Podcast: ATL Arts Collective’s FIFA World Cup theme show, with murals and more

This Week On The Show

Storyteller and community builder Sundiata Rush joins the show as our guest co-host. He’s the creator and producer behind “Tales of Downtown Atlanta.” Part podcast, part art exhibit and part old-school mix tape, the series is an audiovisual anthology of our city. Featuring short stories written, voiced and visually amplified by notable Atlantans, the series offers a spirited tour of historic downtown locations, influential legacies and people and important events from the past, all while introducing the world to Atlanta’s soul. 

Painting the Town: FIFA World Cup Murals

In preparation for the FIFA World Cup, the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Downtown Atlanta Inc. commissioned a combined total of 21 brand-new public murals. Arthur Rudick, the mastermind behind the famous “Atlanta Street Art Map” and a regular contributor to ArtsATL, recently spoke with several powerhouse artists behind the new work, including Charity Hamidullah, Kyle “BlackCatTips” Brooks and Melissa A. Mitchell. 

Event note: This Sunday at 4 p.m., Arthur is giving a special Street Art Tour of Little 5 Points. Through his website and writing, Rudick has documented more than 2,000 murals across metro Atlanta, and local artist Shadow Dancer has created a mural in front of the Little 5 Points Pub to celebrate this milestone. Congratulations Arthur!

Inside the Atlanta Cultural Exchange

The Atlanta Cultural Exchange, our city’s massive creative hub and official cultural platform during the FIFA World Cup, begins its activations this Sunday. Host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Adriane Jefferson, the executive director of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, to learn more about the grand vision and community intention behind the Exchange.

Scattered, Smothered and Covered in Art

Artist Nick Turbo Benson has created a FIFA World Cup mural that incorporates one of Georgia’s most well-known institutions — Waffle House. ArtsATL Senior Editor Isadora Pennington recently caught up with Benson to learn more. 

Audio Anthology: Tales of Downtown Atlanta

Sundiata Rush is our guest co-host today, and he’s brought us a story from his Tales of Downtown Atlanta series titled The Park at the Heart of Atlanta’s Olympics. It’s written by acclaimed Atlanta Magazine Editor Betsy Riley and voiced by Woodruff Arts Center and Metro Atlanta Chamber leader Hala Moddelmog, with stunning visual artwork by Chaz Clark. Let this story inspire you to enjoy the FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park. It’s free and open to everyone, with 16 days of matches on a 40-foot screen, live concerts, Atlanta food vendors and cultural programming. June 12 to July 15.

ArtsATL’s Best Bets for the Week 

ArtsATL Executive Editor Shane Harrison joins the show to share his top cultural recommendations for the week. His curated mix features a group exhibition at The Sunday ATL gallery, a performance from blues icon Selwyn Birchwood and an evening with Grammy Award-winning neo-soul superstar Corinne Bailey Rae.

Footwork: Where We Gather at Emory University’s Michael C. Carlos Museum

Footwork: Where We Gather is a powerful new photography exhibition at the Michael C. Carlos Museum by award-winning lens-based artist Sheila Pree Bright. The work is on view through July 19 and is part of Emory University’s broader, campus-wide Footwork initiative — a series of curated exhibitions celebrating the intersection of sport, style and the spirit of a city ready to welcome the world. Kim Drobes recently attended a panel at Emory exploring the communities created by fandom, featuring Bright; Andi McKenzie, the curator of works on paper for the Michael C. Carlos Museum; Francisco Stenger of Soccer in the Streets; and Bem Joiner, co-founder of Atlanta Influences Everything. 

Pride Month: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

In celebration of Pride Month, the historic Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus is back on stage with its concert Beyond the Yellow Brick Road. ArtsATL Editor-At-Large Jim Farmer stops by the microphone to give us an exclusive preview of what to expect from this legendary local musical institution.  

Special thanks to today’s sponsors:

Motherlode

Mainline Magazine

It’s UATL

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