Atlanta Contemporary is a nonprofit, non-collecting institution located in the West Midtown district of Atlanta. It is dedicated to the creation, presentation, and advancement of contemporary art by emerging and established artists. Atlanta Contemporary presents 6-10 exhibitions per year featuring consequential artists from the local to international art scenes and is one of few Atlanta institutions that commissions new works by artists, paying particular attention to artists of note who have not had a significant exhibition in the Southeast. It organizes approximately 50 diverse educational programs a year, as well as provides on-site, subsidized studio space to 14 local artists through its Studio Artist Program. Atlanta Contemporary offers free admission every day.
History
Founded in 1973 by a group of Atlanta photographers, Atlanta Contemporary was originally called "Nexus" and began as a storefront cooperative gallery supported by member dues and staffed by volunteers. In 1976, the organization leased an old elementary school and began to expand its programs, formalize its infrastructure, and house a number of resident organizations. In 1984, the name was changed to Nexus Contemporary Art Center to reflect the organization’s mission and role in the community. Nexus Press, dedicated to creating unique publications by invited artists, was begun, and studio spaces for working artists became a core part of the organization. In 1987, seeking a permanent home, the board completed a $1.95 million capital campaign to renovate a 35,000 square-foot warehouse complex on Means Street near the Georgia Tech campus. In 1989, the organization began a phased renovation program. Completed in 1994, Nexus became a catalyst for urban renewal in the historic industrial district of the Westside. In 2000, Nexus was renamed Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, asserting its pride of place in the Southeast and acknowledging a peer relationship to arts venues in other cities. Locally known as The Contemporary, it became one of thirty-one organizations selected in 1999 to participate in the multiyear Warhol Initiative, receiving a significant grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to undertake long-term institutional planning. In 2003, Nexus Press closed, leaving an internationally-known legacy of more than 150 titles, each exploring the formal and conceptual possibilities of the book as a work of art. A rebranding effort shortened the institution's name in 2015. Known today as Atlanta Contemporary, it continues to play a role in the redevelopment of the Westside through community-based initiatives. In 2009, it helped found the , featuring monthly Saturday art walks with educational programming coordinated among the district’s numerous art spaces.
Shop
Atlanta Contemporary has a retail shop on-site that specializes in artist-made and locally produced merchandise such as art books, including Nexus Press Books, exhibition catalogues, artist-made jewelry and artist multiples, as well as rare recordings.
