Athens has a handful of interesting galleries, and even more eye-catching artwork can be found around town, adding bursts of color and character to the walls of coffee houses, restaurants, bars and shops. Check Flagpole’s Art Around Town in print and online for a weekly list of current exhibitions. Organizations like the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission and Athens Area Arts Council continue to fund public art projects, while many working artists frequently show off their studios during open houses and seasonal sales. The Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department and CREATE Athens (a division of Envision Athens) has organized the Athens Creative Directory, a hub for finding and interacting with creatives working in a variety of disciplines. Visit athenscreatives.directory to search through profiles. Visit accgov.com/publicart for a list of projects with photos and maps. For info on receptions and events, check Flagpole’s event calendar.
ACE/FRANCISCO Gallery
675 Pulaski St., Suite 1500 • acefranciscogallery.com
Located in the historic Leathers Building, the gallery was founded by Jason and Beth Hall Thrasher to showcase solo exhibitions. Each show includes a limited edition of numbered, signed prints, with sales supporting the gallery’s nonprofit operations and funding part-time jobs for local art students.
ARTS + ATHLETICS
130 The Plaza • artsathletics.com
Artist-run space featuring small-scale works by local and regional artists. Thematic shows are curated on a quarterly basis with a reception for each exhibition. Open by appointment only.
The Athenaeum
287 W. Broad St. • art.uga.edu/athenaeum
Much like the scholarly sanctuaries of ancient Greece, Athenaeum is dedicated to creative engagement and education. Established in 2021 as an affiliate of UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art, it focuses on nationally and internationally acclaimed artists and cross-disciplinary dialogue.
Athens Institute for Contemporary Art (ATHICA)
675 Pulaski St., Ste. 1200 • 706-850-7770 • athica.org
ATHICA balances Athens-centric exhibitions with those of professional contemporary artists from across the globe. A community hub for over 20 years, the all-volunteer organization successfully purchased its building in 2021. In addition to traditional opening receptions, exhibitions are often accompanied by educational workshops, performances and panel discussions with visiting artists. Artist-in-ATHICA residencies spotlight artists working in a variety of disciplines.
ATHICA@Cine Gallery
234 W. Hancock Ave. • 706-353-3343 • athenscine.com
More than just an indie movie theater, Ciné is also a venue for visual art. The exhibit space runs down the main entrance and is curated through a partnership with ATHICA. Art can be viewed during the same hours as the theater, but you don’t have to buy movie tickets to check it out and enjoy opening receptions.
Aurum Studios
125 E. Clayton St. • 706-546-8826 • aurumstudios.com
While Aurum specializes in custom jewelry, the shop also offers pottery, paintings, woodwork and metalwork, the majority of which was made by local artists. The shop hosts a rotating display of artwork.
The Bogue Gallery
2025 Baxter St. • 706-613-3650 • athenslibrary.org
Nestled on the second floor of the Athens-Clarke County Library, the Bogue Gallery is a comfortable reading room with rotating exhibitions celebrating established local artists.
The Classic Center
300 N. Thomas St. • 706-208-0900 • classiccenter.com
In addition to awarding grants and scholarships, the Classic Center Cultural Foundation exists to fund the purchase of local art, which adorns the large walls of the conference and events venue. Some art remains on view permanently, while even more changes biannually through exhibitions in the Classic Galleries.
The Dodd Galleries
270 River Road • 706-542-1511 • art.uga.edu/galleries
UGA’s renowned art school neighbors the Georgia Museum of Art. In addition to the popular BFA exit shows, which showcase the works of graduating students near the end of each semester, galleries host exhibitions by students, faculty and visiting artists that rotate year-round. Regular events include receptions and lectures by artists and art historians.
Flicker Theatre and Bar
263 W. Washington St. • 706-546-0039 • flickertheatreandbar.com
In addition to a jam-packed calendar of concerts, film screenings and trivia nights, Flicker showcases a different local artist along its iconic orange wall every month.
