March 1, 2025 - March 2, 2025 / 11:00am - 4:00pm

ART PAPERS | Atlanta Art Ecosystems

A Public Talks Series

Special Event
Workshop

A two-day series of public programs focused on the Atlanta visual art community’s resilience, adaptability, and sustainability

Saturday, March 1 & Sunday, March 2

Hosted by Atlanta Contemporary
535 Means St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Art Papers presents a series of public conversations that bring together members of the visual art community who are invested in addressing challenges faced by the nonprofit visual arts sector in Atlanta.

In 2024, Art Papers convened a steering committee of thought leaders in the Atlanta visual art community to design a series of public programs that would address the challenges facing our nonprofit art ecosystem while celebrating the abundance of innovative practices and adaptive strategies that offer exciting paths forward. This two-day program is the outcome of that steering committee’s shared urgencies and spaces of inspiration.

The series will be accompanied by a limited edition booklet that—in addition to introducing each conversation and its speakers—will include an annotated “yellow pages” style collection of Atlanta visual art resources such as listings for exhibition-presenting spaces, awards and fellowships, studio space providers, art handlers/installers/shippers, residencies, fiscal sponsors, and more. The booklet will be available on-site for program attendees.

We invite artists, arts administrators, institutional experimenters, collectors, funders, and anyone who is invested in the future of Atlanta’s Art Ecosystems to join us.

Attendees are invited to choose individual program elements, or attend the full series – we just ask that you REGISTER for each element that you will attend.


DAY 1: Saturday, March 1

10:30 am Atlanta Contemporary—Doors Open

10:50 am Welcome remarks from Sarah Higgins (Art Papers) and Floyd Hall (Atlanta Contemporary)

11 am Crash Course—Models, Forms, Audiences 101
Led by Art Papers staff, this seminar-style program will define relevant terms and lay a foundation of knowledge for the conversations to come.

1 pm Adaptive Forms Panel – moderated by Sarah Higgins, Executive + Artistic Director of Art Papers
This panel spotlights adaptive, nomadic, temporary, and experimental projects that expand the boundaries of our notions of what an “art institution” can be.

  • Panelists: Scott Ingram (Temporary Art Center), Jasmine Hentschel (Art Calendar Atlanta + Gulch Magazine), Amanda P. Norris (The Bakery / The Supermarket), Anna Akpele (else.where__ and Dashboard), and Lauren Jackson Harris (Black Women in Visual Art)

3 pm Support Models Panel – moderated by Laura Hennighausen, Director of Strategic Philanthropy, Purpose Possible + Metro Atlanta Arts Collaborative
This panel presents various forms of support for artists and institutional projects including funding, residencies, studio and space resources, and more.

  • Panelists: Jessica Helfrecht (Echo Contemporary / Guardian Studios), Ife Williams (The Hambidge Center), Cinqué Hicks (Idea Capital), Allie Bashuk (The Goat Farm), Ayana Gabriel (Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta)

DAY 2: Sunday, March 2

11 am Thinking Publicness Panel – moderated by Miranda Kyle, Curator of Indigenous Arts of the Americas, Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University
This panel looks beyond notions of “public art” to consider how visual art engages with publicness—with particular emphasis on projects and institutions that push beyond mere beautification to engage deeply with a broad audience.

  • Panelists: Anna Akpele (Dashboard), Anne Dennington (Flux Projects), Alex Frankcombe (Art + Activation, ATL DTN), Chantelle Rytter (Art on the Atlanta Beltline)

1:30 pm Cross-Sector Collaboration Panel – moderated by Roshani Thakore, Artist, Director, Community Engagement & Culture Program, Atlanta Regional Commission
This panel focuses on finding sustainability and new audiences for the arts through working across, and beyond, multiple sectors—whether they are conceptual, such as with technology and medicine, or structural, such as with city and industry partners.

  • Panelists: Nikki Estes (South Arts Cross-sector Impact Grant), Birney Robert (GA Tech Arts), Clint Fluker (Culture, Community, and Partner Engagement, Michael C. Carlos Museum and Emory Libraries).

3:30 pm Houseguest Talk
This lecture style presentation will feature an invited guest speaker to talk about a large scale project they’ve realized. Special guest speaker Fawz Kabra will discuss co-founding and running a New York-based kunsthalle style exhibition space and small artist-project press, Brief Histories. Her talk will offer valuable insights into the process of conceptualizing and executing significant artistic and curatorial endeavors.

Each program will include time for audience Q&A.




Upcoming Program Events

View All Programs
September 5 / 7:30pm Contemporary Talks

Closing Exhibition Reception and Artist Talk with R. Land

Moderated by Kim Drobes

Free

Celebrate the closing of "Landmarks: Inside the World of R.Land "with a special evening featuring acclaimed Atlanta artist R. Land in conversation with Kim Drobes, Executive Producer and Co-Host of The City Lights Collective on WABE. For nearly three decades, R. Land has captivated audiences with his unconventional, instantly recognizable style—an artistic voice once described as combining “the approach of Keith Haring, the enthusiasm of Disney, and the vision of Finster.” From large-format paintings and iconic street installations to his ubiquitous “Loss Cat” project, Land’s work defies categorization while shaping the cultural fabric of Atlanta and beyond. Guiding the conversation is Kim Drobes, a seasoned broadcaster and storyteller who has spent her career championing creativity and human connection. Together, they’ll explore Land’s artistic journey, community-driven projects, and his lasting influence on Atlanta’s art and identity. Following the talk, raise a glass at our closing reception bar as we toast the exhibition, the artist, and the city that inspires his work. This event is free and open to the public.

September 6 / 6:00pm Special Event

SHAPESHIFTER

Presented by Commune

Ticketed

SHAPESHIFTER Atlanta Contemporary x CommuneATL Tickets: $20 SHAPESHIFTER conjures notions of evolution, adaptation, and transformation—changing forms and shifting perspectives. This collaborative program with Commune explores the tension between hedonism vs. spirituality, the shifting “value” of musical forms—from spiritual jazz to punk, ambient to dance—and the constant striving toward something new. Commune is a place for people to connect around music, food, drinks, and culture. Enjoy a thoughtful program of DJ sets, live performances, film & lectures in a room designed for sound. Pair that with cocktails and wine from small producers, and a rotating menu of cosy continental food, freshly baked bread, and desserts.

September 27 / 10:00am Special Event

Somatic Sound: Contemporary Yoga

Lead by Sydney McCall

Register

This is more than just a yoga class—it's an exploration of rhythm, breath, and energy. As Sydney guides you through a mindful flow, while DJs shape the soundscape in real-time, creating a fully sensory, meditative environment designed to ground the body and expand the mind. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or just beginning your practice, Flow State invites you to embrace the process—investigate, explore, and move with intention. Bring your mat, an open mind, and get ready to vibe.

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