Poets, Artists & Madmen
We often hear about the virtues of local food and, of course, there are many reasons that we should look for sustenance close to home. Less often do we hear that said of local culture, the sustenance that feeds our minds and souls, though we need it just as much.
While compiling the winners for this year’s Poets, Artists, and Madmen section, it became increasingly clear that this was the year that Atlanta’s mainstream culture started looking a little closer to home. The High Museum of Art, an institution that has a historically rocky relationship with Atlanta’s art scene, mounted Drawing Inside the Perimeter, an exciting group show of local artists. Georgia’s film tax break, which has mostly been used to buoy out-of-state filmmakers, gave Ray McKinnon and James Ponsoldt a good reason to make a celebrated television show and indie hit film, respectively, in their home state.
Top Shelf Productions, a comic book publisher based in Marietta, might have scored its biggest hit yet with March: Book One, the moving first installment of a three-part graphic novel series by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. Georgia also gained a new literary star in Jamie Quatro, whose debut short story collection, I Want to Show You More, was nationally praised.
Feeding on local culture, rather than just consuming the glossy Hollywood shlock and television glitz, means looking in less common places. We’re giving an award to the Monday nights of stand-up comedy at the Star Bar, a dive bar that’s so wonderfully dingy and run down, we’re a little afraid to see it with the lights on. The place has quietly become the proving ground for both emerging and established comics in Atlanta. You don’t go there because some big name is on the marquee, rather, you attend to get a taste of what the best comics in town have cooked up this week.
Earlier this year, our perennial Readers Pick for Best Advocate for the Arts, WonderRoot, started a subscription program it’s calling Community Supported Art. It was inspired by Community Supported Agriculture programs, the idea of subscribing to a farm. If you can sell local food like that, why not sell work by local artists the same way? That’s the kind of cultural nutrition that we were looking for in Best of Atlanta 2013.
— Wyatt Williams
Best Local Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Andrew Benator Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Versatility doesn’t seem strong enough a word to describe Andrew Benator. He was so convincing as the meek and nebbishy Dollar Store manager in the Alliance’s January production of Good People that it came as a complete shock to see him walk onto stage as the smug, vicious writer Leonard in Seminarmore...
Versatility doesn’t seem strong enough a word to describe Andrew Benator. He was so convincing as the meek and nebbishy Dollar Store manager in the Alliance’s January production of Good People that it came as a complete shock to see him walk onto stage as the smug, vicious writer Leonard in Seminar at Actor’s Express a few months later. As the protagonist’s boss Stevie in Good People, he provided a complicated, troubled, almost haunted portrayal of the tension in the character’s moral dilemma about being the cog in the machine that will crush his beleaguered employee. His Leonard in Seminar, on the other hand, was a messy haze of bad moods and solipsistic fits, as if he lived to crush others. Both performances were notable in their own right, but considered side by side they revealed Benator’s impressive artistic agility. www.andrewbenator.com.
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Best Female Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Danielle Deadwyler Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Holding a theater full of kids in rapt attention isn’t easy. But it’s one of the reasons we have such mad respect for Atlanta actress Danielle Deadwyler and her performances this year as Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web and as August March in The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta: Final Assembly, both atmore...
Holding a theater full of kids in rapt attention isn’t easy. But it’s one of the reasons we have such mad respect for Atlanta actress Danielle Deadwyler and her performances this year as Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web and as August March in The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta: Final Assembly, both at the Alliance Theatre. Her energy, humor, and charisma radiated off the stage. When Deadwyler, as Charlotte, explained to Wilbur that she kills flies “because it’s in her nature,” the line became a plainspoken bit of broad philosophical wisdom. Deadwyler sprained her ribs in a school matinee performance during preview week of Charlotte’s Web, and the central planned stunt, Charlotte on aerial silks, had to be removed on opening night. Still, the actress brought out Charlotte’s determination, honesty, and self-sacrificing kindness despite her bruised ribs, proving that Deadwyler is a special effect in and of herself.
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Best Visual Artist (Established) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
HENSE Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
In the ’90s, HENSE distinguished himself from Atlanta’s other graffiti writers with pieces that went bigger, and often lasted longer, than almost anyone else in town. A few years ago, though, he stepped away from graffiti’s anonymity to let the world know his real name, Alex Brewer, and startedmore...