Foyer
135 Park Ave. • 706-461-4444 • foyerathens.com
Located in a pink Victorian home, the gallery hosts solo exhibitions by artists working in all mediums, both local and visiting. Open by appointment only.
Georgia Museum of Art
90 Carlton St. • 706-542-4662 • georgiamuseum.org
Georgia’s official art museum, located on UGA’s East Campus, features a large permanent collection of paintings, prints, decorative arts and sculpture, along with rotating exhibitions. Admission and most events—including tours, lectures, films, workshops and family activities—are free. The newly renovated Jane Harry Willson Sculpture Garden is located outdoors.
Hotel Indigo Athens
500 College Ave. • 706-546-0430 • indigoathens.com
Located outdoors and viewable 24/7, GlassCube@Hotel Indigo is a literal glass cube housing creative installations. The hotel also features a handful of artists such as Mark Steinmetz, Brittany Lauback, Alex Murawski and Rebecca Kreisler in its permanent collection.
Lyndon House Arts Center
211 Hoyt St. • 706-613-3623 • accgov.com/lyndonhouse
Run by Athens-Clarke County, the arts center displays professional exhibitions in large, sunny galleries upstairs and down, while the Ware-Lyndon House museum offers a glimpse into Athens’ past through period decor and artifacts. In addition to offering classes instructed by professional artists, summer camps and the occasional festival, the center serves as meeting grounds for local craft groups.
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center
434 S. Main St., Madison • 706-342-4743 • mmcc-arts.org
The nonprofit is outside of Athens in a beautifully restored 1895 Romanesque Revival building. Programming ranges from visual art exhibitions to performing arts, and annual events include an antiques show, chamber music festival and tour of homes. In addition to rotating exhibitions, permanent exhibitions include an 1895 schoolroom, a gallery of original furnishings from the Arts and Crafts Period, a museum of Madison and Monroe counties and a series of portraits by George Andrews aka “The Dot Man.”
Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF)
34 School St., Watkinsville • 706-769-4565 • ocaf.com
Centered in a renovated turn-of-the-century schoolhouse, OCAF is a nonprofit that promotes performing, visual and literary arts through a range of exhibitions and classes for all ages. Longstanding annual events include “Southworks,” a national juried art exhibition; “Perspectives,” the Georgia pottery invitational; a members exhibition and a holiday market. Smaller exhibitions are hosted in a converted classroom adjacent to the main gallery.
Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum
2450 S. Milledge Ave. • 706-542-1244
Located at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum opened in 2021 to showcase the personal collection of Deen Day Sanders. The state-of-the-art facility blends conservation, botanicals, art and history.
Taylor-Grady House
634 Prince Ave • 706-549-8688 • taylorgrady.com
A national historic landmark and house museum, the Taylor-Grady House hosts rotating exhibitions featuring artists working in all mediums.
Tiger’s Eye Gallery
675 Pulaski St., Suite 1600 • tigerseyegallery.com
Founded by Jessica and Mark Magnarella, the gallery features works on view and for sale, events and workshops by appointment.
tiny ATH gallery
174 Cleveland Ave. • [email protected] • tinyathgallery.com
Athens’ smallest physical gallery space packs a punch with high-quality pop-up exhibitions that rotate each month. Limited-capacity receptions and pop-up events are typically held on Thursdays.
UGA Special Collections Libraries
300 S. Hull St. • 706-542-7123 • libs.uga.edu/scl
The galleries feature items from the Hargrett, Russell and Brown Archives. Historical pieces include photographs, manuscripts, maps and memorabilia.
Winterville Cultural Center Gallery
371 N. Church St., Winterville • 706-389-9844 • wintervillecenter.com
Located on the second floor of the WCC, the gallery opened in June of 2024 with three spacious rooms full of natural lighting to host concurrent exhibitions as well as a display case and accompanying feature wall labeled the Garden Gallery.
