Atlanta’s creative community has been watching two recent moves from City Hall: expanded city arts funding and the newly announced 2026 Atlanta Jazz Festival lineup, featuring artists such as PJ Morton, The Roots and Esperanza Spalding. Both developments landed as Adriane Jefferson approached one year as executive director of the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
In a wide-ranging conversation with WABE Arts, Jefferson described her first year as a balance of continuity and change. She emphasized the challenge of keeping the long-running office moving while widening the city’s definition of culture and expanding public investment, setting the stage for upcoming new initiatives.
Watch: Full Interview with Adriane Jefferson
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