created to ensure that every Atlanta Public Schools (APS) student – pre-K through 12th grade – has access to at least one cultural experience each year he or she is enrolled in an APS school. The program is a partnership between Atlanta Public Schools and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Funding for the program is made possible by the generous support of public and private foundations and companies, as well as donations by individual donors. Additional information about the program’s supporters will be announced in the fall.

Please join our office in welcoming this year’s partner venues (see below). We are excited to work with their staff and look forward to hearing about the many phenomenal experiences APS students will have.

Alliance Theatre
Artsbridge
Atlanta Ballet
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta History Center
Atlanta Opera
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
APEX Museum
Ballethnic Dance Company
Chattahoochee Nature Center
Chick-fil-A Backstage Tour
Children’s Museum
College Football Hall of Fame
David J. Sencer CDC Museum

Georgia Aquarium
Giwayen Mata
High Museum of Art
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Moving in the Spirit
Museum of Design Atlanta
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Oakland Cemetery
Rialto Center for the Arts
The King Center
Theatrical Outfit
True Color Theatre Company
ZuCot Gallery

Mayor’s Gallery Unveils “The People and Parks of Atlanta & Georgia“ Exhibit

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.

Gallery 72 Showcases “Forgotten Atlanta” in New Exhibit

Russell Stough Miller (1933-1992) grew up in Atlanta and decided he wanted to be a commercial photographer rather than work in the family printing business. Rusty Miller followed his personal passion on the weekends by documenting the residents of Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, Summerhill, Washington-Rawson and Buttermilk Bottoms, where there were unpaved streets, electricity was rare and life went on as usual, outside of the turmoil during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement activities in downtown Atlanta,

Stored away for more than 20 years by friends and then his daughter, Miller’s photographs now give visibility to those who were marginalized and invisible to the world at the time. There is a simple connection to people, their spirit and their hearts, rarely seen in photography today. Each image is a fresh experience captured. Children laughing and giggling as they squish into a makeshift go-cart made from a fruit crate or as they roll old tires in a race down a hill. Whether sitting on a porch or hanging near the local grocery store, men and women are making small talk on a hot summer day and watching people go by. We see life in Atlanta’s neighborhoods soon to be destroyed or negatively affected by the building of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The bus series from the 1970s shaped another setting for Miller to quietly study the moods of the passengers; some lost in thought and distant from Miller, others aware of his camera.

This is where we need YOU, the people of Atlanta! Please come and help us identify who the people are and where the places were. Their history is unfinished and we would like to give recognition to those who have been forgotten.

Panel Discussion: Memory, Race, and Erasure in Urban Atlanta.
July 6, 2018 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Panelist: Paul Crater, Maurice J. Hobson, Kelly Kristen Jones, and Mtaminika Youngblood

For more information please contact the gallery at 404.546.3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Open Call for Hardy Ivy Park Artist Submissions – Extended

OVERVIEW

The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program is seeking local 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 local artists while providing cultural amenities in downtown Atlanta.

Hardy Ivy Park

Located at 310 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta GA 30308, Hardy Ivy Park is an urban garden park in the convention and visitor district of downtown Atlanta. The location is central to business and visitor traffic, well lit, and highly visible to pedestrians and street traffic. The park is directly off Peachtree Street which is considered Atlanta’s central thoroughfare.

The Public Art Program has located a large concrete pedestal to display rotating art. The platform is surrounded by high rise buildings with the midtown skyline as a backdrop surrounded by skyscrapers’ designed by renowned architect John Portman. The dedicated sculpture pedestal/platform must be utilized to install the chosen art; the pedestal dimensions are 72” h x 70” wide x 70” deep. The footprint of the selected art must conform to the dimension of the pedestal; the art must be structurally sound and constructed of materials that are suitable for outdoor public environments. The City of Atlanta supports a contemporary art collection that reflects the diversity of the urban environment.

Art selected for this opportunity must be available for a two-year lease. The artist will receive an honorarium not to exceed $3,000 over a two-year period while retaining ownership of the artwork. The leased artwork will have exposure to the business community and visitors at this highly visible platform.

