Atlanta Beltline Art Opens 2026 Exhibition Year with New Programs, Funding News & Calls for Art

People dressed in costumes walk on stilts among a large crowd of people during a parade through Westside Park.

Atlanta Beltline Art, the official arts and culture program of Atlanta Beltline, begins its 2026 exhibition year with a slate of new and returning programs, a series of open calls and renewed funding from one of its key public partners. These announcements represent the first initiatives shaping the 2026 season, with additional programming to be unveiled throughout the year.

Since 2010, the Beltline has activated the expanding trail into a living gallery that showcases the diversity, creativity and energy of Atlanta’s communities. It annually brings hundreds of temporary artworks and live performance experiences to the trail as well as surrounding parks and neighborhoods. The program, now in its 16th year, continues to sustain its long-term investment in local artists and community-centered public art as the Beltline and the city prepare for a hallmark 2026. Spring will mark the Beltline’s completion of another significant portion of its planned 22-mile trail, and summer will bring the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup™.

Atlanta Beltline Art begins its 2026 exhibition year with the announcement of renewed support from the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. These funds directly support artist commissions, public programming and community-based activations along the Beltline corridor.

Artist Accelerator Returns | Beltline Business Ventures: Artists Edition Launches Cohort 2

After a successful inaugural cohort in 2024 featuring Atlanta-based artists across disciplines, Beltline Business Ventures: Artists Edition returns this spring for its second cohort. The 10-week accelerator supports emerging and established artists across metro Atlanta, equipping participants to expand their artistic practice from two-dimensional to three-dimensional work while building professional skills, business knowledge and industry connections. Beltline Business Ventures (BBV) is a program of Atlanta Beltline’s Economic Development department. After successfully launching multiple cohorts of entrepreneurs, BBV expanded its scope to support local artists. The Artists Edition is executed in partnership with Atlanta Beltline Art and TILA Studios.

Application deadline: March 9
Program start: March 31
Apply: bit.ly/4cmHqOg

Calls for Art: Installations, Acquisitions, Exhibitions and Special Events

Atlanta Beltline Art is seeking proposals for the following opportunities:

Temporary Art Installations: Artists are invited to propose original works and arts/cultural projects for temporary exhibition along the Beltline. These can include sculptures, light-based works, murals, photography installations, and more. All artworks or designs must be completed and ready for installation.
Public Art Acquisitions: Artists, galleries, and organizations are invited to have their artwork acquired by the Atlanta Beltline for long-term outdoor exhibition. All pieces should be finished, original, and owned by the applicant. Artworks, including sculptures and other three-dimensional works that can be installed along the corridor, are durable, and are conducive to long-term exhibition, are eligible.
Public Exhibitions & Signature Events: Artists, cultural producers, artist collectives and organizations are invited to submit their proposals for public exhibitions and signature events during the 2026-2027 exhibition year. These activities may include artistic and cultural performances, events, exhibitions and festivals that creatively activate the Beltline corridor and engage the public for the benefit of reflecting or providing insight into a community’s history, values and cultures. Previous awarded proposals have included musical concerts, dance performances, parades, festivals, exhibitions of art, literary performances and more.
Virginia Avenue Bridge Mural: Visual and public artists are invited to submit their qualifications and concept proposals - not final renderings - for a large-scale mural to be installed at the Virginia Avenue Bridge on the Eastside Trail. Concept proposals must reflect the spirit and culture of Atlanta and create a visual landmark for residents and visitors to the city. The final artwork will cover three distinct surface areas underneath the bridge, totaling approximately 2,900 square feet.

Submission deadlines vary by opportunity, ranging from March 6 - March 9. Complete details, including information about virtual, pre-submittal meetings, are available at beltline.org/art/call-for-artists/.

Beltline Boomerang: Film Screening & StyleWriting Walking Tours

Graffiti and style writing historian Antar K. Fierce will present two programs this spring highlighting Atlanta’s style writing culture. A constant of the city’s street art scene, Fierce has documented, collected and archived graffiti style writing and hip hop cultures since 1983. He currently advocates for its recognition as a global art movement worthy of academic study. Both events are free and open to the public.

