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Decatur Arts Alliance Essentials

OPEN CALL 🌟 Artists are invited to submit their qualifications for a public art project of FIVE exterior murals at “Halo Decatur,” a new mixed-use development by Northwood Ravin in Decatur, GA. Total project budget: $178,500. This is a two-phase selection process. The RFQ invites artists to submit qualifications only. Finalists will be invited to develop site-specific concepts in Phase Two. Find more information and apply at the link in bio or decaturartsalliance.slideroom.com. #opencallforartists #requestforqualifications #mural #muralartist #artopportunity

A new project has touched down in Decatur. The Decatur Arts Alliance invites artists to submit design concepts for the creation of an original work of art on a life-size fiberglass COW! We are looking for an artist with a strong creative vision who can transform the cow into a distinctive work of public art that feels unmistakably Decatur. 🐄 $3,000 artist stipend for the design, materials, and installation of this fun and quick opportunity to flex your creative muscles in a unique format. Artists are encouraged to think broadly. Inspiration might come from Decatur's history, neighborhoods, architecture, arts and culture, natural environment, people, gathering places, or its role as the county seat. Creative, contemporary, unexpected, playful, and imaginative approaches are encouraged. Submissions are open now until September 29th. Review the accelerated timeline and full project details via the link in our bio or by visiting decaturartsalliance.org/opencalls/.

The 4th annual Community Exhibition invites artists from the greater Atlanta area to submit up to 3 artworks for consideration in this juried showcase of emerging and mid-career artists. No fee to apply. 🎨 Exhibition Details Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 Exhibition Dates: Friday, March 27 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Decatur Visitors Center 113 Clairemont Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030 The theme for the 2026 community exhibition invites artists to explore the space between logic and lunacy. “Absurdity” exposes the tension between truth and disbelief, clarity and confusion. Like a funhouse mirror, the distortion of reality can be at times silly and unsettling. This exhibition encourages artists to consider how absurdity can derail genuine intentions, inspire laughter in lightheartedness, and compel strangers to come together to cope, connect, and endure. Beneath its contradictions lies a levity, a reminder that even in chaos, there is room for solidarity, play, and shared understanding. Join us for an opening reception on Friday, March 27th from 6:30-9pm for light refreshments and first access to the exhibition. All artwork is for sale unless otherwise indicated. Find more information and apply with the link in our bio or at decaturartsalliance.org/opencalls #communityexhibition #atlantaartist #atlantaartist #decaturga #opencall #opencallforartists

Applications are now open for the ninth phase of "The Decatur Artway" - a dynamic outdoor sculpture program on display throughout the city of Decatur. Artists may submit up to three existing and ready-to-install sculptures for one entry fee of $20 for consideration by jury. Applications accepted exclusively on callforentry.org between July 15 and September 15, 2026. Selected artists will be awarded an honorarium of $2,000 for the two-year lease term. Find more details and apply with the link in our bio or by visiting decaturartsalliance.org/opencalls Featured artwork: "Helping Hands" by Derrick Spivey​ (Phase 3)

OPEN CALL ALERT 📣 Professional and student artists are invited to submit up to 3 artworks for consideration in HOME v.2: Homeland. This national, juried multimedia exhibition is produced in collaboration between the Decatur Arts Alliance, The Decatur Land Trust, and the Decatur Library. $20 application fee waived for students. ⏰ March 29th deadline to apply. 🏆 Cash awards: 1st $1,000, 2nd $700, 3rd $500, Student $500. Exhibition run: May 29 - July 18, 2026 in the Fourth Floor Gallery of the Decatur branch of the Dekalb County Public Library in Decatur, Ga. APPLICATION LINK IN BIO or at Callforentry.org. HOMELAND A person's or a people's native land, we look to explore “homeland” as a geographical point of origin and a state of being. Works should express cultural and ethnic elements, and elucidate the view of “home” from the immigrant to the expatriate, the displaced to the indigenous. How do we find “home” when we are away from the land of our forebears? What do newly arrived peoples do to preserve their culture and heritage? How do we honor and acknowledge the indigenous inhabitants of the lands upon which we all now live? We encourage artists to explore these themes and more. Let your creativity illuminate the diverse ways we experience and define "home," and your connection with a “HOMELAND."

