Atlanta has world-class talent and the leaders of the city are determined to make it known. This fall, the city ushered in its first Atlanta Art Week which was created by a Black woman.
26-year-old Kendra Walker is an art advisor and writer. She’s also the creator of the very first Atlanta Art Week. The four-day event is a culmination of art tours, gallery exhibitions, pop-ups, and lectures. The goal is to amplify the rich and diverse art scene in Atlanta.
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Kendra’s epiphany
In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Walker shares that a lot of her friends in the art world who lived in different cities would ask how the art scene is in Atlanta. It was hard for her to inspire people to visit since there was no signature event, so she decided to start one.
This year’s Atlanta Art Week took place from September 29th to October 2nd. Events took place in various places around the city — from Buckhead, Emory, and Inman Park, to the Westside and south of Atlanta.
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Many of the events during Atlanta Art Week were free. There were some ticketed events such as a tour of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Collection.
About the creator
Kendra Walker graduated from Georgia State University in 2019 with degrees in art and psychology. She’s worked as an arts writer for publications such as Cultured Magazine, Artsy, and The Art Newspaper.
She is also an art advisor who is passionate about working with Black artists and collectors.
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Walker created Black Art Experience in April, introducing school-aged children to art during the Expo Chicago contemporary art fair. This experience gave her the confirmation she needed to start Atlanta Art Week.
To read more about Atlanta Art Week, click here.
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