In August 2024, the sudden closure of Atlanta’s MINT Gallery left 19 artists without studios, exhibitions or residencies, highlighting the fragility of the city’s arts infrastructure. MINT, known as a bastion of support for emerging artists, served as a vital space for affordable studios and professional development. Its unexpected eviction due to unpaid rent sent shockwaves through Atlanta’s creative community. Honey Pierre, one of the displaced artists, recently sat down with “City Lights” producer Jacob Smulian to discuss the collapse of MINT.
“We were in shock, but we knew we had to act fast,” Pierre said. Pierre immediately organized outreach efforts to rally organizations like TILA Studios, the Goat Farm Arts Center, and Dashboard, which each provided aid in the form of studio spaces and financial aid. Black Art in America also stepped in, covering moving expenses for the displaced artists. “The Goat Farm even matched Mint’s rates and waived deposits,” Pierre shared, emphasizing the generosity of Atlanta’s artistic networks. Community support also poured in, with grassroots funding helping the artists briefly patch the gaps while they found solid ground.
That generosity from non-profit organizations and community members can only achieve so much, however. Despite finding a new studio, Pierre noted the broader loss inside of Atlanta’s arts scene. “MINT was a lifeline for emerging artists. Without spaces like it, Atlanta risks losing its creative community.”
One of Pierre’s prerogatives after the initial shock was assembling a town hall to address the deep systemic challenges that exist within Atlanta’s arts scene.
“The city needs to support us,” she explained.
