Former AJC Editor Shane Harrison named executive editor of ArtsATL.org

Shane Harrison has been named executive editor of ArtsATL.org. Starting February 24, he will be responsible for the nonprofit website’s editorial vision and will work with the executive director and the board on strategic planning. He will also coordinate partnerships with other media such as The Atlanta Journal Constitution, where he worked for 34 years, most recently as the arts and entertainment editor.  

Harrison replaces Cinqué Hicks, who has decided to step down as editor-in-chief. Hicks will continue his relationship with ArtsATL as the website’s first editor-at-large for Art+Design and will contribute to the site’s visual arts coverage as both a writer and art insider. 

Harrison’s extensive experience at the Atlanta Journal Constitution included digital production, managing arts coverage on ajc.com and helping to create, write and produce a weekly podcast. He spent many years covering the music scene, including the entire run of Music Midtown, either as a reporter or editor. His leadership at the newspaper gave him in-depth knowledge of the city’s arts and culture.

“I’m delighted Shane is joining our team,” stated Patti Siegel, ArtsATL’s executive director. “His 34 years at The AJC make him uniquely qualified. As an important collaborator in our content partnership with the AJC, he is very familiar with our coverage and is a big supporter of our mission. Our senior editors and many of our writers have worked with Shane and speak highly of him as both an editor and a leader. His depth of experience, his knowledge of the arts community and his prior working relationship with ArtsATL will be huge assets for us as we celebrate our 16th year covering Atlanta’s arts scene.”

Said Harrison: “At The AJC, I collaborated frequently with ArtsATL and its skilled and knowledgeable writers and editors. I’m thrilled to be able to continue that work but from a different vantage point, shining a light on Atlanta’s ever-evolving arts scene.”

Music has consumed much of Harrison’s life. He discovered community theater in his teenage years in South Carolina and still has the paint- and glue-stained T-shirt to prove it. Before landing on a career in journalism, he spent many years working in record shops, most of them wonderful, and playing in bands, most of them terrible. His house is packed with vinyl, and he collects art, primarily photography.

Josh Kravitz, chairperson of ArtsATL’s board, stated: “We are excited to welcome Shane. His strong ties to Atlanta’s cultural scene will enrich ArtsATL’s mission to connect audiences with the city’s vibrant and groundbreaking arts community.”