The City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), a division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, was established in 1974 to encourage and support Atlanta's cultural resources. The initial mission was to solidify the role that arts and other cultural resources play in defining and enhancing the social fabric and quality of life of Atlanta citizens and visitors.

Today the OCA is working to enhance Atlanta's reputation as a cultural destination. The OCA supports programs that educate and expose the public to a rich and diverse range of cultural expressions through a variety of initiatives:

Annually, the OCA presents the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the largest free jazz festival in the nation featuring the most admired jazz artists in the world. The OCA administers the Percent for Art through the Public Art Program, commissioning scores of artists to create public artworks throughout the city. The OCA supports the professional arts community with Contracts for Arts Services, awarding contracts for the production, creation, presentation, exhibition and managerial support of artistic and cultural services.

The OCA also maintains the following programs: ARTSCool, an arts based employment program that provide young people with arts and job training, a salary and positive cultural experience to enhance their personal development; The Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum--one of Georgia's most notable historical attractions featuring a panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta (during the American Civil War); The Chastain Arts Center, established in 1968, and now the oldest City-operated arts facility in Atlanta;  The City Gallery at Chastain, a venue dedicated to innovative exhibitions by local, regional, national and international artists; The Cultural Experience Project--launched during the 2005-2006 school year--was created to afford every Atlanta Public School (APS) student from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade the opportunity to experience the city's premier art and cultural venues;  The Culture Club: An After School Experience--the newest addition to the OCA's programming--which provides Atlanta youth with after school tutorial and cultural enrichment education; The Historic Gilbert House which stands as a tribute to the spirit of Atlanta citizens who rebuilt their city following the devastation of the Civil War and also serves as The Culture Club site for after school recreation through tutoring and the Atlanta Music Project; JD Sims Cultural Center which serves as the Culture Club site for after school recreation through tutoring, dance and theatre instruction;  Public Art Conservation & Maintenance which is dedicated to exposing and expanding Atlanta's Public Art by working with other government, civic, and corporate agencies to increase public awareness and access to public artworks; South Bend Center for Art & Culture which serves as the Culture Club site for after school recreation through theatre and visual art instruction; Summer Murals, which engages artists and children in the creation of artwork that serves as a catalyst for the beautification and enrichment of Atlanta through murals.  

The OCA understands that the arts play an essential role in defining the cultural life of the city and seek to provide programs that contribute substantially to the city's economy and quality of life.