Join @fisbn and @404foundatl THIS Friday as they present “Trilateral Fractures” — a solo exhibition by Larry Holland — alongside “Octopidecatur,” a collective showcase featuring several dynamic community artists. 🎨✨ This opening coincides with the first Open Studios Night of the 2025–2026 lease term! Meet the eight resident artists of the Hyatt Cottage, explore their creative spaces, and enjoy light refreshments while learning about their artistic processes. 💫 Opening Reception and Open Studios: 📅 Fri, November 14th 🕛 6:30-9pm 📍Hyatt Cottage at Legacy Park Exhibition Run: 📅 November 14th - December 20th, 2025 (closed Thanksgiving week) 🕛 Thursday - Saturday from 1-5pm 📍Hyatt Cottage at Legacy Park #DecaturArts #AtlantaArtScene #404FoundATL #FishboneArt #DecaturEvents #ArtOpening #OpenStudios #SupportLocalArt #AtlantaArtists #LegacyPark

Bread and Puppet Political Theatre Returns to Decatur! Friday, Oct. 16 7-8:30pm Legacy Park in Decatur The one and only Bread & Puppet Circus is back to confront our upside-down situation! With stilt dancers, paper maché beasts of all sizes, and a riotous brass band, The Upside Down World Circus is an urgent spectacle of protest and celebration. 🎪🎡 PLUS an exclusive opportunity for 30 community members! Available on a first-come basis, anyone (high school senior or older) can register to attend a puppetry workshop on Thursday evening, then perform alongside the troupe during Friday's performance. Reserve 🎟️ tickets and register to participate 🎭 in the show at the link in our bio or at decaturartsalliance.org. Parking will be available at Columbia Seminary and Talley Street Elementary. Only handicapped parking will be available onsite. 🚗🚙

We'll see you soon for the Summer Solstice Art Walk! 🌞 Make the most of long summer nights at this FREE citywide art experience with exhibits, live art activations, and light refreshments at 19 SunSpots throughout Decatur. Collect glow-in-the-dark giveaways and enjoy live music on the newly renovated Decatur Square. Find the link to the directional map in our bio and make a plan to explore all the participating locations.

No more keeping you in suspense... 🫨 We're pleased to announce our current studio artists will remain at the Hyatt Cottage for another year of growth and community. 🥰 BUT, artists hoping to join the artistic scene of Decatur are encouraged to sign up to be notified when applications open for three FREE 😮 art studio spaces at the @halodecatur project, coming this Fall. Decatur Arts Alliance will partner with the @northwoodravin team to curate long-term arts programming that establishes the East Decatur area as a flourishing artistic hub. Get notified with the link in our bio or at decaturartsalliance.org/opencalls. 😁 🙌 👀

Join @halodecatur for the unveiling of Decatur's newest public art installation - plus meet the artist and learn about the inspiration behind the design! Did we mention beer's on the house? Take part in the process of establishing the East Decatur area as a creative and cultural hub of the community. Learn more about the Apartment, Retail, and Art complex at liveathalo.com. Monday, Sep 28 6:30-9pm Three Taverns Brewery

Possibilitarians! The time is nearly here for the Bread and Puppet spectacle performance. A few reminders and helpful information: 🎭 The performance is outside on the Legacy Park lawn. Dress accordingly. 🔥 You may bring lawn chairs and blankets. No seating is provided. 🌎 Onsite parking is restricted for handicap needs only. 🗽All other parking is at Tally Street Elementary or Columbia Presbyterian Church. 🇺🇸 Restrooms are by the track, near the playground. Look for directionals from the lawn. 🍷 Be sure to visit the Decatur Arts Alliance refreshment tent to help support FREE art experiences like these all year round.

New year, new skills! 🎉 Get 2026 started off right by enrolling in an intergenerational art course with the Decatur Arts Alliance. Small class sizes allow for individualized instruction, so all experience levels are welcome. Build community with us while developing your creative expertise! Courses meet at the Hyatt Cottage in Legacy Park, and with so many classes available, there's an option for everyone's schedule. Follow the link in our bio to learn more or visit decaturartsalliance.org. #artclasses #artclass #collage #watercolor #decaturgeorgia #printmaking #drawing #datenightideas #adultartclass #watercolorclass #printmakingclass #collageclass #watercolorclasses #printmakingclasses #atlantaartclass #collageclasses #thingstodoinatlanta

Applications now open for the 6th annual Placita Latina exhibition in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! This juried exhibition aims to celebrate and showcase the rich and diverse heritage of Latinx and Hispanic culture. Art has the power to connect people across borders, languages, and lived experiences. The 2026 theme, “Puentes” (Bridges), celebrates the many ways Latin artists build understanding, preserve cultural heritage, and create new pathways for dialogue. Through painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and other forms of creative expression, this exhibition explores how art serves as a bridge—between past and future, tradition and innovation, homeland and new home, individual stories and collective identity. At a time when communities can feel divided, art reminds us of our shared humanity. “Puentes” invites artists to reflect on connection, belonging, resilience, and cultural exchange, highlighting the role of creativity in bringing people together. Placita Latina Exhibition v.6: Puentes Exhibition Run: Fri. Sep, 18 - Fri, Oct. 23, 2026 Location: Decatur Arts Alliance Gallery • 113 Clairemont Avenue Gallery Hours: Daily from 10am-4pm Closing Reception: Fri, Oct. 23 from 6-9pm Application Deadline: Sun, Aug 16 Artist Notify Deadline: Fri, Aug 21 Artwork Drop-off: Mon, Aug 24 - Sun, Sep 6 Artwork Pick-up: Sat, Oct 24 - Fri, Nov 6 #opencallforart #HispanicHeritageMonth #hispanicheritagemonth

More than just a summer storm... Severe weather is forecast for the end of the week, so for the safety of the public and participating artists, we’ve postponed the Summer Solstice Art Walk until next week - FRIDAY, JUNE 26th from 6-10pm. We’ll see everyone for some fun in the sun after these storms pass!

