A celebration of the city’s art scene.
The inaugural Atlanta Art Fair descends on Pullman Yards Oct. 3-6, celebrating the city’s growth as an art hub. The event, a collaboration between Art Market Productions and Intersect Art and Design, is timed with the third edition of Atlanta Art Week, the annual citywide celebration of visual arts. We chatted with AMP director Kelly Freeman about the first-time Atlanta event and the Buckhead galleries that are taking part.
Give us some background on the Atlanta Art Fair.
Since 2014, I’ve directed all art fairs at AMP, a division of a21 that includes presentations in Seattle, San Francisco and New York. We have been researching markets for launching a new art fair for several years, and Atlanta consistently stood out. Upon exploring its potential, we saw the opportunity become clear: Atlanta boasts world-class institutions, a dynamic mix of emerging and established art galleries, and a vibrant community of local artists, scholars and collectors.
What makes the Atlanta Art Fair unique?
The primary goal of Atlanta Art Fair’s inaugural edition is to spotlight not just the strength of Atlanta’s art scene but also of contemporary art across the South. It’s the first art fair to serve Atlanta, providing an essential commercial platform that can support the city’s ecosystem and connect its local art scene to audiences regionally, nationally and internationally. Galleries participating in the fair reflect an exciting mix of exhibitors from Atlanta and the wider region, shown next to galleries from mainstream art hubs like New York and Los Angeles, and even international galleries.
What can attendees expect at the event?
Atlanta Art Fair will offer an inclusive and accessible experience that celebrates the unique history of contemporary art in Atlanta while providing a new platform to discover work by artists based in Atlanta, the South, the wider U.S. and around the world. Visitors who have never been to an art fair before will find booths by each participating gallery with a display of artworks by the artists they love and support. These booths will be staged alongside numerous presentations by our cultural partners, plus special projects by internationally acclaimed artists.
What are some of the Buckhead galleries and local artists that will be involved?
You can expect to see some great galleries from Buckhead, including Alan Avery Art Company, Fay Gold Gallery, Jackson Fine Art, Johnson Lowe Gallery, Maune Contemporary and Spalding Nix Fine Art.
Anything else you’d like to add?
For our inaugural edition, it was extremely important for us to listen to the existing arts community and engage local voices. I’m thrilled to have two Atlantans on our curatorial team: Lauren Jackson Harris and Karen Comer Lowe, two women who are firmly embedded within the Atlanta art scene.
