This weekend marks the annual Inman Park Festival — a celebration of one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods. The weekend’s schedule includes a parade, an Arts & Crafts Market with over 75 artists, a Street Market with more than 250 booths and live music. Friday’s Tour of Homes, the only ticketed event, allows folks to go on self-guided tours of Inman Park’s homes and buildings.
Organizers expect the streets to be packed and recommend using alternate forms of transportation, click here for a few suggestions. Happy festival season!
On to other news around the city:
SCAD creates interactive mural at Phipps’s outdoor space
Phipps Plaza shoppers can now enjoy their newly reimagined modern mixed-use development while visiting the mall.
THE GREEN at Phipps Plaza is a lavish greenspace that is part of its redevelopment project, including the Nobu Hotel and Restaurant.
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) contributed a mural created by their Associate Chair of Fine Arts, Kent Knowles.
Titled “Find Yourself On THE GREEN,” the 17-foot mural illustrates meaningful references and tribute art in the new space.
The mural also has immersive animation to experience by using your smartphone to view a 360-degree view throughout the greenspace and transforms the space as if you were a part of the mural.
“At the heart of this initiative is the goal to acknowledge the importance of nature while celebrating new horizons,” Knowles said. “I’m proud to work with my SCAD colleagues and talented students to marry historical creativity methods with immersive and engaging technology.”
— Allison Joyner
Spelman announces Pulitzer Prize winner as commencement speaker
On May 21, staff writer at “The New York Times Magazine” and creator of the “1619 Project,” Nikole Hannah-Jones will give the keynote address at Spelman College’s graduation commencement ceremony.
Hannah-Jones has spent her career investigating racial inequality and injustice, and her reporting has earned her the MacArthur Fellowship, known as the Genius Grant, a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards and the National Magazine Award three times.
She serves as the Knight Chair of Race and Journalism at Howard University and founded the Center for Journalism and Democracy at Morehouse College.
The ceremony will be held at Georgia International Convention Center in College Park at 3 p.m.
— Allison Joyner
Art on the BeltLine invites artists to apply for 2023/24 season
Now in its 15th season, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine calls for artists to apply for its 2023/24 exhibition. This year’s theme is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which began to emerge on the music scene in the early 1970s.
Creatives in all mediums are encouraged to submit applications, and the new season will feature a curation of works highlighting Atlanta’s influence on the genre. Proposals are due on Tuesday, May 30.
“The cultural history of Atlanta is deep and incredibly rich, and we work with diligence and intention each year to curate artists, organizations and works that reflect our city’s unique tapestry,” wrote Miranda Kyle, the BeltLine’s arts and culture program manager. “We are especially excited to celebrate Atlanta’s legacy with hip-hop as the theme of our upcoming season and can’t wait to see how our creative community responds to the charge.”
Art on the Atlanta BeltLine curates and displays public art projects that span the urban pathway. Today, the outdoor, public gallery covers nearly eight linear miles within the city. To learn more about the program, including its opportunities and application process, click here.
— Hannah E. Jones
Four-day music festival on the Decatur Square
Later this week, four days of musical performances are coming to the Decatur Square with the annual Amplify Decatur Music Festival. Running from April 27 to 30, the line-up includes Patty Griffin, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, James McMurtry and more.
This Friday marks an evening of free concerts at the Decatur Square and nearby restaurants like Leon’s Full Service, Brick Store Pub and Mellow Mushroom. The signature event starts on Saturday at 2 p.m. and tickets are required.
The Amplify Decatur Music Festival series is organized by Amplify My Community, presented by Lenz and produced in partnership with Eddie’s Attic. The funds raised will support Decatur Cooperative Ministry, Decatur Education Foundation and Giving Kitchen. Last year’s event generated $50,000.
“We’re excited to bring great music back to the downtown square and strengthen our community,” says Drew Robinson, president of the Amplify My Community board.
“Amplify continues to be impressed and humbled by unwavering support from the Decatur community and sponsors – especially Lenz. It’s enabled us to procure an incredibly talented, musically diverse line-up while celebrating and fundraising for DCM, DEF, and Giving Kitchen.”
For additional event and ticketing information, click here.
— Hannah E. Jones
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour receives Ivan Allen prize
Georgia Tech awarded Christian Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, with the coveted Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage during a luncheon on April 24 at Atlanta’s Biltmore Ballrooms.
Dr. Angel Cabrera, Georgia Tech’s president, told Amanpour she had truly made a difference in the world through her reporting.
Upon accepting the prize, Amanpour spoke of how moved she was to receive an award in Allen’s name in the city where she got her start with CNN.
She then shined the spotlight on Ted Turner, who she said launched a revolution in 1980 with the founding of CNN.
