Danielle Charbonneau named ArtsATL’s new senior editor for art + design and dance

Danielle Charbonneau has been named ArtsATL’s new senior editor for art + design and dance.

Departing Senior Editor Isadora Pennington, whose last day was June 30, has taken a job as director of new media & communications for DeKalb County Superdistrict 6 Commissioner Ted Terry. Pennington, who joined ArtsATL in April 2025, has also served as president of the Avondale Arts Alliance since March 2023 and was instrumental in the opening of the Avondale Arts Center in February 2024. 

“I have absolutely loved my time at ArtsATL and have been proud and honored to be part of such a dedicated crew working to share the stories of Atlanta’s creative community since last April,” says Pennington, who plans to continue contributing to ArtsATL’s coverage. “It’s bittersweet to leave so soon, but it is comforting to know that Danielle Charbonneau, a truly knowledgeable, passionate and talented journalist, will be taking over in my stead. I am truly grateful for all the opportunities this position has afforded me and the new connections and relationships I have formed during my time here.” 

Charbonneau comes to ArtsATL after most recently serving as an arts reporter with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“We are thrilled that Danielle is joining us as senior editor,” says ArtsATL Executive Director Patti Siegel. “Her background and experience are a trifecta — not only is she degreed in arts journalism, but she has an established working relationship with our executive editor from their time at the AJC and she is an experienced arts writer.”

At the AJC, Charbonneau covered everything from Atlanta’s major arts institutions, such as the High Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Opera, to the city’s quirkier subcultures, marginalized communities and grassroots arts organizations. She regularly covered film, art, theater, entertainment and books and specialized in long-form narrative features for the Sunday edition.

As an intrepid and curious reporter, she often went behind the scenes to witness creatives in their element: She marched alongside Atlanta’s Pride parade, embedded herself with the Atlanta Ghostbusters, shadowed feeding time at Zoo Atlanta and unveiled the artistry behind Atlanta’s haunted houses.

Earlier this year, Charbonneau was nominated in two categories for the Atlanta Press Club Awards of Excellence (in Arts Journalism and Food, Travel & Culture Journalism) and received an honorable mention from the Society for Features Journalism (in the Feature Beat Specialty Writing Portfolio). She holds both a BA in print journalism and an MA in specialized journalism in the arts from the Annenberg School for Journalism at the University of Southern California. She grew up in Boulder, Colorado.

“I am so grateful to the reporters — “Pierre Ruhe and Catherine Fox, among others — who launched ArtsATL back in 2009 when they, like me, were laid off from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,” Charbonneau says. “They have given me a place to land where arts reporting and criticism are valued as essential.”

She believes wholeheartedly in the importance of art and journalism.

“Just as art serves as a mirror through which to process our culture, arts reporting helps expand and contextualize the conversation, deepen our understanding and shine light on the people who pour their souls into their creations,” she says. “I feel so honored to contribute to ArtsATL’s mission and am excited to see it grow. In our current times, when both journalism and art are pushing back against forces fighting to tear them down, arts journalism is critical.”

ArtsATL is thrilled to have Charbonneau taking charge of our extensive coverage of the visual arts, design and dance. It’s a vital part of the work we do, and we welcome input from our readers. She asks that ArtsATL readers reach out to her about stories that deserve to be told.

“As a relatively new Atlantan, I am still building connections in the art, design and dance worlds,” she says. “Please connect me with the creatives you know and share the events, happenings, stories and people I should know.”

You can reach her at danielle@artsatl.org.