Local Stories Fall 2024
Local Stories is an initiative that uses creative storytelling to present lesser-known facts about Downtown Atlanta's rich history. For this round of stories, A&E Atlanta worked with curator Faron Manuel to select three Atlanta artists tasked with interpreting a local story through a visual lens.
Local Stories are displayed monthly on the digital sign at Margaret Mitchell Square (140 Peachtree St NW). Artwork is displayed daily in between commercial content.
Selected artists: Jamaal Barber, Tina Dunkley, and Fabian Williams
Artwork schedule
August: WERD UP: The Story of Prince Hall, WERD, & The SCLC by Fabian Williams
September: Jesus SAVES at the Ballot Box by Tina Dunkley
October: Equitable Building by Jamaal Barber
Faron Manuel is the Director of the Black Art In America (BAIA) Foundation, a 501c3 organization that provides funding and professional development opportunities for Black artists and arts professionals in Atlanta and beyond. Before joining the BAIA Foundation, Manuel oversaw two Mellon Foundation-funded curatorial fellowship grants at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from 2016-2023. Prior to the High Museum, he was the Special Projects Curatorial Assistant to the Director of the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum.
Manuel earned his B.A. in History from Clark Atlanta University in 2015, where he completed several museum fellowships. He has worked as an independent curator and art writer with notable collections and institutions, doing much to expand the footprint of early career artists. He was presented with the Hammonds House Honors Award for Curatorial Excellence in 2019, and served as a Resource Specialist for the Aspen institute’s 2022 Fall Workshop Series on grant program development.