In the ’90s, HENSE distinguished himself from Atlanta’s other graffiti writers with pieces that went bigger, and often lasted longer, than almost anyone else in town. A few years ago, though, he stepped away from graffiti’s anonymity to let the world know his real name, Alex Brewer, and started showing off his skills as an abstract painter. The transition started small - a few gallery shows here, some commissioned murals there - but transformed his work into something big this year. Here in Atlanta, he painted the exterior of the new Westside Cultural Arts Center, which covers about half a city block, as well as a smaller wall in the basement of the High Museum. In Washington, D.C., he transformed the entire exterior of an abandoned historic church into a vibrant object dripping with color. His biggest and best yet came in the form of a commissioned work in Lima, Peru, a 23,292-square-foot evocation of brushstrokes and bright hues that covers the side of a massive building and can be seen from miles away. www.hensethename.com.
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Best Advocate for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
C4 and FUSE Arts Center (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
It’s one thing to make art. It’s another thing entirely to make a living making art. Go to art school and you’ll spend plenty of time focused on creativity, but probably not too much on professional hustle. That’s why we’re lucky to have C4 here in Atlanta. The arts entrepreneurship nonprofit,more...
It’s one thing to make art. It’s another thing entirely to make a living making art. Go to art school and you’ll spend plenty of time focused on creativity, but probably not too much on professional hustle. That’s why we’re lucky to have C4 here in Atlanta. The arts entrepreneurship nonprofit, which operates out of the FUSE Arts Center in Downtown, offers the classes and resources artists need to help grow their businesses, from marketing seminars to website instruction to - gasp - decent health care options through Kaiser Permanente. Sure, health care and marketing might not be the sexiest parts about being an artist, but they’re necessary to survival. And the more artists that can survive in the real world, the better off we’ll all be.
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Best TV Series Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Georgia film and television tax credit has brought many a production within our borders, but the novelty of watching Hollywood largesse in action has yet to wear off. Case in point: As Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues filmed around Atlanta, we watched as whole businesses were transformed overnightmore...
The Georgia film and television tax credit has brought many a production within our borders, but the novelty of watching Hollywood largesse in action has yet to wear off. Case in point: As Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues filmed around Atlanta, we watched as whole businesses were transformed overnight into giant set-piece jokes, Peachtree Center became Rockefeller Center (sort of), violent news teams battled in Piedmont Park, and whole blocks of Downtown were retooled to resemble 1980s Manhattan. Who even cares if the movie is good when it comes out in December? We already got to see the fun parts. www.anchormanmovie.com.
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Best Comedy Night/Show/Late-Night Marathon BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Star Community Bar (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
No one, not even founder and emcee Rotknee seems to know when the first-ever Star Bar Mondays comedy night happened, but it’s been “running for about 9 years,” according to the infrequently updated blurb on the Little Five Points rock venue’s website. Unlike comedy nights that depend on marqueemore...
No one, not even founder and emcee Rotknee seems to know when the first-ever Star Bar Mondays comedy night happened, but it’s been “running for about 9 years,” according to the infrequently updated blurb on the Little Five Points rock venue’s website. Unlike comedy nights that depend on marquee names and promoted events, comedians are instructed to call Rotknee at 5 p.m. the Thursday before they’d like to perform. He turns his phone off for a couple minutes, and then calls back on a first-come-first-serve basis. From 8 p.m.-midnight on any given Monday, you might see an awkward first timer, a hilarious, experienced local, or a semi-famous nationally touring talent. Kyle Kinane, Eric Andre, Margaret Cho, and Ryan Singer have all gone up; Joe DeRosa recently recorded an album there. Be nice to those newbies, though. Star Bar’s crowd is known for its open mind, a rare asset in comedy crowds, and it’s not like you paid to get in, anyway.
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Best Dance Performance BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Goat Farm Arts Center
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The new contemporary dance series Tanz Farm brought world-renowned performers, including Sidra Bell, Zoe|Juniper, and others, to Atlanta’s doorstep, many of them for the first time. Their presence felt both groundbreaking and long overdue. Ticket prices for the world-class performances were low, withmore...
The new contemporary dance series Tanz Farm brought world-renowned performers, including Sidra Bell, Zoe|Juniper, and others, to Atlanta’s doorstep, many of them for the first time. Their presence felt both groundbreaking and long overdue. Ticket prices for the world-class performances were low, with special price points for working artists, and each performance was accompanied by free talks, workshops, and previews of works-in-process. Tanz Farm, even in its first year, proved that cutting-edge performers from other cities can find a welcoming home in Atlanta, and that Atlanta audiences are ready to embrace them. The Lauri Stallings-curated, Goat Farm-hosted series begins its second season this November, and if it’s anything like the first, we know each performance will be a highlight of the Atlanta arts calendar. www.tanzfarm.com.