SELECTING ARTISTS AND AWARDING COMMISSIONS

An art selection panel will assist The Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program in making the selection. The selected artwork will be awarded an annual contract. Permitting, engineering reviews, transportation, shipping, and insurance will be the responsibility of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program. This artist call is for local, working artists and is specifically for three-dimensional artwork. You must be the creator of the artwork and hold title. Existing artworks are encouraged for submission to this proposal. Qualified artists will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or age.

SCHEDULE

Application Deadline: July 6, 2018
Commission Announcements: July 20, 2018

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

Interested artists must submit the following materials on or prior to July 6, 2018, to be considered:

Submit three (3) high-resolution (a minimum of 300 dpi) jpeg/PDF images of previous public or outdoor art projects via email. Please identify the artwork proposed if an image is available.
A one-page list of the images contained on the CD, specifying the title, media, location and year created for each work of art.
A resume and/or artist bio.

Submit materials electronically to:

bxcamelo@atlantaga.gov

Briana X. Camelo, Project Coordinator

City of Atlanta’s Public Art Program

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Releases Annual Report

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), which manages the city’s multiple cultural and arts-based endeavors, recently released its 2017 Annual Report. The report highlights OCA’s efforts to spur stronger and more inclusive growth and explains the surprising economic impact the arts provide.

The report also demonstrates the collective impact of the OCA, whose subunits include Gallery 72, Chastain Arts Center, the city’s Public Art Services, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival, just to name a few, which generates surprising fiscal value for metro Atlanta in the form of approximately $15 million in economic impact to the city through its annual Atlanta Jazz Festival and ELEVATE temporary public art festival. Furthermore, the report reveals the direct and indirect benefits the OCA provides Atlantans through its various programs, such as the more than 30,000 Atlanta Public Schools students it engages annually via its Cultural Experience Project (CEP).

To view the OCA’s 2017 Annual Report, please use the following link. Follow the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest announcements.

OCA 2017 Annual Report

OCA Newsletter :: June 2018

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June Newsletter

Thank you for supporting the 41st annual Atlanta Jazz Festival. We are honored to continue this proud tradition and provide a platform for seasoned and young musicians while sharing jazz’s rich cultural experience with our residents and visitors. We kicked off this year’s festival with our popular 31 Days of Jazz series, providing unique, jazz-enriched experiences across the city throughout the month of May.

Despite the threat of May showers, Jazz Festival Weekend was blessed with beautiful weather and Piedmont Park was the perfect venue for one of the best concert weekends in festival history!

This year the Atlanta Jazz Festival presented an exciting array of talent on three stages that displayed the vitality of jazz music and its continued impact on distinct cultures. From artists like Alexandria Jackson, The Bad Plus, Jon Batiste with the Dap-Kings, Dianne Reeves and more, the festival was a testament to the dynamic and diverse power of jazz!

None of this would be possible without the faithful and continuous support of people like you or the board of directors of Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc. Furthermore, we thank all our sponsors, media partners, patrons, donors and musicians whose support and contributions helped make this event a success. Again, the City of Atlanta thanks you and we hope to see you next year!

Sincerely,

Camille Russell Love
Executive Director
City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

Bloomberg Philanthropies Expand to Atlanta

Bloomberg Philanthropies has expanded its Arts Innovation and Management program to include Atlanta and six other cities! They will invest more than $43 million in small and midsize cultural organizations. For more information, click here and select “Start Application”.

The Public Art Team Wins UDC Award

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce the Public Art team has won The Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence for the Journey to Freedom: Women of the Civil Rights mural project by artist Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier, with photographs from Dr. Doris A. Derby, Susan Ross and Shelia Turner.

The Journey to Freedom mural project honors the contribution of women to the Civil Rights Movement. The project uses mural walls, photography and figurative sculpture to visually represent the narrative of women fighting for social justice.

Hardy Ivy Park Artist Call

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art team seeks local art proposals for its Temporary Art Program in central Atlanta to display in Hardy Ivy Park, a location in downtown Atlanta.

Please share this post with any local, Atlanta-based artist you know.

For more information, visit the submission page.