Fall in love with a new hobby or passion this season with the Decatur Arts Alliance! Small class sizes allow for focused instruction, so everyone is welcome regardless of experience or skill. Find out more information about the courses and register with the link in our bio, or at DecaturArtsAlliance.org/art-classes. #artclassesforadults #artclasses #Decaturga #legacyparkdecaturga #thingstodoinatlanta #artnonprofit

Submit up to 3 applications by June 17 📣 Fri. Sep 11 - Sat. Oct 24, 2026 Total of $2,200 gallery awards Opening Reception on Fri, Sep 11 from 6:30-9pm The Book As Art: Ghosted 👻 is the fourteenth edition of an art show celebrating books: objects that, in an increasingly digital world, stubbornly survive. In stories and folktales, ghosts are harbingers, haints, and often horror-inducing specters tied to places and sometimes people. In modern times, being “ghosted” refers to the sudden disappearance from social media or digital connections. Unlike the phantoms of old returning because they refuse to break connection to the physical world, people now retreat from contact, disappearing instantly, or fading away. The book is a medium of practical expression and also a vessel for creative interpretation. Artists are invited to explore the limitless possibilities of the form and its impact. What is physical and phantom? What line is walked between folklore and figment? How do we transform language to fit the digital age? The objects in this exhibition should interpret the concept of the book and invite the viewer to look beyond the printed page to where ideas, words, and symbols are transformed and transfigured. Artists are challenged to embrace the dualities and paradoxes of communication—to celebrate the macabre and the mysterious, the familiar and the fantastic, the clear and the cryptic. Apply exclusively on CallforEntry.org. AWARDS First Place Award - $1,000 Second Place Award - $700 Third Place Award - $500 Dorothy Moye Memorial Award

Applications are now open for the 2026 "YEA!" youth arts festival! Students in grades K-12 are invited to participate in an afternoon showcasing the talent of young emerging artists in the Decatur area. 🎨 The public is invited to join us on Sunday, March 22nd from 1-5pm at the Solarium in Oakhurst to browse an Artists' Market with hand-crafted creations and enjoy a full roster of performances. 🖌 Student artists should submit an application via the link in our bio or the "Open Calls" page of our website by March 1st. Participants will be selected via random lottery, as space is limited. No fee to apply or perform; $10 table fee to participate in the Artists' Market. @cityschoolsofdecatur @thesolariumoakhurst @decaturparksandrec @cityofdecaturga

Who's ready to boogy with the best of us? Tickets are running low to this year's Decatur Wine Festival - happening this Saturday, Nov. 7th, on the newly renovated Decatur Square. Come experience the gorgeous new stage with plenty of room to get your groove on. Not one for dancing? Let the 350+ wines be the judge of that... 🍷✨💃🕺 Tickets available exclusively on Freshtix.com (or find the link in our bio).

Look for these posters at participating shops, galleries, and Decatur businesses to find your way during the Summer Solstice Art Walk! 🌞 This FREE citywide art experience includes exhibits, live art activations, and light refreshments at 19 SunSpots throughout Decatur. Collect glow-in-the-dark giveaways and enjoy live music on the newly renovated Decatur Square. Be sure to stop by the Decatur Arts Alliance to boogy for a bit with @mettaspin and view the current exhibition of select works from the City of Decatur Art Collection. Find the link to the directional map in our bio and make a plan to explore all the participating locations.

Galleries, retailers, businesses, and restaurants are invited to join the fun of the 2026 Summer Solstice ARTWALK, a single-night, city-wide art experience that is free and open to the public. Engage with the Decatur community through a unique after-hours event that showcases your business while supporting the arts! Businesses in and around the Decatur downtown area are invited to register as a “SunSpot” and commit to hosting an exhibition of handcrafted work (2D, 3D, Wearable Art, etc.) or a live arts experience (digital drawing, acoustic music, etc.) while providing light refreshments (wine, cheese, etc.). "SunSpot" posters will indicate ArtWalk participating businesses - including a QR code that links to a digital map, helping folks find their way between locations. Each participating business will receive a limited number of glow in the dark goodies for ArtWalk patrons to collect, so the public is incentivized to visit all of the participating stops along the way! Find more information and register on the Decatur Arts Alliance website. Application deadline: Thursday, May 28.

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Galleries, retailers, businesses, and restaurants are invited to join the fun of the 2026 Summer Solstice ARTWALK, a single-night, city-wide art experience that is free and open to the public.