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Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Short-story writers have a rough job. They can toil away, publishing bits and pieces in literary magazines for years with hardly anyone taking much notice. Even when collected into a book, the public rarely pays attention. But when Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More was published in March, peoplemore...
Short-story writers have a rough job. They can toil away, publishing bits and pieces in literary magazines for years with hardly anyone taking much notice. Even when collected into a book, the public rarely pays attention. But when Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More was published in March, people did take notice. It was as if Quatro revealed the door to a mine she had been digging for years. She hit a deep well of sex and spirituality, of complicated infidelities and a rapturous God. In More, her first book, she appears to have emerged from that work as a writer who has mastered the full range of her craft. Though Quatro just barely lives in Georgia - her house is on the Georgia side of the Tennessee border in Lookout Mountain - we’re proud to claim her as our own. www.jamiequatro.com.
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Best Visual Artist (Emerging) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Bethany Collins Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Bethany Collins’ room-size installation of works on paper and chalkboard drawings stole the show at Dashboard Co-op’s Boom City exhibit in February. Collins’ minimalist artworks, which use text and erasures to communicate on ideas about race, play with the stunning shift of staring into the vastmore...
Bethany Collins’ room-size installation of works on paper and chalkboard drawings stole the show at Dashboard Co-op’s Boom City exhibit in February. Collins’ minimalist artworks, which use text and erasures to communicate on ideas about race, play with the stunning shift of staring into the vast depth of space and then suddenly being switched to the minute flatness of language. She was a 2012-13 WonderRoot Walthall Fellow, an honor that culminated in a group show at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia last spring. Though still early in her career, the High Museum decided to acquire work by her for its permanent collection and exhibit it in the locally focused summer show Drawing Inside the Perimeter. Honors and accolades aside, Collins’ precise and unnerving work makes her one to watch. www.bethanyjoycollins.com.
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Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
“Rectify” Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
After winning the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2001 with “The Accountant,” Ray McKinnon and Walton Goggins became Georgia’s answer to Ben and Matt, parlaying their success into careers in front of the camera. McKinnon staked his claim on the big screen in 2009’s The Blindmore...
After winning the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2001 with “The Accountant,” Ray McKinnon and Walton Goggins became Georgia’s answer to Ben and Matt, parlaying their success into careers in front of the camera. McKinnon staked his claim on the big screen in 2009’s The Blind Side and 2012’s Mud and on television with memorable roles on HBO’s “Deadwood” and FX’s “Sons of Anarchy.” This year, McKinnon was back behind the camera - and back in Georgia - as creator and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Sundance channel original series “Rectify,” which manages a slow, reflective pace that’s rarely seen on mainstream television. www.sundancechannel.com/series/rectify.
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Best Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
””“”{Poem 88}”“”” (Temporarily Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Tucked behind a burger chain in a high-end shopping center, Poem 88 is easy to miss. The gallery doesn’t exhibit the biggest names in Atlanta or have the highest profile, but it has cultivated a core audience that keeps returning. And for good reasons that go beyond the typical exhibition: There ismore...
Tucked behind a burger chain in a high-end shopping center, Poem 88 is easy to miss. The gallery doesn’t exhibit the biggest names in Atlanta or have the highest profile, but it has cultivated a core audience that keeps returning. And for good reasons that go beyond the typical exhibition: There is heady experimental music by groups such as Chamber Cartel, soulful folk performances, small-press books in the shop, and film screenings of art house favorites. When the programming coincides - as it did with the exhibition Blow-Up and a Michelangelo Antonioni film series - it creates an opportunity for the audience to look at the work on the walls in a new light, to see the connections between inspiration and action.
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Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
March: Book One Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
When we reached out to Congressman John Lewis about guest editing an issue of Creative Loafing this year, we had only heard a little about the forthcoming March: Book One, the first volume of Lewis’ three-part graphic novel memoir. With the help of his aide (and self-described comic book nerd) Andrewmore...
When we reached out to Congressman John Lewis about guest editing an issue of Creative Loafing this year, we had only heard a little about the forthcoming March: Book One, the first volume of Lewis’ three-part graphic novel memoir. With the help of his aide (and self-described comic book nerd) Andrew Aydin and the talents of illustrator Nate Powell, Lewis has crafted a story that blends the personal and political. Inspired by an influential comic about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. from 1956, the Congressman’s coming-of-age story is eloquently woven into the historical context of the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Powell’s illustrations give a dynamic pacing and vivid impact to the scenes. Timed perfectly to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the book shot immediately to New York Times best-seller status. www.topshelfcomix.com.