Public Art Projects to Check Out
Akins Ford Arena
Opened in 2024, the Akins Ford Arena is now home to two murals, a sculpture and an exhibit. On the exterior of the arena’s parking deck is Kate Lewis’ large-scale mural “Architecture of Imagination.” Blending architecture and geometry, Lewis’ bold, crisp lines bring the piece to life. Directly across from the deck stands “Red Bass,” a 25-foot-tall sculpture by Christopher Weed that pays tribute to the city’s rich musical heritage. Two oversized chairs add a playful, interactive element to the piece. Inside the arena is “A Blossoming Ode to Georgia’s Musical History,” a mural by Steven Teller featuring some of the state’s most influential artists including Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band, Ray Charles, Cindy Wilson of The B-52s and more. The mural is displayed alongside the Georgia Music Collections, which showcases artifacts, instruments and memorabilia from the UGA Special Collections Libraries, including Allman’s Les Paul SG guitar and Wilson’s iconic beehive wig—both of which are also depicted in the mural.
Art Shelters
Serving transit riders while also injecting creativity into the built environment, many of Athens-Clarke County Transit’s bus shelters double as public art. The program produced 11 art shelters between two phases in 2005 and 2011 as a partnership between ACC Transit and the Athens Area Arts Council called “You, Me and the Bus.” Under the guidance of the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission, ACC Transit added a new round of 13 art shelters and an additional 20 artist-designed laser cut shelters in 2020. Look out for Joni Younkins-Herzog’s giant pillbug on Lexington Road and Richard Herzog’s larger-than-life gingko leaves on North Avenue.
Cobbham Triangle Park
Occupying the slice of land nestled between Prince Avenue, Cobb and Harris streets, the Cobbham Triangle Park is a neighborhood gathering spot accentuated by public art. Highlights include an entranceway designed by St. Udio, a mosaic sitting wall called “Flow” by Krysia Ara, a towering sculpture called “Spirit of Inspiration” by Harold Rittenberry, the “Venus Flower of Love” sculpture by Steve Sweetser and granite sculptures by Stan Mullins for games of chess and ping pong.
Fire Up the Hydrants
A project of the Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department, “Fire Up the Hydrants” transformed 20 ordinary hydrants into functional, life-saving works of art. Spread across downtown, the hydrants were cleverly hand-painted by local artists, including Tonya Allen, David Lunde, Lilli Sams, Ellen Walker and Jennifer Zwirn.
Frequency
Debuted in December of 2022, Maryland-based artist Eric Leskinsky’s “Frequency” is a 14-piece installation of three-dimensional blue “squiggles” inspired by soundwaves that run along Clayton Street from Thomas to Lumpkin streets. A trained architect and planner, Leskinsky’s work encourages viewers to consider how the forms interact with objects along the path.
Georgia Railroad Lantern
Installed earlier in 2025 on the Firefly Trail near the Old Winterville Road trailhead, Jim Benedict and Lily Kuonen’s sculpture “Georgia Railroad Lantern” draws inspiration from the rails and structural steel tied to the history of this scenic Georgia rail trail. Named both for the firefly insect and the sparks once thrown by old locomotives—nicknamed “fireflies”—the piece nods to the trail’s namesake.
Gyroscope House
Installed in 2017 as part of the SPLOST-funded World of Wonder Playground improvements at Southeast Clarke Park, “Gyroscope House” is a whimsical gazebo-style structure designed and built by local artist Lawrence Stueck. Located at 325 Whit Davis Road, the piece features painted panels, interior seating, a weather vane on top and an etched map of Athens on the floor.
Heron Sighting
“Heron Sighting,” a mosaic mural by artist Krysia Ara, decorates the exterior of the restroom facilities at Dudley Park. Created in 2021, the piece depicts a great blue heron in flight, inspired by Ara’s personal encounter with a heron along Trail Creek.
