All around Decatur | Free
Public Art + Free Exhibits
Decatur is bursting with public art all-year round. Enjoy sculptures, tiny doors, murals, and more on every street. Check out the Decatur Public Art Map here to find the location and artist information for all of the art around the city!
Stop by the Decatur Arts Alliance to view the fanciful, feline focused “Return to Catlandia” by local artist Tom Zarrilli. Take a short walk to Trinity and Commerce to experience the new Praise House installation; artist talk by Charmaine Minniefield on Saturday at 1 pm. Explore the Fine Arts Exhibition, showcasing 60+ works from across the country inside the Decatur Library. And be sure to visit the DeKalb History Center’s four
Praise House
The Praise House Project by visual artist Charmaine Minniefield with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts ‘Our Town’ grant celebrates the African-American history of three different communities in the Metro Atlanta area over two years.
The public art installation with be on view in the Beacon Hill community of Decatur on the corner of Trinity Place and Commerce Drive from April until June 2, 2024. Visit the impactful, immersive art installation comprising a digital projection installation created from collected historic archives and a curated soundscape which emanates from within the wooden structure. Interior access available on Fridays and Saturdays from 12-5 pm.
Artist Talk
Saturday, May 4 from 3-3:45 pm, on-site
Join us for an artist talk as Charmaine provides a deeper understanding of the project, process, and impact.
Return to Catlandia
Tom Zarrilli’s ‘Return to Catlandia’ features 20+ conceptual paintings depicting the fanciful dreams and fantasies of Zarrilli’s cats, Joey and Petey.
Stop by the Decatur Arts Alliance Gallery at 113 Clairemont Avenue to view the fanciful, feline focused “Return to Catlandia” exhibition, on view until May 26. Gallery hours are 10am-4pm, daily.
Ruth Franklin, Golden Isles, one-woman show of paintings
Ruth Franklin is an English contemporary painter who emigrated to the U.S. thirty years ago, where she established a studio in Decatur, Georgia. Her new series of small paintings, filled with a dreamlike, soulful sense of life and place are in part inspired by visits to Saint Simons Island in Coastal Georgia and memories of rural England. She will be featured in a one-woman show opening May 3 during ArtWalk at Different Trains Gallery, 432 East Howard Ave.
Exhibit runs May 3 – 18, 2024
Opening reception: Friday, May 3, 5-9 pm
Special hours during Decatur Arts Festival: May 4-5, 11 am-5 pm
Gallery hours: May 9-11 and 16-18, 11 am-5 pm and by appointment
Forced Perspective
The 35th annual Fine Arts Exhibition explores the idea of “Forced Perspective.” When experiences challenge our worldview, when encounters lead to a reexamination of long-held beliefs, when we realize jarring truths or witness inescapable realities… artists and audiences are invited to consider how enduring discomfort affects how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world.
The exhibit is on the Fourth Floor Gallery of the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St.
Friday, May 3, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Saturday, May 4, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday, May 5, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Brought to you by the Decatur Arts Alliance, Georgia Center for the Book, the DeKalb Co. Public Library, and DeKalb Library Foundation.
Step Back In Time Through Four Local History Exhibits at DeKalb History Center
The DeKalb History Center inside the Historic DeKalb Courthouse has four exhibits highlighting local history. Get to know the story of Decatur’s United Methodist Children’s Home through “Home: The United Methodist Children’s Home.” Explore “200 Years of DeKalb History.” Dive into the history of Avondale Estates in “The Haven of Health and Happiness.” And learn about one of the oldest African American communities in Georgia through “Deep Roots in DeKalb: The Flat Rock Story of Resilience.”
All exhibits can be found on the first floor of the DeKalb History Center (Historic DeKalb Courthouse), 101 E. Court Square. Entry is free; donations are appreciated.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 10 am – 4 pm
Saturdays, 10 am – 2 pm