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Best Modern Classical Composer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Best Art Market BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The simplicity of the WonderRoot CSA is what makes the idea so beautiful. Taking a cue from local farmers, the nonprofit sells seasonal subscriptions to work by local artists. Buy a subscription and three times during the season, you’ll get two works of art produced by the likes of Ashley Anderson,more...
The simplicity of the WonderRoot CSA is what makes the idea so beautiful. Taking a cue from local farmers, the nonprofit sells seasonal subscriptions to work by local artists. Buy a subscription and three times during the season, you’ll get two works of art produced by the likes of Ashley Anderson, Seana Reilly, and other upcoming Atlanta talent. As older patrons fade from Atlanta’s art scene, a clever innovation like this could go a long way in encouraging a new generation of collectors.
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Best Play BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Moby-Dick Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Best Art Exhibit in a Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Advocacy is always a hot topic in the Atlanta art scene, and the High Museum has long been criticized as a chilly ivory tower disinterested in emerging local work. As such, the exhibition Drawing Inside the Perimeter (on view until Sept. 22), which features works on paper by more than 40 Atlanta artistsmore...
Advocacy is always a hot topic in the Atlanta art scene, and the High Museum has long been criticized as a chilly ivory tower disinterested in emerging local work. As such, the exhibition Drawing Inside the Perimeter (on view until Sept. 22), which features works on paper by more than 40 Atlanta artists acquired by High curator Michael Rooks and collector Marianne Lambert, is the most significant show of support in recent memory. Wall drawings by artists HENSE and Rocio Rodriguez also make it one of the more dynamic exhibitions curated by the High. At a time when Atlanta’s gallery scene is reinventing itself, the High’s decision to highlight and invest in the careers of these artists is commendable.
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Best Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Atlanta Cyclorama at Atlanta History Center
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
A visit to Atlanta’s Cyclorama can feel like a trip back in time, and not always in a good way. The memorial to the final battle of the Civil War in the form of a 360-degree 1887 painting can feel conceptually dusty, even alienating. It was an unlikely choice, then, for queer art collective John Qmore...
A visit to Atlanta’s Cyclorama can feel like a trip back in time, and not always in a good way. The memorial to the final battle of the Civil War in the form of a 360-degree 1887 painting can feel conceptually dusty, even alienating. It was an unlikely choice, then, for queer art collective John Q to choose the museum as the setting for its May 2013 piece “Campaign for Atlanta,” which considered through spoken word and film the history of queer migration from rural to urban areas. Drawing on and showing the photos and films taken by the late Crawford Barton, the artists gave a vision of Barton’s and others’ paths from places like rural Georgia to the queer mecca of San Francisco. John Q proved that a difficult, modern reflection on these scenes could be done, even at the Cyclorama. www.johnq.org.
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Best Reason to Get Excited about the Future of Dance in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Atlanta Ballet (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
When it comes to retelling the story of Dracula, it seems like there couldn’t possibly be anything new under the sun to say. The vampire myth has been resuscitated countless times, with many recent incarnations seemingly more dead than undead. Enter John Welker. The Atlanta Ballet principal dancermore...
When it comes to retelling the story of Dracula, it seems like there couldn’t possibly be anything new under the sun to say. The vampire myth has been resuscitated countless times, with many recent incarnations seemingly more dead than undead. Enter John Welker. The Atlanta Ballet principal dancer took on the title role in the Ballet’s latest revival of the Bram Stoker classic in February, and he slithered into a wickedly limber and fresh portrayal of the Transylvanian Count. His depiction was at once terrifying and alluring. It was impossible to take your eyes away when he was on stage. He killed it.
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Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
James Ponsoldt Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
James Ponsoldt shot his 2013 film starring Miles Teller, The Spectacular Now, in his hometown of Athens, Ga. Now that the film is receiving rave reviews, Ponsoldt is headed on to a spectacular future. The filmmaker cut his teeth as the writer/director of intimate indie features such as Off the Blackmore...
James Ponsoldt shot his 2013 film starring Miles Teller, The Spectacular Now, in his hometown of Athens, Ga. Now that the film is receiving rave reviews, Ponsoldt is headed on to a spectacular future. The filmmaker cut his teeth as the writer/director of intimate indie features such as Off the Black and Smashed. Currently, he’s not only slated to direct the Hillary biopic Rodham, but he’s also been tapped to adapt Pippin and Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock (novelist Matthew Quick’s follow-up to The Silver Linings Playbook) for the Weinstein Company. He’s also committed to write and direct Julianna Baggott’s dystopian teen novel Pure for Fox 2000. We expect he’ll bring that eloquent and self-confident touch that made Spectacular so memorable to all that work. www.twitter.com/jamesponsoldt.
