Arts and Culture

Atlanta: The Cultural Capital of the South

Atlanta’s arts and culture scene is one of the most dynamic in the U.S. The Woodruff Arts Center, the country’s third-largest arts campus – comprised of High Museum of Art,  Alliance Theater and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra – draws more than one million visitors annually. Beyond these established venues, a surge of public art, including vibrant murals and installations, invigorates the city’s parks, walls, tunnels and walkways, fueling an independent artist scene. The city’s roots also dig deep into its cultural past with historic events including Civil War battles, the birth of the civil rights movement and the Centennial Olympic Games. 

Fast Facts

• Atlanta boasts nearly 60 visual art galleries and more than 30 playhouses and theatres.
• The nonprofit arts and culture sector in Atlanta supports more than 12,700 jobs and generates more than $880 million in economic activity.
• Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood features the largest concentration of arts facilities and organizations in the Southeast, with 25 different arts and cultural venues, more than 30 permanent performing arts groups and 22 various entertainment facilities. 
• Atlanta’s residing symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, has won 27 Grammys, more than any other U.S. symphony.
• Atlanta has two Smithsonian affiliates: Georgia Aquarium and David J. Sencer CDC Museum.