DeKalb County Government CEO, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, addressed an arts-charged sanctuary space that was standing-room-only for the launch of Arts DeKalb’s DeKalb Council for the Arts. The new arts council’s mission is to lift up artistic voices within the community and highlight opportunities to support the thriving local arts ecosystem.
The programming took place on March 13, 2026, at Limestone Rooftop inside the Cambria Hotel in Austin, Texas. The programming was designed to spotlight innovation and the convergence of the creative industries in Georgia.
Jordan Jenkins, Vice President of Investments at Variant Investments, breaks down why independent film has become one of the firm’s most compelling areas of focus.
Place is more than geography, it is the foundation for identity, inspiration and interaction. In the context of the creative economy, placemaking is not a passive process but a deliberate act that draws people, talent and opportunity into proximity.
From an opening night world premiere filmed in Atlanta to a wave of Georgia musicians performing across Austin, the state’s creative economy is impossible to ignore this March.
Frank Patterson, president and CEO of Trilith Studios, makes the case for why Georgia is one of the best places in the country to build and grow a business. In Patterson’s view, Georgia simply gets it. The state understands what businesses need to succeed and has created a policy environment that makes it possible.
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) continues its decades-long legacy of shaping the global film industry. This year, 211 SCAD alumni and current students and two professors contributed their talents to films nominated for the 98th Academy Awards®, underscoring SCAD’s role as a premier pipeline to the world’s leading studios and creative teams.
Chelsea Spivey, Vice President of New Business Development and Production Incentives at Revolution Entertainment Services, breaks down exactly what the company does. At its core, Revolution is a production payroll company serving clients across the full spectrum of the entertainment industry.
“We interact with fans based on their past ticket purchases and preferences, ensuring they discover experiences tailored just for them,” says Peter Conlon, chairman of Live Nation Georgia from the entertainment company’s regional headquarters in Atlanta.
Ryan Manthey of CAIA, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, shares what makes this organization a cornerstone of the alternative investment community. With 35 chapters and 14,000 members worldwide, CAIA has built a powerful global network, and the Atlanta chapter is no exception.