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Best Theater Company BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Alliance Theatre (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
With a Tony in its knapsack, the biggest budget in town, and a faithful core audience, the Alliance Theatre certainly has huge advantages over all theaters in the city. But such achievements can also be heavy burdens. It would be easy for the theater to sit on its laurels and deliver the same repertoiremore...
With a Tony in its knapsack, the biggest budget in town, and a faithful core audience, the Alliance Theatre certainly has huge advantages over all theaters in the city. But such achievements can also be heavy burdens. It would be easy for the theater to sit on its laurels and deliver the same repertoire each season, but that’s not what Atlanta gets from the Alliance. Artistic Director Susan V. Booth provides polish and daring in equal measure. The Alliance’s Kendeda Graduate Playwright Competition cultivates young playwrights while smart productions like this year’s Good People keep the audiences in the seats.
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Best Local Overall Music Act BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Killer Mike Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Adamsville rapper terrorizes like his childhood Jheri curl-wearing idols and inspires like his late grandmother, a civil rights activist. If you thought his 2012 opus “R.A.P. Music” was a timeless joint that transcended his dirty-but-conscious beginnings, this year’s return with EL-P as Runmore...
The Adamsville rapper terrorizes like his childhood Jheri curl-wearing idols and inspires like his late grandmother, a civil rights activist. If you thought his 2012 opus “R.A.P. Music” was a timeless joint that transcended his dirty-but-conscious beginnings, this year’s return with EL-P as Run the Jewels cements the larger-than-life rapper’s permanent place in ATL history - “Every word murderful, surgical, painful, purposeful.” “www.twitter.com/KillerMikeGTO”.
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Best Advocate for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Exhibit in a Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Caio Fonseca and Donald Sultan at Alan Avery Art Co. Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Exhibit in a Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Party BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Flux Night Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Dirtyville Rhapsodies by Josh Green Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Book Event BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Decatur Book Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Choreographer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Lauri Stallings Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Laughing Skull Lounge (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Dance Company BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
gloATL (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Dance Performance BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
gloATL’s Hippodrome Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Visual Artist (Emerging) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alison Hamil Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Visual Artist (Established) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
R. Land AND Sam Parker Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Festival BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Atlanta Film Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Anchorman 2 Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Series BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alan Avery Art Company AND Whitespace Gallery Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alan Avery Art Company
315 E. Paces Ferry Road. 404-237-0370. www.alanaveryartcompany.com
AND
Whitespace Gallery
814 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-1892. www.whitespace814.com
Best Improv Group BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Dad’s Garage Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best indie crafter BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Foxboxes Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Art Critic BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Andrew Alexander Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Blog BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
ARTS ATL
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Josh Green Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Comedian BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Angela Miller AND Carlos Rodriguez Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Female Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Marlinda Phillips Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Male Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Phillip Justman Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Playwright BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Topher Payne Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Poet BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Mikel K Poet Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Spoken Word Artist BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Abyss Uprite Lions Graham Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Neighborhood Festival BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Castleberry Hill
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Neighborhood for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Westside Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Trend BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Atlanta Fringe Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Opening BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Shara Hughes at Atlanta Contemporary Art Center Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Performance Venue BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
The Goat Farm Arts Center
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Photographer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Stacey Bode Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Place to See a Movie BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Play BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Moby-Dick Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Pop-Up Art Space BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Saltworks Gallery (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Dashboard Co-op’s Boom City
AND
Salworks
100 Howell Mill Road, Suite A06/07. 404-865-1523. www.saltworksgallery.com.
Best Public Art Event BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Flux Night Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Public Art/Artwork BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Living Walls Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Reading Series BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Write Club Atlanta Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Stage Director BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Marium Khalid Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Street Art/Graffiti BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Living Walls Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Theater Company BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Twinhead Theatre Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Touring Play BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
War Horse Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Andrew Benator Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Versatility doesn’t seem strong enough a word to describe Andrew Benator. He was so convincing as the meek and nebbishy Dollar Store manager in the Alliance’s January production of Good People that it came as a complete shock to see him walk onto stage as the smug, vicious writer Leonard in Seminarmore...
Versatility doesn’t seem strong enough a word to describe Andrew Benator. He was so convincing as the meek and nebbishy Dollar Store manager in the Alliance’s January production of Good People that it came as a complete shock to see him walk onto stage as the smug, vicious writer Leonard in Seminar at Actor’s Express a few months later. As the protagonist’s boss Stevie in Good People, he provided a complicated, troubled, almost haunted portrayal of the tension in the character’s moral dilemma about being the cog in the machine that will crush his beleaguered employee. His Leonard in Seminar, on the other hand, was a messy haze of bad moods and solipsistic fits, as if he lived to crush others. Both performances were notable in their own right, but considered side by side they revealed Benator’s impressive artistic agility. www.andrewbenator.com.
