Arts in Atlanta facts for kids
The arts in Atlanta are a big part of the city's culture, with lots of music, amazing art, and exciting theater. Atlanta is a lively place where many different kinds of artists and performers share their talents.
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Music in Atlanta
Atlanta has played a huge role in shaping many types of American music over the years.
Way back in the 1920s, Atlanta became a hub for country music. People moving to the city from the mountains brought this music with them. Later, in the 1960s, Atlanta hosted a big music event called the Atlanta International Pop Festival. This happened even before Woodstock and featured many of the same famous bands!
In the 1970s, Atlanta was a center for Southern rock. Bands like the Allman Brothers Band wrote songs about the city, and Lynyrd Skynyrd even recorded a famous live song at the Fox Theatre, telling the band to "play it pretty for Atlanta."
The 1980s saw a busy Punk rock scene in Atlanta, with popular music spots like the 688 Club and the Metroplex. Even the Sex Pistols played their first U.S. show here!
The 1990s brought the rise of Atlanta hip hop. Groups like OutKast became super famous, and by the 2000s, Atlanta was known as the "center of gravity" for hip-hop music. Also in the 2000s, Atlanta became known for its cool Indie rock scene, especially around a place called the EARL in East Atlanta Village.
Hip Hop Capital
Atlanta hip hop Atlanta is often called the "hip-hop's center of gravity." It's a major capital for hip hop, including Southern hip hop, and also for R&B and neo soul music. Many famous hip-hop artists either grew up in Atlanta or live there now. These include Lil Jon, Ludacris, B.o.B, and Usher. The city is also a big spot for gospel music, hosting the GMA Dove Awards.
Visual Arts in Atlanta
Atlanta has a strong and active visual arts community. In 2010, a magazine called American Style Magazine even ranked Atlanta as the ninth-best city for the arts! Most of the city's art galleries are found in the Castleberry Hill and West Midtown areas.
While you can find all kinds of art here, Atlanta is especially known for contemporary art (modern art), public art (art in open spaces), and urban art (like street art). The growing Savannah College of Art and Design campus in Atlanta has also brought many new artists and art experts to the city.
Art Museums to Visit
Atlanta has some amazing art museums. The famous High Museum of Art is one of the top art museums in the South and among the most visited in the world. Other great art places include the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, and the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. The Carlos Museum has the largest collection of ancient art in the Southeast!
Public Art Around Town
The city has a special program for public art. This program helps create artworks like Atlanta from the Ashes (The Phoenix) and Thornton Dial's The Bridge in Freedom Park. They also put on temporary art shows in public places. Another group, the Metropolitan Public Art Coalition, also helps promote public art in Atlanta.
Atlanta's airport, Hartsfield-Jackson, has its own art program. You can see sculptures like Zimbabwe Sculpture: a Tradition in Stone and a mural called Spirit of Atlanta by Deborah Whitehouse, which greets travelers.
The BeltLine, a 22-mile path that used to be a railway, is now being turned into a walking and biking trail. It's also home to an annual art show called "Art on the BeltLine." In 2011, 66 different art and performance pieces were shown there!
Cool Street Art
While Atlanta might not have been as famous for street art as New York City or Los Angeles in the past, it's becoming more and more popular here. Some of the best places to see Atlanta's street art include:
- The Krog Street Tunnel
- The BeltLine path
- In Cabbagetown, Atlanta along Tennelle Street
- In Inman Park near Krog Street and Edgewood Avenue
- In East Atlanta around Flat Shoals Road and Edgewood Avenue
- In Little Five Points near Euclid Avenue and Moreland Avenue
- In Sweet Auburn along Edgewood Avenue
You can even find images and locations of over 200 street art pieces on the Atlanta Street Art Map online. The city also hosted the "Living Walls" street art conference, which brings artists together to create new murals.
In 2011, Atlanta started a Graffiti Task Force. While some people who created art without permission were arrested, city officials said they didn't want to stop the street art scene. The city's Office of Cultural Affairs even chose 29 special murals to protect from being painted over. Many artists feel that the city's efforts are a bit confusing.
