Elevate returns to ‘Enlighten’

The Downtown-centric public art festival known as Elevate is set to return Oct. 14-21. The theme for this year’s event hosted by the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs is “Enlighten’ and, according to organizers, focuses on providing “a platform for artists and art professionals to share and exchange knowledge and experiences that have shaped their work.’ The program will feature interactive art installations, music and dance performances, murals and more.
“Art can elevate your senses and expand your ideas about the world around you,’ said Camille Russell Love, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, in a release about the event. “We invite anyone who enjoys contemporary art and exploring Downtown’s evolving cultural landscape to attend this year’s festival.”

Select works slated to be presented at Elevate: Enlighten include: Inner City Urban: Vine City, an exhibition of 30 photographs by Rose Smith documenting gentrification and the lives of African-Americans in Atlanta; and “LEFT OUT,’ an installation that uses various forms of art, videos and interviews to convey the experience of combat veterans in America after returning from war.

“LEFT OUT aims to educate and promote discussion about those who have suffered mental and physical trauma during and after war,’ Morgan Carlisle, co-creator of LEFT OUT, said in the release. “Our hope is that these conversations can lead to understanding and healing.”

The event will also feature a number of panels and workshops, a block party and the unveiling seven new murals from artists such as BlackCatTips, Lydia Futral, Muhammad Yungai and Jo Di Bona, among others.

For more information about Elevate: Enlighten, visit elevateatlart.com.