For the record
Dec. 17 — In the last few days, two Atlanta arts programs have taken steps to make creative labor and civic participation easier to name – and harder to dismiss.
Paint Love just told six Atlanta artists: spend a year with us. Learn trauma-informed practice. Teach twenty hours. Mentor youth for six more. Complete fifteen hours of professional training. Walk away with a certificate and put professional credentials to work.
Atlanta Beltline Art just told Atlanta: we need you. To review proposals. To advise on programming. To create sculpture, dance, film, fashion, and theater. The assumption isn’t that we might be qualified – it’s that we already are.
One effort formalizes care, training, and artistic labor. The other formalizes participation in public life. Both move work that’s long been happening into clearer view.
What opportunities do you see?
—Sherri Daye Scott
One year, one credential
Paint Love’s 2026 Artist Cohort marks the first time participants will earn a professional certificate in trauma-informed arts education. Selected from more than forty-five applicants, this year’s cohort includes artists working in animation, dance, pottery, visual art, and interdisciplinary practice across Metro Atlanta schools and nonprofits.
Discover what’s new in Chamblee!
SPONSORED BY DISCOVER DEKALB
🎨 Chamblee offers visitors a refreshing and engaging public art experience, transforming everyday spaces into moments of discovery.
You can enjoy a self-guided journey through murals and sculptures that brighten the city’s walkable corridors.
✨ The recent unveiling of a sculpture at the newly-renovated Dresden adds even more excitement, making it a must-see for your next visit.
Three ways in
Atlanta Beltline Art opened three calls tied to its 2026 season: a public art advisory committee, an arts and culture review panel, and a pre-qualified artist registry. All three pathways formalize participation in how one of Atlanta’s most visible public spaces looks.
Art Happenings
🌃 Hambidge’s Hive After(H)ours | 6-8 p.m., Dec. 18 | The Hive at Uptown Atlanta. (pictured)
🎨 Third Thursday | 6-9 p.m., Dec. 18 | Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia.
🎁 Holiday Market at the High | 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Dec. 20 | The High Museum.
🔓 Art Station ATL: Open Studios | 12-4 p.m., Dec. 20 | 1380 Atlantic Dr NW.
🧚🏽 Fables, Fairytales, and Fantasies: A Creative Arts Showcase | 5-6:30 p.m., Dec. 20 | Southeast Community Cultural Center.
🌲 Luca Fine Art – Holiday Party x Closing Reception | 6 p.m., Dec. 20 | Luca Fine Art.
Post of the Week
🍶 Georgia State’s Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design is searching for a tenure-track assistant professor in ceramics – an investment in material practice, pedagogy, and the future of sculpture in the Southeast.
🖋️ Today’s Sketchbook was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
