When The Other Art Fair Atlanta, presented by Saatchi Art, makes its Atlanta debut Oct. 1–4, Georgia artists will have a place in the spotlight, with artists from across the state exhibiting alongside independent talent from throughout the Southeast, across the U.S. and around the world.
The inaugural Atlanta Fair, at Grant Park’s Enspire Mercantile, will bring together more than 100 independent artists and hundreds of original works, while giving visitors something less common in the traditional art fair experience: the opportunity to meet the artists themselves and buy work directly from them. For Atlanta’s first edition, that includes Georgia artists from Atlanta, Athens, Mableton, Savannah, Roswell, Suwanee, Lilburn, Stone Mountain, and other communities across the state, representing a range of artistic practices and career paths.
Among those already singled out as Fair Director’s Picks are Georgia artists: Ryan Coleman (Atlanta), Niyati Jiwani (Lilburn), Audrey Beharie-Mcgee (Atlanta), and Shams Kherani (Suwanee) They are part of a highly selective inaugural Atlanta class:
- More than 500 artists applied to exhibit at the Atlanta Fair.
- Approximately 70 percent of the selected artists will be exhibiting with The Other Art Fair for the first time.
- Of the artists selected, 60 percent are based in the Southeastern U.S., 55% identify as women, and 20% identify as BIPOC.
- Atlanta is one of the only capital cities welcoming The Other Art Fair this year.In addition, international countries represented at the Fair will include Aruba, Australia, Canada, Colombia, United Kingdom, and more.
The Fair’s 100 exhibitors for Atlanta were juried by a rotating committee of art world experts, ensuring that even returning visitors can expect a fresh selection of artwork on view. This includes Saatchi Art Curator & Art Advisor Will Hardy, and The Other Art Fair Global Fair Director Nicole Garton.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO DISCOVER AND PURCHASE ART
The artists are at the center of The Other Art Fair experience, but the Atlanta debut will extend beyond traditional booths with interactive installations and unexpected ways for visitors to engage with art throughout the Fair:
- The Karmacy Interactive Installation — Interactive programming will include a play on the familiar “take what you need” bulletin, where visitors select a message they need and replace it with one of their own for the next person.
- “Blind Date with an Artwork” — Visitors can take a chance on choosing a wrapped original work priced at $150 or less based only on clues describing what’s hidden inside.
- Live Typewritten Poetry from “The Haikuists” — On Thursday and Friday from 6–8 p.m., The Haikuists will turn conversations with Fair visitors into complimentary, one-of-a-kind poems typed on the spot. Guests can share what’s on their mind, something that caught their eye at the Fair, or someone they’re thinking about and leave with a personalized poem created just for them.
- The “Womb Pod” — Visitors can step inside an egg-shaped sanctuary constructed from wire and translucent acrylic fragments that filter light into shifting fields of color. Designed as a symbolic shelter representing origin, protection, and possibility, the immersive installation invites visitors to pause inside and experience changing patterns of light, shadow, and color.
- Curated Price Point Collections — Curated “Under $500” and “Under $2,000” collections will bring works from multiple exhibitors together to make discovering original art at different price points easier for new and experienced collectors alike.
- “100” for 100 Color-In Interactive Mural by John Paine — The Fair will also celebrate a global milestone in Atlanta with the interactive color-in mural from Sydney-based cartoonist and illustrator John Paine featuring 100 drawings inspired by famous artworks, artists and moments in art history.
- Nightlife Experience — Live DJs, food and beverage offerings, an Opening Night celebration and Friday Late will round out the four-day experience.
NEW FUTURES RECIPIENT
The Fair’s investment in Atlanta talent will also extend to an artist at an earlier stage of their career through New Futures, The Other Art Fair’s program designed to help break down some of the traditional barriers emerging artists face when trying to enter the contemporary art world. Launched in 2021, New Futures provides selected local artists with free exhibition space at the Fair, mentoring, and professional support, creating an opportunity to introduce their work directly to collectors and a broader audience.
The Atlanta recipient of the Fall 2026 New Futures award, Jennifer Mack-Watkins, is a Decatur-based contemporary visual artist and award-winning illustrator originally from Charleston, SC. Shewas selected by Saatchi Art Curator & Art Advisor Will Hardy, and The Other Art Fair Global Fair Director Nicole Garton. Specializing in silkscreen and Japanese woodblock (Mokuhanga) printmaking techniques, Mack-Watkins holds degrees in studio art, art education, and printmaking. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue and Essence, and is held in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Getty Museum, and the Library of Congress.
GEORGIA-BASED ARTISTS
The Georgia artists participating in the inaugural Fair reflect the different ways artists find — and build — their creative careers. Together, their stories underscore one of the ideas behind The Other Art Fair: there is no single route to becoming a working artist — and collectors don’t need a traditional gallery setting to discover one. In addition to the Fair Directors Picks (above) some of the additional Georgia artists announced so far include:
- Christina Habibi (Athens) has balanced a 20-year career in technology with an artistic practice spanning more than three decades. After moving to Georgia from Los Angeles, she became part of the Athens creative community, where she opens her studio monthly to the public.
- Shams Kherani (Suwanee), who has called Georgia home for the past six years, is expanding her creative practice beyond the canvas with the launch of a wearable art clothing line.
- Ashley Benton, who grew up in Atlanta and now lives in Savannah, brings another unique Georgia perspective to the Fair with mixed media and ceramic sculpture.
- Miles Davis (Mableton), Angela Lanell (Stone Mountain), and Shanon Schneider (Roswell) are among those who chose Georgia as the place to continue building their artistic practices after relocating from other parts of the country.
The Atlanta Fair is the newest addition to The Other Art Fair’s international footprint, which has connected independent artists directly with collectors and art lovers through fairs in cities including London, Melbourne, Sydney, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
THE OTHER ART FAIR ATLANTA
October 1–4, 2026
Enspire Mercantile (Grant Park) | 259 Milton Ave SE | Atlanta, Ga. 30315
- Opening Night — Thursday, Oct 1: 6–10:00 p.m.
- Friday, Oct 2: 5–10:00 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct 3: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct 4: 11:00 a.m. –6:00 p.m.
Located adjacent to the Atlanta BeltLine at Enspire Mercantile, the four-day event kicks off with a high-energy Opening Night party featuring live DJ sets, interactive art installations, food trucks and a bar offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments.
Ticket Information
Tickets start at $18 and are available at www.theotherartfair.com/
- Opening Night Tickets ($50 Advance / $55 beginning Sept. 25)
- Thursday, Oct. 1: Offering attendees “first dibs” on original artworks before general admission days, live entertainment, and complimentary re-entry Friday through Sunday.
- Free drink tickets will be given out to the first 500 guests arriving at the Opening Night event.
- General Admission Tickets ($18 Advance / $20 beginning Sept. 25)
- Friday, Oct. 2 – Sunday, Oct. 4: Group savings bundles are also available.
- Art Insider Collecting Experience Tickets ($100 Premium Offer)
- Thursday, Oct. 1 – Sunday, Oct. 4: Includes one admissions with weekend re-entry, two drink tokens, and a $50 art purchase credit to spend directly with exhibiting artists during the fair.
- Art Lovers Guided Collecting Experience for two Tickets ($375 Premium Offer)
- Thursday, Oct. 1 – Sunday, Oct. 4: A luxury curated package for two including admission, 4 drink tokens, pre-fair curator recommendations, and a $200 art purchase credit.