Arts Centers to Explore
Atlanta has several arts centers where artists work and display their creations. These include King Plow Arts Center and the Goat Farm Arts Center in West Midtown, The Metropolitan in Adair Park, and Studioplex in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.
Galleries and Art Walks
You can find groups of art galleries in neighborhoods like Castleberry Hill, Buckhead, the Westside Arts District, Studioplex, and along Ponce de Leon Avenue. Many of these areas have monthly "art walks" where you can visit the galleries and see new art.
Theater in Atlanta
Atlanta is special because it has permanent, professional groups for all the main performing arts: opera (the Atlanta Opera), ballet (the Atlanta Ballet), music (the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), and theater (the Alliance Theatre). Atlanta also hosts many touring Broadway shows, concerts, and other performances.
The main area for performing arts is in Midtown Atlanta at the Woodruff Arts Center. This is where the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alliance Theatre are located. The historic Fox Theatre also hosts many touring Broadway shows and concerts, and it's one of the highest-earning theaters of its size.
Other theater groups in Atlanta include the internationally known Center for Puppetry Arts, Theatrical Outfit, Seven Stages Theater, Horizon Theater Company, and the improv group Dad's Garage. There's also the Shakespeare Tavern for classic plays and True Colors Theatre. Outside the city, you can find groups like the Georgia Ensemble Theatre and Conservatory in Roswell and Theatre in the Square in Marietta.
The Suzi Bass Awards are annual awards that celebrate great achievements in local theater. The Atlanta Radio Theatre Company also works to keep the art of audio theater (radio plays) alive and teaches people about it.
Performing Arts and Music Venues
Here are some of the main places to see performances and concerts in Atlanta:
- Woodruff Arts Center - Home to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art, and more.
- Fox Theatre - Hosts plays, musicals, concerts, and special events.
- Rialto Center for the Arts - A great place for performing arts.
- Buckhead Theatre
- The Tabernacle
- Variety Playhouse and Seven Stages Theater
- The Masquerade - Known for live indie-rock, rock, and metal music.
- Schwartz Center
- Ferst Center
- Ray Charles Performing Center
In the wider Atlanta area, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre and the Gwinnett Center's performing arts center are popular spots. Other regional centers that offer a mix of arts include the Elm Street Cultural Arts Village in Woodstock and the Jaqueline Casey Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth.
Literature and Film in Atlanta
Atlanta has been home to many important writers. These include Margaret Mitchell, who wrote Gone With the Wind, one of the best-selling books ever. Alice Walker wrote the famous novel The Color Purple, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Alfred Uhry wrote the play Driving Miss Daisy, which is about Jewish people in Atlanta in the early 1900s. And Joel Chandler Harris wrote the fun Brer Rabbit children's stories.
Famous journalists from Atlanta include Ralph McGill, who was an editor for the Atlanta Constitution newspaper and spoke out against segregation. Today, Atlanta is also home to Mike Luckovich, a cartoonist whose work is seen in many newspapers across the country.
Film Festivals
Atlanta hosts the Atlanta Film Festival every April. This is an international film festival that shows many different kinds of independent movies, including horror and sci-fi films. It's even a festival where films can qualify for the Academy Awards!
Other film festivals in Atlanta include:
- The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
- Black Film Festival Atlanta
- Peachtree Village International Film Festival
- Atlanta Asian Film Festival
- The Out on Film gay film festival
- Independent Film Month
- Atlanta Film Festival 365
- Atlanta Underground Film Festival
- Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival
- The Buried Alive horror film fest
Marching Arts
Atlanta is a big center for the marching arts, which include drum and bugle corps and marching bands. The city is home to the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, which competes in Drum Corps International. Atlanta also hosts the Honda Battle of the Bands, which is the most popular college marching band event in the country.
See Also
- Music of Atlanta
- Media in Atlanta
- Museums in Atlanta
- Film and television in Atlanta
