Downtown Atlanta ‘Elevates’ Its Arts and Culture

Downtown Atlanta will come alive on Friday night with the formal start of ‘Elevate,’ a free, public art event spread across downtown.  Over nine days, local, national and international contemporary artists will transform downtown streets into a living art experience, with everything from mixed-media installations, to music, to graffiti artists, to an all-out street party.

Courtney Hammond, with the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs, says there will be a tour, an event or an opening of new artwork downtown every day. “We structured it this way because we want Elevate to become a reason for people to come downtown and stay in  a hotel and, in walk-able distance, have something to do every day and night that’s related to arts and culture scene.”

Elevate,says Hammond, is also intended to spark community interest in revitalizing deserted downtown areas, including historic buildings that are now in disrepair.  “It’s bettering an area through an arts initiative.”