Hero’s Path
“Hero’s Path” is a 16-foot aluminum and steel sculpture at Fire Station No. 2, 265 Cleveland Road. Created by Aaron Hussey, it features ladders, castings of a firefighter’s helmet and coat, and the Athens-Clarke County Emergency Management Office logo alongside the “Firefighter’s Prayer.” The piece honors firefighters who have died in service and those still serving.
Hope
Located downtown on the exterior walls of Epiphany Athens and The Rook & Pawn, David Hale’s mural, “Hope,” depicts barn swallows—a symbol of rebirth and hope—flying across a prismatic, rainbow-colored sky. “Hope” celebrated the 25th anniversary of the AthFest Music and Arts Festival, and replaced “BirdSong,” Hale’s mural of 20 species of native songbirds that was commissioned by AthFest Educates to commemorate the festival’s 20th anniversary. Additional murals by David Hale can be found at Bear Hollow Zoo, Athens Humane Society, St. Mary’s Hospital and Barnett Shoals Elementary School.
Hot Corner: An Athens Legacy
Located at the corner of Lumpkin and Washington streets, “Hot Corner: An Athens Legacy” is dedicated to the rich history of Hot Corner, a hub of African-American entrepreneurship. Organized by the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission with support from a National Endowment for the Arts grant, the mural was created by Miami-based muralist Elio Mercado and local artist Broderick Flanigan.
North Oconee River Greenway
Two murals have been added to the Greenway: “Water is Life” by Elaine Stephenson and “Georgia Flora” by Amanda Burk. Stephenson’s immersive underpass design under the North Oconee Access Road bridge features water and wildlife and is the first painting installed directly on the trail. Burk’s 100-foot mural, visible from the Inner Loop at Lexington Road, showcases flowers commonly associated with Georgia. Both murals were funded by SPLOST and facilitated by the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Arts Division. They join “Rainbow Forest,” unveiled in 2021, which features 36 slender, brightly colored columns. Visible from Martin Luther King Parkway and the Greenway, it was created by Andrew Kovacs with local assistants Eli Saragoussi and Patrick Sprague, and it aims to inspire new ideas about art and architecture while making them accessible.
Origins
Completed in November 2021 at the ACC Cooperative Extension office, 275 Cleveland Road, “Origins” is a 20-foot concrete sculpture by David Hale, Peter McCarron and David Harrison. Featuring a carved and painted hen and egg topped with a working steel weathervane, the piece’s agricultural theme highlights the functions of the facility.
Phyllotaxis
“Phyllotaxis” is a 12-foot sculpture by local artist Joni Younkins-Herzog located in the center of the Whitehall Road and South Milledge Avenue roundabout. Unveiled in September 2021, the piece is inspired by the natural spiral patterns plants use to capture sunlight.
Project Ginkgo
Beautifying 20 concrete bases of light poles with intricate mosaics, Krysia Ara’s Project Ginkgo adds glittering charm and color into the downtown landscape. Funded by the Athens Downtown Development Authority, each design is unique and can be found outside of Flicker Theatre & Bar, The World Famous, Morton Theatre, Epiphany, Creature Comforts, Musician’s Warehouse, Ciné, Chamber of Commerce, Post Office, Last Resort, Ted’s Most Best, Wuxtry Athens and others. Ara also created the “Heron Sighting” mosaic mural at Dudley Park, as well as large-scale mosaic sculptures at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Harris Shoals Park.
The Spirit of Athens
The sculpture by William J. Thompson was dedicated in 1996 on the grounds of City Hall as a commemoration of the Atlanta Olympics torch run and events held in Athens. The inscription on the statue’s base reads, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3.”
Trail Blossom
Installed in Dudley Park in 2018, “Trail Blossom” is a sculpture by Richard Herzog featuring five 21-foot-tall flower forms and three benches. The design draws inspiration from skateboards and bike parts, reflecting the park’s connection to the nearby Firefly Trail.
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