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Best Female Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Danielle Deadwyler Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Holding a theater full of kids in rapt attention isn’t easy. But it’s one of the reasons we have such mad respect for Atlanta actress Danielle Deadwyler and her performances this year as Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web and as August March in The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta: Final Assembly, both atmore...
Holding a theater full of kids in rapt attention isn’t easy. But it’s one of the reasons we have such mad respect for Atlanta actress Danielle Deadwyler and her performances this year as Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web and as August March in The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta: Final Assembly, both at the Alliance Theatre. Her energy, humor, and charisma radiated off the stage. When Deadwyler, as Charlotte, explained to Wilbur that she kills flies “because it’s in her nature,” the line became a plainspoken bit of broad philosophical wisdom. Deadwyler sprained her ribs in a school matinee performance during preview week of Charlotte’s Web, and the central planned stunt, Charlotte on aerial silks, had to be removed on opening night. Still, the actress brought out Charlotte’s determination, honesty, and self-sacrificing kindness despite her bruised ribs, proving that Deadwyler is a special effect in and of herself.
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Best Advocate for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Exhibit in a Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Caio Fonseca and Donald Sultan at Alan Avery Art Co. Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Exhibit in a Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Visual Artist (Established) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
HENSE Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
In the ’90s, HENSE distinguished himself from Atlanta’s other graffiti writers with pieces that went bigger, and often lasted longer, than almost anyone else in town. A few years ago, though, he stepped away from graffiti’s anonymity to let the world know his real name, Alex Brewer, and startedmore...
In the ’90s, HENSE distinguished himself from Atlanta’s other graffiti writers with pieces that went bigger, and often lasted longer, than almost anyone else in town. A few years ago, though, he stepped away from graffiti’s anonymity to let the world know his real name, Alex Brewer, and started showing off his skills as an abstract painter. The transition started small - a few gallery shows here, some commissioned murals there - but transformed his work into something big this year. Here in Atlanta, he painted the exterior of the new Westside Cultural Arts Center, which covers about half a city block, as well as a smaller wall in the basement of the High Museum. In Washington, D.C., he transformed the entire exterior of an abandoned historic church into a vibrant object dripping with color. His biggest and best yet came in the form of a commissioned work in Lima, Peru, a 23,292-square-foot evocation of brushstrokes and bright hues that covers the side of a massive building and can be seen from miles away. www.hensethename.com.
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Best Art Party BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Flux Night Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Advocate for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
C4 and FUSE Arts Center (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
It’s one thing to make art. It’s another thing entirely to make a living making art. Go to art school and you’ll spend plenty of time focused on creativity, but probably not too much on professional hustle. That’s why we’re lucky to have C4 here in Atlanta. The arts entrepreneurship nonprofit,more...
It’s one thing to make art. It’s another thing entirely to make a living making art. Go to art school and you’ll spend plenty of time focused on creativity, but probably not too much on professional hustle. That’s why we’re lucky to have C4 here in Atlanta. The arts entrepreneurship nonprofit, which operates out of the FUSE Arts Center in Downtown, offers the classes and resources artists need to help grow their businesses, from marketing seminars to website instruction to - gasp - decent health care options through Kaiser Permanente. Sure, health care and marketing might not be the sexiest parts about being an artist, but they’re necessary to survival. And the more artists that can survive in the real world, the better off we’ll all be.
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Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Dirtyville Rhapsodies by Josh Green Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Book Event BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Decatur Book Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best TV Series Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Georgia film and television tax credit has brought many a production within our borders, but the novelty of watching Hollywood largesse in action has yet to wear off. Case in point: As Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues filmed around Atlanta, we watched as whole businesses were transformed overnightmore...
The Georgia film and television tax credit has brought many a production within our borders, but the novelty of watching Hollywood largesse in action has yet to wear off. Case in point: As Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues filmed around Atlanta, we watched as whole businesses were transformed overnight into giant set-piece jokes, Peachtree Center became Rockefeller Center (sort of), violent news teams battled in Piedmont Park, and whole blocks of Downtown were retooled to resemble 1980s Manhattan. Who even cares if the movie is good when it comes out in December? We already got to see the fun parts. www.anchormanmovie.com.
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Best Choreographer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Lauri Stallings Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Comedy Night/Show/Late-Night Marathon BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Star Community Bar (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
No one, not even founder and emcee Rotknee seems to know when the first-ever Star Bar Mondays comedy night happened, but it’s been “running for about 9 years,” according to the infrequently updated blurb on the Little Five Points rock venue’s website. Unlike comedy nights that depend on marqueemore...