“I still consider him as my boss,” Amanpour said.
During her visit to Atlanta, Amanpour and her CNN colleague Parisa Khosravi were able to visit with Turner on Sunday. The media mogul, environmentalist and philanthropist has kept a lower profile in recent years due to health issues.
“He still pays a lot of attention. When we left, he said: ‘Don’t forget it. The power is yours,’” Amanpour said. “He shows it’s possible for one person to make a difference. He was ahead of his time.”
Turner also asked Amanpour: “Do you think we’ll be able to prevent nuclear war and have peace?”
Amanpour also remembered previous conversations with Turner. “I was told by Ted: ‘If you have this position of leadership, then you have a responsibility to use it with mission,’” she said.
Several family members of legendary Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. attended the lunch, including his son – Inman Allen with his wife Tricia Allen. Grandson Ivan Allen IV also attended.
The benefactor of the Ivan Allen Prize, which has been awarded since 2011, is the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation. Also in attendance were Tom Glenn and Suzanna Stribling, the foundation’s president and executive director, respectively.
— Maria Saporta
Chamblee City Hall wins American Institute of Architects award
The City of Chamblee’s City Hall recently won the American Institute of Architects Georgia 2023 People’s Choice Award. Based on hundreds of votes, the building was named the best project that’s over 5,000 square feet.
The award was presented to Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC), the firm that designed the building, during a ceremony on April 15. The new City Hall opened last October, serving as a centerpiece for the city’s developing downtown area.
The building houses many city departments, including the City Clerk, City Manager, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, Parks & Recreation, Community Engagement and Public Relations. It also features several open greenspaces for public use.
“I’m so pleased that GMC invited me to share in this celebration,” Mayor Brian Mock wrote in a press release. “We had asked them to design a building reflecting our past, but with vision towards our future. They exceeded our expectations. I’m thrilled that those voting found it every bit as beautiful as we do daily.”
— Hannah E. Jones
Ed Bastian – Four Pillar Award
The Council for Quality Growth will give its prestigious Four Pillar Award to Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines on Oct. 12 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Bastian chose the theme for the 2023 dinner to be “Leading with Purpose.”
The “Four Pillars” of leadership are quality, responsibility, vision and Integrity. Previous honorees have included former Atlanta mayors Shirley Franklin and Andrew Young, UPS CEO Carol Tomé, former Gov. Nathan Deal as well as Dan Cathy, chairman of Chick-fil-A.
“Ed was an obvious choice for this year’s Four Pillar Award,” said Michael Paris, president and CEO of the Council for Quality Growth. “He’s been an integral part of Atlanta’s ongoing economic successes, and his strong dedication to our community will have a lasting impact on our region and state.”
In a statement, Bastian said he was both grateful and humbled to receive the award. “Taking care of the 90,000 people of Delta Air Lines is the greatest calling of my lifetime,” Bastian said. “It’s an honor to serve them.”
In 2016, Bastian was named CEO of Delta, where he has held various roles over a 25-year career. Under his leadership, Delta has become a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion. Bastian also has been a key business leader serving as both chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Committee for Progress.
Bastian recent honors include the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award and the UNCF’s Keeper of the Flame Award. He also was inducted into the 2023 JA Business Hall of Fame.
— Maria Saporta
Classical young musicians take stage for annual Fall into Spring Finale Concert
This Sunday, 26 of Atlanta’s most talented classical musicians will play a free, public concert at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Theatre. The Franklin Pond Chamber Music and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra Chamber Players are coming together to perform the annual Fall into Spring Finale Concert.
The classical concert will feature works by Mozart, Prokofiev, Brahms and more. The student-run Varro Quartet will also perform the U.S. premiere of Sibelius’ Piano Quartet in D minor.
For this performance, the young musicians were coached and mentored by Franklin Pond’s faculty, who are all members of the Atlanta Symphony or Atlanta Opera Orchestras. They also joined in masterclasses led by guest artists.
Both music education institutions offer students comprehensive and collegiate-level music education to prepare them for success in college and their careers. Seventeen of the student musicians are in both Franklin Pond Chamber Music and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The concert will be held on Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m., and tickets are not required. For additional information, click here.
— Hannah E. Jones
Achieve Atlanta selects new president
Dr. Cheryl Watson-Harris, former superintendent of DeKalb County Schools, has been named as the president and executive director of Achieve Atlanta. She will begin her new role in May.
Watson-Harris was chosen after an extensive national search to head the initiative that helps students attending Atlanta Public Schools to achieve post-secondary success through scholarships and special services. Achieve Atlanta Scholars complete college at a much higher rate than similar peers who did not receive scholarships or services.
Dr. Watson-Harris is succeeding founding executive director – Tina Fernandez – who led the organization since 2015 and left at the end of 2022 to do a one-year fellowship with Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative.
