DeKalb Arts Council revived after a 20-year hiatus

“Wow, this is quite a turnout. How do you like the new digs?” asked Andrew Keenan, executive director of Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, referring to the Metro City Church on Briarcliff Road, where a group of artists, organizers and leaders gathered on the evening of March 12. We were there for a common goal: to celebrate the official launch of Arts DeKalb and the DeKalb Arts Council. 

The building, recently acquired by Callanwolde, will soon be transformed into an extension of its historic creative campus located just across the street. On the evening of the launch, a selection of DeKalb County-based visual arts curated by the Callanwolde staff dotted the walls and tabletops throughout the venue. Performances by local musician Eugene Owens and the DeKalb School of the Arts Chorus kicked off the event, with music flowing through the former cathedral while visitors mingled, enjoyed the art on display and chatted while lining up for a catered meal. 

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson welcomed us all to the event, providing context for the evening and introducing the DeKalb County commissioners who have been working behind the scenes to build out the Council in preparation for the launch. “Tonight marks an exciting moment for DeKalb County as we officially launch Arts DeKalb, a new initiative dedicated to celebrating creativity, supporting artists and expanding cultural opportunities throughout our community,” said Cochran-Johnson, who issued an executive order to establish the Council. 

“I like to say often — I quote my grandfather, because he always used to say, ‘You can tell what’s important by where they place two things: time and money,’” she continued, pointing out that Callanwolde’s acquisition of the building represents a $7.8-million investment from DeKalb County into the arts, providing a real-life example of the county supporting the arts through funding and place-making. “When leaders come together with a shared vision, things happen.”

“From painters and musicians to performers, sculptors, filmmakers and storytellers, creativity lives in every corner of DeKalb County. Through Arts DeKalb, we’re creating a platform that will allow you to elevate your presence in your town that will also connect you to others within your network, because it is so important that we come together,” she continued. “When we create spaces that give us the ability to express ourselves and when we expose our children and our communities to art, we are all better. So tonight we celebrate not just a program, but we celebrate a commitment to the creative spirit that defines DeKalb County.”

Remarks by Discover DeKalb Director James Tsismanakis, District 2 Commissioner Michelle Long Spears and Presiding Officer Chakira Johnson shared in the enthusiasm for the arts, speaking on the importance of a shared vision for encouraging and supporting working artists in DeKalb County. Former DeKalb Council for the Arts Executive Director Jan Selman and former DeKalb County Commissioner Gale Walldorff also expressed their excitement about the relaunch of the Arts Council in DeKalb County and shared some of the history of the Council’s operations when they were involved. Through their stories, the collaborative nature of the arts community in DeKalb became evident, and they encouraged everyone present to get involved with arts in their communities. “It will take all of us, and we can do it,” Selman said.

Led by Stephanie Raines, DeKalb County’s new director of arts and cultural affairs, the Council will serve as an official advisory board to the CEO and commissioners to strengthen and promote arts and culture in the county through policy, planning and arts funding. Collectively, Cochran-Johnson and the commissioners indicated that the goals are to transform public spaces into living canvases, bringing vibrant and accessible art to the region. 

The DeKalb Arts Council members are:

• Charlene Fang,District 1
• Kyle Williams, District 2
• Kamille Gilmore, District 3
• Melanie Hammet, District 4
• Rahn Mayo, District 5
• Lauren Kiefer, Super District 6
• Delores Burgess, Super District 7
• Jan Selman, Office of the CEO
• Gale Walldorff, Office of the CEO

Before the guests returned to mingling and networking, Cochran-Johnson revealed one last surprise: a fiberglass cow. Seeking to celebrate “creativity through culture,” she indicated that each of the 12 cities in DeKalb County will receive a fiberglass cow (either a heifer or a bull) which ties into the county’s history as farmland. Cities will have the opportunity to pick an artist to decorate their cow, which will then be installed with a placard and included on a mobile walking app, serving as a visual reminder of the connections between all DeKalb County cities in this new era of creativity and expression.

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Isadora Pennington is ArtsATL’s senior editor of art + design and dance. An experienced writer and photographer with a deep love for the arts, Isadora founded the Sketchbook newsletter with Rough Draft Atlanta in 2022. She is also president of the Avondale Arts Alliance and director of the Avondale Arts Center.