This month, we’re shining a well-deserved spotlight on Emily Fisher, our ELEVATE Program Manager. Emily’s creativity, dedication, and vision were on full display during this year’s ELEVATE: Rooted and Rising festival, which transformed neighborhoods across Atlanta with a vibrant celebration of art, culture, and community.
Each fall, ELEVATE enlivens public spaces through installations, performances, and cultural activations that reflect the heart of Atlanta. This year’s theme, Rooted & Rising: Atlanta’s Culture is Medicine, paid homage to the city’s powerful creative legacy. The three-day public art festival transported audiences back to Atlanta’s late ’80s through early 2000s, a golden era of music, art, and cultural innovation that shaped the city’s unique rhythm and global influence.
As the driving force behind ELEVATE, Emily manages everything from artist engagement and production logistics to partnerships and community outreach. Her leadership ensures that each year’s festival not only showcases artistic excellence but also centers inclusion, accessibility, and impact.
Beyond ELEVATE, Emily’s work with the Public Art team touches nearly every corner of the city’s public art landscape. She collaborates on initiatives such as Bond 2.0 and Percent for Art, serving as a vital link between artists, neighborhoods, and civic partners. Whether she’s guiding a new mural project, responding to a public art inquiry, or exploring innovative ways to integrate art into the city’s infrastructure, Emily approaches her work with thoughtfulness and heart.
Thank you, Emily, for your tireless commitment to advancing public art and for helping keep Atlanta’s culture alive and ever-rising.