SAVE THE DATE
August 11, 2018
Chastain Arts Center 50^th Anniversary Celebration
10 AM – 5 PM

Sights & Insights Regional Art Show Reception

June 15, 2018 at 6 pm

Chastain Arts Center & Gallery and Dunwoody Fine Art Association Present:

The 2018 Southeastern Regional Art Show
SIGHTS & INSIGHTS
Monday, June 18 to Thursday, July 30

A juried art exhibit to give regional artists the opportunity to display their artwork in a prestigious Atlanta gallery. Participants can win up to $1500 in Awards.

Opening Reception, Friday, June 15 at 6 pm

Elyse Defoor “Unbridled” Artist Talk
June 6, 2018 at 12 pm

Thomas Swofford “Here & There: The People and Park of Atlanta and Georgia”
Monday, June 11, 2018

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“, will open 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.

Rusty Miller: The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta
June 14 – August 10, 2018

The City of Atlanta’s Gallery 72 is honored to present the first solo exhibition of Rusty Miller’s vintage and later photographs of Atlanta, circa 1960s to 1970s, in “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta.”  The exhibition, in collaboration with curator Susan Todd-Raque, features a selection of 50 photographs portraying the people in various communities now gone or changed forever.

Russell Stough Miller (1933-1992) grew up in Atlanta and decided he wanted to be a commercial photographer rather than work in the family printing business. Rusty Miller followed his personal passion on the weekends by documenting the residents of Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, Summerhill, Washington-Rawson and Buttermilk Bottoms, where there were unpaved streets, electricity was rare and life went on as usual, outside of the turmoil during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement activities in downtown Atlanta,

Stored away for more than 20 years by friends and then his daughter, Miller’s photographs now give visibility to those who were marginalized and invisible to the world at the time.  There is a simple connection to people, their spirit and their hearts, rarely seen in photography today.  Each image is a fresh experience captured.  Children laughing and giggling as they squish into a makeshift go-cart made from a fruit crate or as they roll old tires in a race down a hill.  Whether sitting on a porch or hanging near the local grocery store, men and women are making small talk on a hot summer day and watching people go by.  We see life in Atlanta’s neighborhoods soon to be destroyed or negatively affected by the building of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  The bus series from the 1970s shaped another setting for Miller to quietly study the moods of the passengers; some lost in thought and distant from Miller, others aware of his camera.

This is where we need YOU, the people of Atlanta!  Please come and help us identify who the people are and where the places were.  Their history is unfinished and we would like to give recognition to those who have been forgotten.

Opening reception June 14, 2018 from 6 pm

Panel Discussion: Memory, Race, and Erasure in Urban Atlanta.
July 6th, 2018 from 7 pm to 9 pm

Panelist: Paul Crater, Maurice J. Hobson, Kelly Kristen Jones, and Mtaminika Youngblood

For more information please contact the gallery at 404.546.3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Cultural Venues Selected to Participate in 2018-2019 Cultural Experience Project

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce that 27 Atlanta-area cultural venues were selected to participate in the 2018-2019 Cultural Experience Project (CEP). This year marks the program’s 14th year, and we are thrilled to welcome this year’s venue partners to the program.

The Cultural Experience Project was created to ensure that every Atlanta Public Schools (APS) student – pre-K through 12th grade – has access to at least one cultural experience each year he or she is enrolled in an APS school. The program is a partnership between Atlanta Public Schools and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Funding for the program is made possible by the generous support of public and private foundations and companies, as well as donations by individual donors. Additional information about the program’s supporters will be announced in the fall.

Please join our office in welcoming this year’s partner venues (see below). We are excited to work with their staff and look forward to hearing about the many phenomenal experiences APS students will have.

Giwayen Mata
High Museum of Art
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Moving in the Spirit
Museum of Design Atlanta
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Oakland Cemetery
Rialto Center for the Arts
The King Center
Theatrical Outfit
True Color Theatre Company
ZuCot Gallery

Horizon Theatre Company: Citizens Market

Click here for more information on tickets.

CamoFlyJet’s: Trap-Happy Playlist Opening Reception