Poets, Artists & Madmen
It doesn’t take a peek into Ponce City Market or walk along the Atlanta Beltine to know that the city of Atlanta’s landscape is in the midst of a rapid transformation. Whether or not all of this stadium and streetcar building will benefit the city’s greater cultural good remains to be seen. But like any major development in Atlanta’s historic past one thing that has always remained constant is the artistic community’s willingness to adapt, adjust, and stay inspired.
Case and point: This year’s Forward Warrior Project in Cabbagetown, spearheaded by local artist Peter Ferrari. In a year where Living Walls took some time off, and neighborhoods are losing character one mixed-use development at a time, Ferrari and co. brought more than 30 local visual artists out to cover the walls along Wylie Street in June. Going down in a historic neighborhood, relatively untouched by outside corporate hands, the resulting event showed how strong and inspirational our native creatives are.
This year we wanted to highlight the people, places, and organizations that have and still do fuel the city’s artistic spirit in the face of unprecedented change. Whereas old faithfuls such as the Fox Theatre and Adult Swim — which continues to put out quality, bat-shit-crazy programming 15 years after its launch — have stuck to their guns, there’s also a new crop of names filling voids left by creatives past.
Murmur Media, aka the Atlanta Zine Fest, opened its permanent space in South Downtown this summer, and now local zinesters have a venue to mix, mingle, and, most importantly, create. In a year where social justice and injustice was a hot-button issue, Wussy Mag emerged as thoughtful, well-curated voice for the city’s LGBTQ community.
The last year also saw more than $6 billion come through the state thanks to television and film production crews. On any given day there’s at least 30 productions being filmed in Georgia, so we decided to show love to some of the best in local TV and film. The local lit scene is still going strong, so we put the spotlight on everyone from the ol’ school players (Write Club) to the new-school fools (Lit. Atlanta). And how would we be able to keep track of all of this without our local documentarians? We turned the lens on four photographers (Ryan Vizzions, Julian Plowden, @welovebuhi, and Proph Bundy) who, in their own distinct styles, help us visualize Atlanta’s past, present, and future.
Regardless of what Atlanta looks like in years to come, you can bet that the visual and performing artists will have their say. We — residents, politicians, and civic leaders — owe it to ourselves to stop, look, and listen to their messages.
— Gavin Godfrey, Culture Editor
ATL book club: Best way to get honest feedback BOA Award Winner
The Writer's Exchange
Best local cultural ambassador BOA Award Winner
Omar "Chilly"
Best muralist with a message BOA Award Winner
Brandon Sadler
Best reality TV representation of ATL BOA Award Winner
Violet Chachki
Best Trend BOA Award Winner
Immersive Theater
Best variety show inspired by pop culture BOA Award Winner
Scene and Song Missing
ATL book club: Best bookish bloodsport BOA Award Winner
Write Club Atlanta
ATL book club: Best form of literary karaoke BOA Award Winner
Lit
ATL book club: Best lifeline for the local scribe BOA Award Winner
Lost in the Letters
ATL book club: Best way to see literary characters come to life BOA Award Winner
Transgression
Best community-sourced poetry BOA Award Winner
Make Blackout Poetry
Best creative commune BOA Award Winner
The Big House on Ponce
Best established artist BOA Award Winner
Michi Meko
Silver screen South: Best local TV festival BOA Award Winner
SCAD's ATV Fest
Best new arts and culture website BOA Award Winner
WUSSY Mag
Silver screen South: Best production job source BOA Award Winner
Reel-Crew Production Company
Street scenes: Best cityscape photographer BOA Award Winner
Ryan Vizzions
Street scenes: Best exposure of an inconvenient truth BOA Award Winner
Proph Bundy
Best artist asking tough questions BOA Award Winner
Jessica Caldas
Best local arts die-hard BOA Award Winner
Terry Kearns
Best male actor BOA Award Winner
Kevin Harry
Silver screen South: Best fest for under-the-radar storytelling BOA Award Winner
Out on Film
Silver screen South: Best local film festival BOA Award Winner
Atlanta Film Festival
Silver screen South: Best local film series BOA Award Winner
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Street scenes: Best neighborhood documentarian BOA Award Winner
@welovebuhi
A day in the life of leading lady Randi Garza BOA Award Winner
The 2015 Critics Pick for Best female actor drives more than 100 miles, goes through four wig changes, and 10 wardrobe switches in a day
Best creative use of a future food hall BOA Award Winner
Up Right: Atlanta
Best female actor BOA Award Winner
Randi Garza
Best Internet-breaking video BOA Award Winner
"Too Many Cooks"
Best TV production house playing by its own rules BOA Award Winner
Adult Swim
Street scenes: Best civil rights documentarian BOA Award Winner
Julian Plowden
Best collaboration BOA Award Winner
Forward Warrior (various artists) AND T. Lang and Nick Cave's Up Right: Atlanta
Best new trend in the arts BOA Award Winner
Free ArtBest book by a local author BOA Award Winner
American Blues by Evan Guilford-BlakeBest fine art photographer BOA Award Winner
Bhargava Chiluveru AND Lauren Holley
Best public art event BOA Award Winner
Forward WarriorBest local female actor BOA Award Winner
Amber Nash AND Alison HastingsBest art exhibit in a nontraditional space BOA Award Winner
Art on the Atlanta Beltline
Best film made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Hunger Games: MockingjayBest play BOA Award Winner
Avenue Q
ATL book club: Best way to get honest feedback BOA Award Winner
The Writer's ExchangeBest collaboration BOA Award Winner
Forward Warrior (various artists) AND T. Lang and Nick Cave's Up Right: Atlanta
Best local cultural ambassador BOA Award Winner
Omar "Chilly"
Best muralist with a message BOA Award Winner
Brandon SadlerBest new trend in the arts BOA Award Winner
Free Art
Best reality TV representation of ATL BOA Award Winner
Violet Chachki
Best Trend BOA Award Winner
Immersive Theater
Best variety show inspired by pop culture BOA Award Winner
Scene and Song Missing
Guest Critic: Shannon Evans BOA Award Winner
The co-owner and creative director at Studio No. 7 on why she chose Atlanta three years ago
ATL book club: Best bookish bloodsport BOA Award Winner
Write Club Atlanta
ATL book club: Best form of literary karaoke BOA Award Winner
Lit
ATL book club: Best lifeline for the local scribe BOA Award Winner
Lost in the Letters
ATL book club: Best way to see literary characters come to life BOA Award Winner
TransgressionBest book by a local author BOA Award Winner
American Blues by Evan Guilford-Blake
Best community-sourced poetry BOA Award Winner
Make Blackout Poetry
Best creative commune BOA Award Winner
The Big House on Ponce
Best established artist BOA Award Winner
Michi MekoBest fine art photographer BOA Award Winner
Bhargava Chiluveru AND Lauren Holley
Best public art event BOA Award Winner
Forward Warrior
Silver screen South: Best local TV festival BOA Award Winner
SCAD's ATV Fest
Best local female actor BOA Award Winner
Amber Nash AND Alison Hastings
Best new arts and culture website BOA Award Winner
WUSSY Mag
Guest Critic: Shannon Evans BOA Award Winner
The co-owner and creative director at Studio No. 7 on why she chose Atlanta three years ago
Guest Critic: Susan Booth BOA Award Winner
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