Atlanta Beltline names first-ever art director

Atlanta Beltline, Inc. names Amina Cooper the first director of the 15-year-old public arts initiative responsible for murals, sculptures and performance across the trail corridor. 

As Director of Arts and Culture, Cooper will guide well-known arts and culture programming like Tiny Doors and the annual Lantern Parade alongside a roster of more than 100 artists and 56 current works of art. She will also oversee the breadth of installations, events, special exhibitions and the annual juried exhibition season. 

In a press release, Cooper said the Beltline is a “paragon” of urban planning and design. 

“Its ability to merge planning, community development, transportation and civic health with arts and culture is significant,” Cooper said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to leverage that attention in a way that truly benefits and elevates Atlanta’s artists and cultural stewards.”

The director role is not Cooper’s first time leading an arts organization. Previously, she was Program Director of Public Art at the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte, overseeing commissions for the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. She also worked at the Glenstone Museum and Wolf Trap Foundation. Cooper is a graduate of Howard University and Boston University. 

“For the past 10 years, my work has focused on community and equity,” Cooper said. “To now be able to uplift best practices in equitable, culture-based programming for the community I was born and raised in, in collaboration with the artist community that’s so familiar and dear to me, is an incredible gift.” 

Alongside Cooper, Chelsea Morey will serve as the new Arts and Culture Project Manager where she will  coordinate the public art functions of Atlanta Beltline Art, including permanent and temporary projects and design and planning initiatives. Previously, Morey was the Manager of Exhibitions at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. 

As Cooper and Morey take on their roles, the Beltline is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025. The 22-mile corridor is also on track for completion by 2030. The arts leaders will lead the curating of legacy art installations along the trail for the two milestones.

“I am confident that under Amina’s leadership, we will continue our mission to ensure that the Beltline is a vibrant, artistic hub for all of Atlanta,” Beltline Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer Nonet Sykes said.