No one, not even founder and emcee Rotknee seems to know when the first-ever Star Bar Mondays comedy night happened, but it’s been “running for about 9 years,” according to the infrequently updated blurb on the Little Five Points rock venue’s website. Unlike comedy nights that depend on marquee names and promoted events, comedians are instructed to call Rotknee at 5 p.m. the Thursday before they’d like to perform. He turns his phone off for a couple minutes, and then calls back on a first-come-first-serve basis. From 8 p.m.-midnight on any given Monday, you might see an awkward first timer, a hilarious, experienced local, or a semi-famous nationally touring talent. Kyle Kinane, Eric Andre, Margaret Cho, and Ryan Singer have all gone up; Joe DeRosa recently recorded an album there. Be nice to those newbies, though. Star Bar’s crowd is known for its open mind, a rare asset in comedy crowds, and it’s not like you paid to get in, anyway.
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Best Comedy Club/Venue BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Laughing Skull Lounge (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Dance Company BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
gloATL (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Dance Performance BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
gloATL’s Hippodrome Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Dance Performance BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The Goat Farm Arts Center
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The new contemporary dance series Tanz Farm brought world-renowned performers, including Sidra Bell, Zoe|Juniper, and others, to Atlanta’s doorstep, many of them for the first time. Their presence felt both groundbreaking and long overdue. Ticket prices for the world-class performances were low, withmore...
The new contemporary dance series Tanz Farm brought world-renowned performers, including Sidra Bell, Zoe|Juniper, and others, to Atlanta’s doorstep, many of them for the first time. Their presence felt both groundbreaking and long overdue. Ticket prices for the world-class performances were low, with special price points for working artists, and each performance was accompanied by free talks, workshops, and previews of works-in-process. Tanz Farm, even in its first year, proved that cutting-edge performers from other cities can find a welcoming home in Atlanta, and that Atlanta audiences are ready to embrace them. The Lauri Stallings-curated, Goat Farm-hosted series begins its second season this November, and if it’s anything like the first, we know each performance will be a highlight of the Atlanta arts calendar. www.tanzfarm.com.
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Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Short-story writers have a rough job. They can toil away, publishing bits and pieces in literary magazines for years with hardly anyone taking much notice. Even when collected into a book, the public rarely pays attention. But when Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More was published in March, peoplemore...
Short-story writers have a rough job. They can toil away, publishing bits and pieces in literary magazines for years with hardly anyone taking much notice. Even when collected into a book, the public rarely pays attention. But when Jamie Quatro’s I Want to Show You More was published in March, people did take notice. It was as if Quatro revealed the door to a mine she had been digging for years. She hit a deep well of sex and spirituality, of complicated infidelities and a rapturous God. In More, her first book, she appears to have emerged from that work as a writer who has mastered the full range of her craft. Though Quatro just barely lives in Georgia - her house is on the Georgia side of the Tennessee border in Lookout Mountain - we’re proud to claim her as our own. www.jamiequatro.com.
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Best Visual Artist (Emerging) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Bethany Collins Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Bethany Collins’ room-size installation of works on paper and chalkboard drawings stole the show at Dashboard Co-op’s Boom City exhibit in February. Collins’ minimalist artworks, which use text and erasures to communicate on ideas about race, play with the stunning shift of staring into the vastmore...
Bethany Collins’ room-size installation of works on paper and chalkboard drawings stole the show at Dashboard Co-op’s Boom City exhibit in February. Collins’ minimalist artworks, which use text and erasures to communicate on ideas about race, play with the stunning shift of staring into the vast depth of space and then suddenly being switched to the minute flatness of language. She was a 2012-13 WonderRoot Walthall Fellow, an honor that culminated in a group show at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia last spring. Though still early in her career, the High Museum decided to acquire work by her for its permanent collection and exhibit it in the locally focused summer show Drawing Inside the Perimeter. Honors and accolades aside, Collins’ precise and unnerving work makes her one to watch. www.bethanyjoycollins.com.
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Best Visual Artist (Emerging) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alison Hamil Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
“Rectify” Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
After winning the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2001 with “The Accountant,” Ray McKinnon and Walton Goggins became Georgia’s answer to Ben and Matt, parlaying their success into careers in front of the camera. McKinnon staked his claim on the big screen in 2009’s The Blindmore...
