ADAMA Partners with the ARC to fill Atlanta's Institutional Void in Black Art and Culture
Atlanta. long known the "Black mecca," lacks the institutional representation of contemporary Black art and culture. ADAMA aims to bridge this gap by establishing itself as a premier destination and resource for African diaspora art and culture in Atlanta. While ADAMA plans to become a flagship attraction, its immediate focus is on serving the Black community with existing resources.
The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Culture and Community Design Program was selected
in this innovative initiative to expands upon the agency's previous arts leadership program, ALMA (Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta). This enhanced program offers a more immersive and hands-on experience, catering to a wider range of participants, including artists, culture-bearers, planners, designers, and government officials, to foster a diverse and collaborative environment. ADAMA's aims to identify four metro Atlanta areas where the African diaspora community resettled after being displaced from centralized neighborhoods. Through Culture and Community Design (CCD), ADAMA and the CCD team will work closely with one of these communities to foster a sense of belonging, promote economic development, create opportunities, and encourage cultural heritage tourism. The goal is understand clearly where members of the diaspora who live in Georgia reside within the borders of the peach state.
Together team has identified some project deliverables that encompasses various activities that aim to enhance community engagement and support ADAMA's mission in showcasing the art and culture of the African diaspora.
Project Deliverables:
Identifying potential communities for ADAMA to collaborate with on project development.
Co-designing and producing engagement activities and evaluations to understand community needs and interests.
Encouraging active community involvement in designing a proposed community or neighborhood "museum" or "pop-up exhibit."
Identifying suitable venues within the community and determining residency length.
Preparing final reports, project checklists, process information packets, and sample budgets for ADAMA's community activation efforts.
Creating a customizable project presentation/pitch deck for different audiences and seeking funding opportunities.
Developing visual concepts to enhance ADAMA's brand identity and guidelines.
With well-structured project timeline, ADAMA is committed engaging these communities and fulfilling the overall mission. With strategic milestones such as presentations, site visits, community engagement activities, and collaborative sessions with the project team, the project is aligned with the needs and interests of the community.
Project Schedule:
May 9: ADAMA presents to teams during the initial session of Culture and Community Design.
May 26: ADAMA meets with the project team outside of the session for further discussions.
August 10: ADAMA hosts a 2.5-hour site visit with their project team (specific time/location to be determined).
September 7-23: ADAMA co-leads one or two Community Engagement Activities with their project team (specific dates/times to be determined).
September 26-30: ADAMA meets with the project team to incorporate the results of the community engagement activities.
October 12: ADAMA attends part of Session 4 to review and respond to a rough draft of the team's presentation.
December 14: ADAMA attends a portion of the final session to witness their group's presentation and engage in project discussions.
ADAMA's mission to fill the institutional void in contemporary Black art and culture in Atlanta is propelled by their dedication to serving the Black community. Through the Culture and Community Design initiative, ADAMA aims to empower marginalized neighborhoods, promote cultural heritage, and cultivate economic growth. By collaborating with communities, ADAMA aspires to create lasting impact and foster a vibrant and inclusive arts scene in Atlanta.