For nine days, Downtown Atlanta will become a stage for art from all over the world. Elevate Atlanta, a project from the Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, looks to highlight often overlooked parts of the city and bring them to life through artwork, performances and the community’s support. This year’s theme, “Transit: Time, People & Places,” is especially timely, as the streetcar project and the BeltLine continue to expand through the city.
From Oct. 18-26, the city will put on a show for the third time along Broad Street and the surrounding blocks. Here are five reasons you shouldn’t miss this artsy event:
1. Block party!: This is a no-brainer. With food from SLICE and drinks from SideBar, there’s no reason for you not to be there. Get a sneak peek of the week’s activities, see 20 female African drummers along with dancers to show how ATL and their heritage converge. To close out the night, DJs Genesis and Speakerfoxxx will be playing music for you to get your dance on. Don’t forget to tag your Instagram pictures with #weloveatl to enter the competition. Oh, speaking of…
2. Win prizes with #weloveATL: The #weloveATL dudes will be giving away swag through a film and photo competition. You’ll get a chance to check out their new Instagram photography truck and see how other people view and capture our lovely city.
3. Art, art and even MORE art: Gallery tours will be available throughout the event, including Eyedrum on the 19th, Nelson Street Gallery and MINT on the 20th, new Mammal Gallery on Oct. 25th and a sneak peek of the new Kennedy Gallery that opens in January 2014. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to catch Elevate artist Sarah Emerson in action when you go by her mural at the South Broad Street murals. Public art self-guided audio tours will be available on Oct. 20th during the afternoon.
4. Grab your bike and explore: Atlanta Bicycle Tours will be conducting a tour of Elevate Atlanta on Oct. 22nd. For those without two wheels, Atlanta Bicycle tours will provide you with a bike, helmet, water and snacks, so you can still participate. (Love them, obviously).
5. Performance shows (yes, even on MARTA!): Aside from artwork along the streets and in galleries, you’ll be able to experience performance art in the city. One of the best examples is Mass Transit Muse on Thursday, Oct. 25th. Written by Mike Molina, the play will start at the Inman Park MARTA station and will continue to the Five Points MARTA station (convenient to the rest of the day’s activities). So hop on the train at 7pm and see a unique performance. Make sure to check out the Urban Explorer itineraries for a schedule of events and locations each day—print them out and head out on the town. See you out there, ATLiens!