After winning the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2001 with “The Accountant,” Ray McKinnon and Walton Goggins became Georgia’s answer to Ben and Matt, parlaying their success into careers in front of the camera. McKinnon staked his claim on the big screen in 2009’s The Blind Side and 2012’s Mud and on television with memorable roles on HBO’s “Deadwood” and FX’s “Sons of Anarchy.” This year, McKinnon was back behind the camera - and back in Georgia - as creator and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Sundance channel original series “Rectify,” which manages a slow, reflective pace that’s rarely seen on mainstream television. www.sundancechannel.com/series/rectify.
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Best Visual Artist (Established) BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
R. Land AND Sam Parker Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Festival BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Atlanta Film Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Made in Atlanta BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Anchorman 2 Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Film Series BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
””“”{Poem 88}”“”” (Temporarily Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Tucked behind a burger chain in a high-end shopping center, Poem 88 is easy to miss. The gallery doesn’t exhibit the biggest names in Atlanta or have the highest profile, but it has cultivated a core audience that keeps returning. And for good reasons that go beyond the typical exhibition: There ismore...
Tucked behind a burger chain in a high-end shopping center, Poem 88 is easy to miss. The gallery doesn’t exhibit the biggest names in Atlanta or have the highest profile, but it has cultivated a core audience that keeps returning. And for good reasons that go beyond the typical exhibition: There is heady experimental music by groups such as Chamber Cartel, soulful folk performances, small-press books in the shop, and film screenings of art house favorites. When the programming coincides - as it did with the exhibition Blow-Up and a Michelangelo Antonioni film series - it creates an opportunity for the audience to look at the work on the walls in a new light, to see the connections between inspiration and action.
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Best Gallery BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alan Avery Art Company AND Whitespace Gallery Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Alan Avery Art Company
315 E. Paces Ferry Road. 404-237-0370. www.alanaveryartcompany.com
AND
Whitespace Gallery
814 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-1892. www.whitespace814.com
Best Book by a Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
March: Book One Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
When we reached out to Congressman John Lewis about guest editing an issue of Creative Loafing this year, we had only heard a little about the forthcoming March: Book One, the first volume of Lewis’ three-part graphic novel memoir. With the help of his aide (and self-described comic book nerd) Andrewmore...
When we reached out to Congressman John Lewis about guest editing an issue of Creative Loafing this year, we had only heard a little about the forthcoming March: Book One, the first volume of Lewis’ three-part graphic novel memoir. With the help of his aide (and self-described comic book nerd) Andrew Aydin and the talents of illustrator Nate Powell, Lewis has crafted a story that blends the personal and political. Inspired by an influential comic about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. from 1956, the Congressman’s coming-of-age story is eloquently woven into the historical context of the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Powell’s illustrations give a dynamic pacing and vivid impact to the scenes. Timed perfectly to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the book shot immediately to New York Times best-seller status. www.topshelfcomix.com.
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Best Improv Group BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Dad’s Garage Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best indie crafter BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Foxboxes Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Art Critic BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Andrew Alexander Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Blog BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
ARTS ATL
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Author BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Josh Green Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Comedian BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Angela Miller AND Carlos Rodriguez Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Female Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Marlinda Phillips Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Male Actor BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Phillip Justman Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Local Playwright BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Topher Payne Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Poet BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Mikel K Poet Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Spoken Word Artist BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Abyss Uprite Lions Graham Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Museum BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Neighborhood Festival BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Castleberry Hill
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Neighborhood for the Arts BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Westside Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Modern Classical Composer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
High Museum of Art (Featured)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Best Trend BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Atlanta Fringe Festival Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Art Market BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
WonderRoot (Permanently Closed)
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
The simplicity of the WonderRoot CSA is what makes the idea so beautiful. Taking a cue from local farmers, the nonprofit sells seasonal subscriptions to work by local artists. Buy a subscription and three times during the season, you’ll get two works of art produced by the likes of Ashley Anderson,more...
The simplicity of the WonderRoot CSA is what makes the idea so beautiful. Taking a cue from local farmers, the nonprofit sells seasonal subscriptions to work by local artists. Buy a subscription and three times during the season, you’ll get two works of art produced by the likes of Ashley Anderson, Seana Reilly, and other upcoming Atlanta talent. As older patrons fade from Atlanta’s art scene, a clever innovation like this could go a long way in encouraging a new generation of collectors.
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Best Opening BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Shara Hughes at Atlanta Contemporary Art Center Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Performance Venue BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
The Goat Farm Arts Center
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Photographer BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Stacey Bode Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Place to See a Movie BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Readers Pick
Best Play BOA Award Winner
Year » 2013
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
Moby-Dick Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2013 » Poets, Artists, & Madmen » Critics Pick
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