Where to See Contemporary Art in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is a hot destination for art-lovers, and the contemporary art scene has been blowing up. Check out where to find the best contemporary art in Atlanta, from award-winning museums to artist-run galleries.
Contemporary Art Museums and Galleries in Atlanta
High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art in Atlanta’s Midtown arts district is a leading art museum in the Southeast. This award-winning museum has a large permanent collection of more than 16,000 pieces of art in all different mediums.
The High has a great collection of modern and contemporary art and photography. It also is the only major museum in North America to have a department dedicated to folk and self-taught art by Southern artists.
Admission to the High Museum of Art costs $16.50 per person and is free for children under 6.
Alan Avery Art Company
The Alan Avery Art Company contemporary art gallery is located in the Buckhead district of Atlanta. This is the oldest sustained art gallery in the city.
The gallery represent sculpture, painting, and photography works by emerging, mid-career, and internationally established artists in the contemporary arts.
Alan Avery Art Company is free to visit.
Pryor Fine Art
Pryor Fine Art is a unique fine art gallery located in Buckhead that represents more than 60 carefully selected emerging and established contemporary artists from across the globe.
The gallery presents a range of abstract and representational painting and sculpture work from a diverse group of artists. They have a wide variety of works in a range of expressive styles.
Pryor Fine Art is free to visit.
Whitespace Gallery
Located in a converted 1893 carriage house in Atlanta’s historic Inman Park neighborhood, Whitespace Gallery exhibits unique and experimental pieces of contemporary art.
Works displayed here often include a combination of objects, images, video projections, and other elements. The gallery displays artwork from both established and emerging contemporary artists.
Whitespace Gallery is free to visit.
Atlanta Contemporary Art Center
Atlanta Contemporary Art Center has been one of the Southeast’s leading contemporary art centers since it was founded in 1973 as a grassroots artists’ cooperative.
Located in West Midtown, the center showcases over 200 artists from the local, national, and international art scenes, focusing on new works from artists who have not had a prior significant exhibition in the Southeast. Their exhibitions are known to be cutting-edge and sometimes controversial.
Admission to the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center is free every day.
Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA)
The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia collects and archives significant contemporary works by Georgia artists and displays these artworks alongside works from around the world, placing local artists in a global context.
MOCA GA has an ever-expanding permanent collection of more than 1,300 works of contemporary art. It is one of the few contemporary visual arts museums to focus on local artists.
Admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia costs $5 per person and is free for children under 6, military members, and veterans.
Mason Fine Art
Mason Fine Art is located in Atlanta’s Design District on Miami Circle in Buckhead. This gallery focuses on providing a continually evolving selection of high quality contemporary artwork by regional, national, and international artists. The gallery also showcases the work of emerging artists.
Their 21,000 square foot gallery and special event space is the perfect place for showing off contemporary artists and hosting galas.
Mason Fine Art is free to visit.
Kai Lin Art
Kai Lin Art is one of the best art galleries in the city. This modern and contemporary art gallery is dedicated to promoting contemporary art from emerging and established artists in the Southeast and beyond.
The gallery, located in the Westside Arts District of Midtown, features rotating exhibits that change about every six to eight weeks.
Kai Lin Art is free to visit.
Jackson Fine Art
Jackson Fine Art, housed in a quaint home in Buckhead, focuses solely on contemporary photography. It is the go-to destination in Atlanta for photographers to display their work.
The gallery specializes in 20th and 21st century contemporary fine art photography, featuring two exhibition spaces with rotating exhibitions and a permanent collection of notable American artists.
Jackson Fine Art is free to visit.
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Located on a historic 12-acre estate in Druid Hills that formerly belonged to the Candler family, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center provides classes, gallery exhibitions, artist markets, and more.
This arts and cultural center preserves and displays art from a wide range of mediums. The center provides access to art-making equipment and spaces for artists, offers affordable classes in the arts to students of all ages, and brings the community together through art events.
Prices vary by event.
Where to Stay in Atlanta
- Top Hotel: The Candler Hotel
- Great Value: Hampton Inn & Suites Perimeter Dunwoody
- Unique Stay: Stonehurst Place
Craving More Atlanta Activities?
If you need more things to do while visiting Atlanta, check out these top posts:
- Top Art Museums in Atlanta, Georgia For Art-Lovers
- Literary Places in Atlanta That Book-Lovers Will Love
- Top 15 Nerdy Spots in Atlanta, Georgia for Geeks to Hang Out
Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Booking.com.
- Save on Attractions: Save 42% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.
Cheers!
Paige
What are your favorite contemporary art museums or galleries in Atlanta, Georgia? Let me know in the comments!
Wonderful post!
Thank you!