Is Atlanta artist friendly? (Marietta, Kennesaw: sales, 2009, lofts)

[embroaded]

We are considering a relocation to the area just north of Atlanta. Are there any artist co-ops or art centers that I should check out when I visit? Are art fairs in that region doing OK considering the economy? We will be looking at Kennesaw and communities near there. Many thanks.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by embroaded

We are considering a relocation to the area just north of Atlanta. Are there any artist co-ops or art centers that I should check out when I visit? Are art fairs in that region doing OK considering the economy? We will be looking at Kennesaw and communities near there. Many thanks.

I happened to see this 'Marietta's First Art Walk'>>>

First Friday Art Walk is creating an art community of excellence on the Historic Marietta Square.

You also might research Art/NW GA/Lake Allatoona and vicinity.
Try this one>>>
http://www.hellonorthgeorgia.com/pre...sociation.html

[LovinDecatur]

There's also the upcoming Dogwood Festival, which has a large Artists' Market.

www.dogwood.org/Artist_Market.php

I would also recommend a visit to the King Plow Arts Center.

www.artery.org/KingPlow.htm

[Psykomonkee]

EAST ATLANTA. If you want to be amongst the Artists, stay to the Eastern side of the city.

Forget those festivals... There are festivals, as you see listed above, but you just have to know where to be. Atlanta is an artist haven. TONS OF ARTISTS. Half of them don't have jobs... Lol... "Starving artists" Sorry, I get sarcastic because my brother is one of those starving artists that refuses to get a job because it stifles his art...

But really, there are lots of artists, more than most cities, and there are jobs.
You just need to get with the artist crowd, and you'll find the rest of them and all that's going on. With all the artists that live there, the city COULD do more for them, but as it stands now, the city is full of starving artists.

Also, keep in mind what kind of art you're talking about. Are you talking visual arts? Painting, graffiti, sculpture, etc...? Are you talking performing arts? Music, dancing, theater, etc...? They are all here.

Here's a few places to start:

-Little Five Points. For both visual and performing artists.
Hang out at 7 Stages theater and take in a few shows. Y.E.A. (Youth Ensemble of Atlanta) is AMAZING. They are a group of young kids that act, sing, dance, all around theater. Kennan Thompson (of Kennan and Kel/Fattburger/Saturday Night Live) is an alumni of Y.E.A.

-14th Street Playhouse. Take in some shows and just be social.
-Rio Mall (if it still exist). As I remember, in the 90s that was the spot a LOT of artist hung at.
-Downtown Decatur (Decatur MARTA station)
-Art Int. of Atlanta campus near Woodruff Arts Center
-There are places around the city where there is legalized wall space for graffiti. They actually encourage taggers to do their art in these places. I don't know exactly where, but I THINK one of those places is right along Peachtree near Crawford Long Hospital. It was in the late 90s.

When I think of more places, I'll post them

[embroaded]

Thanks for those suggestions. You are right, I should have been more specific. I was a potter for years and currently make porcelain jewelry that I sell at art fairs. Although I enjoy theater, dance, etc, I'm a quiet work in my studio type.

[Somoso]

Originally Posted by embroaded

We are considering a relocation to the area just north of Atlanta. Are there any artist co-ops or art centers that I should check out when I visit? Are art fairs in that region doing OK considering the economy? We will be looking at Kennesaw and communities near there. Many thanks.

You might consider Buford, Georgia which certainly at one time had a thriving community of artists. Its been a while since I checked. I have a friend who moved there 15 years long ago to start/join a co-op. It worked since he actually makes a living with his art, which, as most know, is a rare thing. I think the area has become somewhat commercialized though to the benefit of the artists. Check out Tannery Row Artist Colony for a description of one of the collectives in Buford.

Inside Atlanta I've found that many artists live in East Atlanta, Grant Park, and to a lesser extent in Little Five Points, which used to be thriving until the surrounding housing became prohibitively expensive for artists. On the other hand if you walk through L5P these days you will see many people who look and act like artists and musicians but who might not be - But they don't mind being mistaken for being either. Any metropolitan city has this phenomenon of course.

[embroaded]

Thanks, Tannery Row would be a great day trip and I'll check out East Atlanta. We will probably need to live in Kennesaw, because my husband would be working there. I'll be the trailing spouse.

[lastminutemom]

It is my understanding that sales at festivals were down at least twenty percent in the Fall. No idea what the spring holds, but this doesn't sound like it is your family's primary income, so this may even benefit you because fewer out of town artists are going to be willing/able to travel for festivals.

Some of my favorites (and keep in mind some are juried) are:

the Dogwood Festival
Atlanta Dogwood Festival | Arts Festival | Free Spring Festival
The Virginia Highlands Festival
Virginia-Highland Civic Association - Summerfest
The Norcross Festival
Historic Norcross - Fall Festival : Art Fest 2008
the Atlanta Art Festival
The Atlanta Arts Festival - September 12 & 13 2009 Piedmont Park, Atlanta.
Brookhaven Art Festival
Brookhaven Arts Alliance | Atlanta, GA

Can you tell that I love art festivals and there are dozens more...

good luck

[south-to-west]

The area of town that has been emerging as an arts district for local artists is Castleberry Hill just west of Downtown. It's a large warehouse district where a lot of the property has been converted to lofts and small galleries. It's absolutely incredible what some folks have done with the old warehouses over there.