“Dr. Watson-Harris’ deep knowledge and experience as well as her caring for those we serve is evident in every aspect of her being,” said Claire “Yum” Arnold, Achieve Atlanta’s board chair. “We’re fortunate to have her leadership to build on Achieve Atlanta’s successes over the last seven years. We also thank our dedicated staff and partners who served our scholars–without missing a beat–during this transition.”
Dr. Watson-Harris was raised in New York City where she spent much of her career before moving to lead DeKalb County Schools. More recently, Dr. Watson Harris co-founded Urban School Specialists, a consulting firm that works with large urban school districts.
— Maria Saporta
PALS names new executive director
Pets Are Loving Support (PALS) has named Katherine Cummings as its new executive director.
The nonprofit, based in Candler Park, supports pets of people who are seriously ill, disabled or seniors so they may remain together in their homes.
Cummings replaces Buck Cooke, who left in February and now leads the nonprofit Break Away.
Cummings has an eclectic background in nonprofit leadership and the media. She has served as executive director at the Fall-Line Alliance for a Clean Environment, the Thanks Mom & Dad Fund, the Georgia Rural Health Association and Milledgeville’s Lockerly Arboretum. She previously edited a newspaper and owned a radio station in Middle Georgia.
“‘To be of service’ is the foundation of PALS’ mission,” Cummings said in a press release. “That value, to serve people in our community so their lives, and those of the pets and service animals they rely on, are better, is why I am so excited about joining PALS. I look forward to growing our client numbers and occasionally getting to pet really cute dogs.”
PALS also had recent board changes. Ann Vitale, former co-president of the PFLAG Atlanta board and facilitator for Atlanta Gender Variations, was elected chair. Hannah Jarrells, an attorney with Baker Donelson, joined the board.
— John Ruch
CAU professor presents workshop, concert featuring Beethoven, Ellington
On Sat. Apr. 29, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) jazz music legend and professor James Patterson will lead a workshop and concert showcasing classical composer Beethoven and jazz legend Duke Ellington.
Titled “From Beethoven to Duke Ellington,” Patterson will spend the day working with CAU alumni and jazz orchestra students to discuss preserving the music that originated in the African Diaspora.
The concert will take place on campus at Davage Auditorium at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. Log onto the school’s Eventbrite page to receive a ticket.
— Allison Joyner
National Black Arts Festival’s 17th annual Fine Art + Fashion Benefit
Last week, student designers got to see their looks on the runway at the 17th annual Fine Art + Fashion Benefit hosted by National Black Arts Festival (NBAF).
Held at the Atlanta History Center in partnership with Neiman Marcus, fashion experts and enthusiasts gathered for the Fashion Forward Student Design Competition, a fashion show and an award ceremony.
The two student winners were Jakarie Akhil Whitaker, a junior at Clark Atlanta University, and Yemisi Sanni, a junior at Savannah College of Art and Design. Each won a $2,000 cash prize and their works will be highlighted in a Neiman Marcus showcase.
In the professional fashion world, three awardees were honored for their work, including two-time Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter, Visual Artist Shanequa Gay and Fashion Designer Busayo Olupona.
Established in 1987, NBAF is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that works to educate, engage and entertain communities with artistic programs ranging from film and theatr to music and dance.
— Hannah E. Jones
Five new members added to Trust for Public Land board
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) recently announced five additions to its Georgia advisory board. The new board members will support the nonprofit’s overarching mission to protect public land and increase access to the outdoors.
The newest advisory board members include:
- Anna Callaway, real estate advisor at Keller Knapp Realty. She also serves on the board of directors at HouseProud Atlanta, a nonprofit that provides free home repairs for those in need.
- Tres Carpenter, principal and portfolio manager at ZWJ Investment Counsel. He has served on the Chattahoochee Riverlands Steering Committee for three years and previously held leadership positions on the boards of the Buckhead Heritage Society and Little Nancy Creek Park.
- Cecilia Houston-Torrence, past president of the League of Women Voters Atlanta/Fulton County and the Chief Operating Officer of the Leigh Torrence South West Atlanta Youth Foundation.
- Price Muir, president, CEO and founder of WPM Commercial, Inc. He was formerly a member of the board of directors for the Georgia Trust for Public Land.
- Eric Wilson, senior executive at CBRE, a commercial real estate firm.
“Our Georgia advisory board is made up of advocates for land conservation who are willing to volunteer their times and talents to help further our mission,” George Dusenbury, TPL Georgia State Director, wrote in a recent release. “All five of our new members have a passion for ensuring that future generations can enjoy the outdoors right here in their own backyard.”
— Hannah E. Jones
Leave a comment