This October, the city’s heartbeat gets a little louder. ELEVATE, Atlanta’s annual public art festival, returns October 10–12 with three days of music, murals, fashion, and food woven into the neighborhoods that made the city’s culture legendary.
This year’s theme, Rooted & Rising, frames culture as medicine — a reminder that art doesn’t just entertain, it heals. From the West End to Sweet Auburn, Castleberry Hill to South Downtown, the festival will spotlight the spaces and stories that shaped Black Atlanta and continue to nurture its communities today.
“Rooted & Rising is both a love letter and a call to action,” said Adriane V. Jefferson, the city’s cultural affairs director. “We honor the roots that raised us while uplifting the next generation of cultural caretakers.”
The vibe is a throwback to the late ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s — the skate spots, the hair salons, the block parties and sound systems that built Atlanta’s global cultural blueprint. Each day is curated by local creatives who bridge past and future:
- Friday, Oct. 10 — Steele Fresh: Rooted in Style, Rising in Sound curated by Courtney Brooks. A mash-up of art, music, spoken word, dance, and fashion that celebrates resilience and creativity.
- Saturday, Oct. 11 — The Culture Comb Out curated by Melissa Alexander. Underground Atlanta comes alive again with wellness in the park, games and play, and a gallery stroll through Artist’s Row.
- Sunday, Oct. 12 — Welcome to the West Side curated by SLW & Steady Productions. A neighborhood-centered day in Westview with workshops, performances, a maker’s market, and a documentary screening.
ELEVATE has never been about confining art to galleries — it’s about turning the city into a stage. Many of its installations, once meant to be temporary, have stuck around, reshaping neighborhoods and reminding us how creativity leaves a mark long after the festival ends.
This year, Rooted & Rising makes the case that Atlanta’s culture is more than style — it’s survival, resilience, and joy. It’s the medicine that keeps communities thriving.
The festival is free and open to everyone. Full schedule and updates are at elevateatlart.com
