George and Esohe Galbreath take a moment during the first annual Artful ATL, the Atlanta art exhibition and sale they founded to give emerging and established artists a professional space — and 100% of what their work brings in. (Courtesy of Artful ATL)
Artful ATL returns to Atlanta Contemporary this Saturday for its second annual exhibition and sale, bringing together more than 30 artists. Co-founders Esohe and George Galbreath built the show around one principle: artists keep 100% of what their work brings in.
Getting into Artful ATL is competitive. This year, the Galbreaths received more than 200 artist submissions before selecting the final lineup. The process began with an open call in February and unfolded over several rounds of review.
What the Galbreaths are looking for isn’t a particular style or medium. It’s consistency. Each artist selected has a recognizable voice throughout their body of work — enough to fill 10 to 12 feet of wall space with cohesive pieces.
A work by Artful ATL artist Shanneil Clarke, part of the second annual Artful ATL exhibition at Atlanta Contemporary. (Courtesy of Artful ATL)
“We think of it like cuts on an album and how a great musician might have 30 or 40 possibilities, but they’re able to choose their best 10,” Esohe Galbreath said.
The show also deliberately mixes returning artists with new ones. This year, more than half the lineup is new. For artists who have shown with Artful ATL before, the bar is growth.
Esohe points to returning artist Charity Amadulla as an example of what that growth looks like in practice. “She’s done a number of shows with us, but every time it’s like we’re seeing a different version of her,” Galbreath said. “We always recognize her work, but there’s something new that she’s developed, there’s something new that she’s exploring.”
The physical arrangement of the show is also intentional. Artists are grouped to ensure attendees move through a range of mediums — photographers next to painters, illustrators alongside mixed-media artists. Returning artists are paired with newcomers throughout the space.
Inside the show: What to expect Saturday night
The Galbreaths describe the atmosphere at Artful ATL as intentionally social but not transactional. Artists are present throughout the evening and available to talk about their work. The goal, George Galbreath said, is genuine engagement. The show draws a wide age range and is designed to be accessible to both first-time collectors and seasoned ones. At last year’s show, artists collectively sold nearly $80,000 worth of work. Every dollar went directly to them.
Artful ATL opens at 6 p.m. Saturday at Atlanta Contemporary. Tickets start at $30. Parking is free.
