Finding street art is one of my favorite things to do when I travel. I’ve seen murals in New York, Miami, Toronto, Melbourne, Tel Aviv, Guatemala City, London, and even Las Vegas. But these days, my hometown of Atlanta has plenty of colorful spaces to offer.
I previously wrote a post on Atlanta street art that was limited to a few neighborhoods. But in this one, I’m excited to cover even more parts of the city and some of my favorite artists like Greg Mike and Yoyo Ferro. And thanks to art conferences like Living Walls, Elevate, and Outer Space, these walls are frequently changing, so you never know what you might see one day that will be gone the next.
For even more Atlanta street art, check out my guide for Explore Georgia.
Westside
The Westside of Atlanta, sometimes called West Midtown, is one of my favorite parts of the city. It’s where I first worked after moving back to Atlanta after college but before moving to Australia. At the time, there weren’t many restaurants and it still looked industrial. But the last few years have brought in retail, breweries, and award-winning eateries. It’s also led to the commission of murals like the ones pictured.
The top photo was taken of the Hense mural at the Westside Cultural Arts Center and is one of the lesser known ones in the neighborhood. Some of the area’s best are in back alleys you might otherwise miss. The bottom piece is by Matt Gondek and is on the side of the Kelly Auto Shop building near Monday Night Brewing. It was created for the Outer Space Project.
Midtown and Old Fourth Ward
Perhaps the best known neighborhood for street art is the Old Fourth Ward and on the Atlanta Beltline. It’s been a great incubator for art projects both large scale and small. Start at the Eastside BeltLine Trail, which winds between Krog Street Market and Piedmont Park. Places like Paris on Ponce, pictured above, and 8ARM in particular have some excellent murals that change regularly.
This colorful polka dot wall by Hense is under a bridge on the Beltline close to Piedmont Park. It’s one of the most popular photo ops on the trail. But that’s not all. The folks at Tiny Doors have created installations all over the trail as well. The one pictured below is at Paris on Ponce. Look down because you never know what you might see!
Downtown, Five Points & Sweet Auburn
Downtown is mostly known for its tourist attractions, but there are some great walls worth seeing. One of my favorite murals is at Switchyards Downtown Club, where I work sometimes. The words are a quote from Ryan Gravel, the mind behind the Beltline, and it was created by Tes Arlette.
Right around the corner are a few pieces, including one that covers a Coca-Cola ad that says “Graffiti: It’s the real thing” by Ernest Zacharevic. He also created the colorful mural below. I first saw his work in Malaysia. And an otherwise drab parking deck near Peachtree Center features a piece by Remed.
Five Points is another area known for its street art. The area around Underground Atlanta and Broad Street near The Mammal Gallery both have great works. Sever created “I’m Not a Player, I Just Read A Lot” in a former store exterior. Hense, who has done a lot of work in Atlanta, covered a building in geometric shapes and is similar to the piece at 700 Delaware in Washington DC.
Lastly, Roa’s upside-down alligator always brightens my day when I drive past it. I saw the artist’s work in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood.
Sweet Auburn and Edgewood
Sweet Auburn is a small neighborhood between Georgia State University and downtown, but an important one. It was here that Martin Luther King Jr. lived and worked. It was recognized as an area for wealthy African Americans.
Today, it’s a historic district. The one mural here is the portrait of John Lewis, the Civil Rights activist and congressman. It was designed by The Loss Prevention, a group that also worked on walls in Little Five Points, Grant Park, and on the Beltline.
Edgewood Avenue also has a number of pieces thanks to Living Walls. This one, by Sten Lex, is a stunning portrait with a unique texture to it. It sits across a vacant lot from another impressive portrait called the “Sunrise of Edgewood.”
East Atlanta
East Atlanta is full of artwork, including pieces by Interesni Kazki on one side of Argosy, but I think this PBR mural, called “A Toast to Atlanta,” really sums up what the hip neighborhood is all about. It’s been updated since this photo was taken.
Cabbagetown/Reynoldstown
In my first post on Atlanta street art, I stayed mainly in these neighborhoods because of the abundance of street art. But even more has come up since then. I love a good collaboration and the work between Sister Louisa and Yoyo Ferro is an Atlanta original. I’m not sure of the artist who painted the mural at Home Grown Restaurant, but I love going there.
The Best of the Rest
Living Walls expanded in 2017 to Buford Highway to create murals that honored the city’s immigrant community. This breathtaking work is on the side of a building next to Pho Dai Loi 2.
College Park is often overlooked by travelers going to and from the airport. But its downtown is thriving with shops, restaurants, and hotels. Homegrown artist Yoyo Ferro added a colorful contribution in 2016.
Castleberry Hill’s murals showcase neighborhood pride with portraits of figures from the city’s history as well as walls like this one on a run-down lot. The colorful prisms add a burst of light to the formerly industrial area.
Which one is your favorite?
Further Reading
- The Ultimate Guide to the Best Murals in Atlanta, Verbal Gold
- 25 Most Popular Instagram Spots in Atlanta, Local Adventurer
- An Expanded Tour of Atlanta’s Public Art, Curbed
The walls looks so pretty Caroline, you have captured it beautifully.
Very knowledgeable article and we loved visiting all of this in our visit to Atlanta.. happening city it is.
That last image is r.land… squishipuss left atlanta under an unpleasant haze and most of his art has been purposely buffed and repainted. Just FYI
Thanks for the reminder, Nancy. This is an old post but I’ll update.
Hello dear,
Do you know the exact location of Ernest Zacharevic childrens mural. I would love to organize local Urban Sketchers to ssketch that building? As a matter of fact most of this murals are interesting, so as much exact locations you can provide me with I would appretiate it