Beltline Boomerang: Film Screening - City of Kings: Atlanta: City Of Kings: Atlanta is an award-winning short film produced by William Feagins Jr and Antar K. Fierce. The film explores the journey of Atlanta graffiti from the 1980s to the present, featuring interviews with Atlanta-based graffiti artists SparkyZ, Save, Hense and Vayne. A panel discussion with Fierce and Feagins will follow the screening.
- Date: Saturday, March 21, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Location: The Nia Building™ Amphitheater at Pittsburgh Yards^®
StyleWriting Walking Tours

In advance of the screening, Fierce will host three walking tours highlighting the evolution of graffiti and street art along the Beltline corridor.

Saturday, Feb. 28 — Westside Trail, Abernathy to Lucille
Saturday, March 7 — Eastside Trail, Thomas Taylor Memorial Skatepark
Saturday, March 14 — Northeast Trail, Mayson Street Tunnel

“No Tables, No Chairs” Parade & Festival Return April 25

Mausiki Scales & the Common Ground Collective is back for its 11th installment of “No Tables, No Chairs.” Since 2011, the Collective has “electrified” the Atlanta Beltline with its day-long parade, concert and artist market. The festival invites families to engage on a journey through the music of the African Diaspora, marrying the spirit of HBCU marching bands with New Orleans second line jazz and blues traditions. Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to enjoy a food and artisan market with family-friendly art-making booths. The event is free and open to the public. More information can be found at beltline.org/art/events/no-tables-no-chairs-annual-event.

New Members Appointed to Beltline Public Art Advisory Committee

Atlanta Beltline has appointed three new members to its Beltline Public Art Advisory Committee, a volunteer body composed of arts professionals, community leaders and cultural advocates who help guide the program’s curatorial direction:

Miranda Creagan | Operations Manager, Atlanta Contemporary
Stephanie Selvick, PhD | Assistant Director, Arts, Belonging & Community, Georgia Institute of Technology
Zan Stewart, ASLA, LEED AP | Principal, Landscape Architecture Practice Leader, Perkins & Will

The committee supports Atlanta Beltline Art’s commitment to equity, representation and public accessibility. Learn more: beltline.org/support/community/public-art-advisory-council/

The 2026 Atlanta Beltline Art exhibition and programming is sponsored by Delta Air Lines at the Gold level; Northside Hospital and Ponce City Market at the Silver level; and Cox Enterprises at the Bronze level.

This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. This program is also supported in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly and funding from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. Atlanta Beltline Art also receives direct support through an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

About Atlanta Beltline Art
Atlanta Beltline Art is the largest outdoor temporary art exhibition in the southeast, activating spaces along roughly 12 miles of the planned 22-mile corridor. The public art featured in the annual exhibition is carefully selected by an arts and culture expert jury and community members based on set criteria that aim to be as inclusive and equitable as possible. The linear gallery represents artists from across the region in a variety of mediums: sculpture, murals, dance, music, theater, photography, fashion, film and more. The Beltline welcomes over 2 million users a year, who are exposed to a number of art installations from the temporary and continuing exhibitions. To date, more than 90 projects have been commissioned as a part of the growing year-round collection. Stay abreast of Atlanta Beltline Art announcements and events at Beltline.org/art, or follow on social media @AtlantaBeltline and with #BeltlineArt.

About the Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta Beltline is the 22-mile rail-to-trail project that is transforming Atlanta’s neighborhoods, one mile at a time. The Beltline’s vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city life. With an additional 11 miles of connector trails, the Atlanta Beltline is one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States. In partnership with local communities and organizations, the Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing, vibrant public spaces, and community-focused programs that promote health and wellness, resident retention, volunteerism and advocacy along the corridor. Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is the official implementation agency for the Atlanta Beltline and collaborates with Atlanta Beltline Partnership, the foundation that raises private and philanthropic funds and delivers community programs that are fully supported by donor contributions. For more information, please visit www.beltline.org or follow on social media at @atlantabeltline.

Media Contacts:
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Office of Communications and Media Relations
100 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30303

Keona Swindler, Communications & Media Relations Manager       
404.477.3550, kswindler@atlbeltline.org

Sigele Winbush, PR Consultant
404.862.2081, sigele@sigelewinbush.com