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About
Atlanta Contemporary engages the public through the creation, presentation and advancement of contemporary art.
Changing The Way We All See Art.
Founded in 1973 as Nexus, a grassroots artists’ cooperative, Atlanta Contemporary has since become one of the southeast’s leading contemporary art centers. We play a vital role in Atlanta’s cultural landscape by presenting over 200 consequential artists and creatives from the local, national, and international art scenes through our various exhibition, project spaces, and programs each year. Atlanta Contemporary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and is free admission, every day. We became free admission on September 1, 2015 to increase accessibility to the community of artists and arts enthusiasts in the metro-Atlanta area.
We commission new works, paying particular attention to artists who have not had a significant exhibition in the Southeast. We organize over 125 programs annually including Contemporary Kids, Contemporary Cocktails, Contemporary Talks, and more! Atlanta Contemporary provides 13 on-site subsidized studio space to working artists through the Studio Artist Program.
By The Numbers | Demographics
Audiences: 61% Female, 29% Male, 10% Gender Non-Conforming; 77% BIPOC :: 55% Black/African American, 9% Asian, 7% LatinX, 1% Indigenous/Native American, and 23% White/Caucasian
Artists: 63% Female, 27% Male, 10% Gender Non-Conforming; 18% Black/African American, 12% Asian, 24% Native American, and 39% White/Caucasian
Board: 78% Female, 22% Male; 33% Black/African American, 11% Asian, 11% LatinX and 45% White/Caucasian
Letter from the director
And just like that, it’s been fifty years.
Atlanta Contemporary (Nexus, ACAC, or The Contemporary – so many different names but always the same mission!) celebrates our Golden Anniversary, kicking off the celebrations in June 2024. We are finalizing a year of exhibitions and programs honoring the legacy of the artists, curators, friends, and patrons who have sustained us. Stay tuned for more information on The Gala + ART PARTY!
Thank you to those who have made the past 50 years remarkable. In doing research, there’s history and mythology around the founding, the moves to various locations in Atlanta, and the building of artists' careers in the field of contemporary art. So many important individuals have actively engaged our community with programming that has defined us and defied the odds.
Over the course of the next year, we will be asking for your truth – your history – of Atlanta Contemporary. Please share your stories, what you wore to ART PARTY (if you remember!!!), and the art.
We want to listen. We want to learn. And we want your help in planning the next 50 years.
Together, we continue to Change The Way We All See Art.
Sincerely,Veronica Kessenich
Executive Director
Our Studio Artist Program supports local working artists by providing subsidized studio space and by fostering a collaborative environment supportive of the creative process.
Staff
Makiko Maekawa
Contemporary Kids Instructor
She/Her/Hers
Lynne Tanzer
SHOP Curator
She/Her/Hers
Board
Katina Asbell
Board Co-Chair
Associate Broker, The Asbell Golde Team | Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
Odessa M. Archibald
Board Co-Chair
Area Manager, Georgia Power
Corey Favor
Sr. Director of Community Engagement Talent and Culture at Orange Barrel Media
Tara Ghei
Founder + CEO / Advisor / Investor
Emily de Golian, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist and Fellowship Trained Mohs Surgeon at Dermatology Consultants, P.C.
Danielle Henry
Global Director, Integrated Marketing Instagram
Maria Rey-Marston
Accenture, Managing Director | SC Innovation Global Co-Lead | Global Beverages Leader
Andrew Rodbell
Co-founder Post Meridiem Spirit Company
Meghan Shakar
Coach & Startup Advisor
Our Values
Our Core Values guide us in our work. Along with our Strategic Plan, our staff and board are committed to using our Core Values in the creation, presentation, and advancement of contemporary art.
Innovation
We present experiences that are relevant to contemporary culture. We do this by inviting artists to create, introduce, and present artistic ideas.
Access
We provide a community-focused environment that fosters inclusivity and respect.
Quality
We uphold the highest standards of artistic, programmatic, and organizational excellence in every interaction that we have.
Influence
We lead our field and receive peer recognition through flawless program execution and effective implementation of our plans. We are responsive to our audience and those who aspire to work in the field of contemporary art.
Collaboration
We embrace and work with a wide variety of organizations, neighbors, partners, and communities to reach common goals and provide access to contemporary art in a variety of forms.
Nexus Fund
Nexus Fund
Founded by artists for artists, Atlanta Contemporary was built upon the principles of engaging in experimentation and risk-taking through exhibitions, programming, and support of working artists. The Nexus Fund expands upon the ethos of these early days. By establishing the Nexus Fund, Atlanta Contemporary gives direct and necessary support to visual arts projects being done by Metro Atlanta’s ever-growing community of contemporary arts practitioners. By supporting new work or through the expansion of an existing project, the Nexus Fund sponsors dynamic and innovative individual artists or partnerships. The Nexus Fund: Emergency Relief in first year gave $1,000 to support 60 self-identifying visual artists. Learn more about the fund and how to apply at thenexus.fund.