Three Creative Voices You Should Know & Why They Matter

 

Taylor Alxndr  Drag performer, musician, community organizer

  • Role / What They Do: Taylor Alxndr is co‑founder and executive director of Southern Fried Queer Pride (SFQP), a grassroots arts organization that centers Black queer and trans Southern voices through performance, festivals, and community events. 

  • Contact / Social Media: Public contact via email: contact@tayloralxndr.com TAYLOR ALXNDR+1 You can also follow them on Instagram / X / other platforms via their linktr.ee landing page. Linktree+1

  • Why They Matter: Taylor uses art  drag, music, performance as activism. SFQP provides space for LGBTQ+ Black creatives to express themselves, resist cultural erasure, and build community. Their work challenges norms and makes the “margins” central.

  • Possible Story Idea: A profile piece exploring how Taylor and SFQP create safe, expressive spaces for Black queer artists  and why that matters in a city known for both cultural vibrancy and gentrification tensions.

Atlanta Contemporary  Non‑profit Contemporary Art Center (and its staff)

  • Role / What They Do: Atlanta Contemporary runs exhibitions, studio‑spaces, community programs, and supports emerging local and national artists. It offers subsidized studios, hosts public programs, and creates space for a wide range of art forms  film, painting, installation, photography, performance, and more. Atlanta Contemporary+2Atlanta Contemporary+2

  • Contact / Social Media: General contact email: support@atlantacontemporary.org and phone: (404) 688-1970 at their Westside location, 535 Means St NW, Atlanta. Atlanta Contemporary+1 They’re active on social media under the handle @atlantacontemporary. facebook.com+1

  • Why They Matter: As a major institution that funds, supports, and exhibits art  often from underrepresented communities  Atlanta Contemporary is a pillar of the city’s creative infrastructure. For emerging artists, studio access and institutional backing can be game-changers.

  • Possible Story Idea: A behind‑the‑scenes look at how subsidized studio space at Atlanta Contemporary supports emerging artists, and an exploration of who gets access (and who doesn’t)  especially in a city evolving as fast as Atlanta.

Thriving Together Atlanta  Public‑arts nonprofit bridging art, community, and social issues

  • Role / What They Do: This initiative brings together public art, activism, and community engagement, using arts (murals, performance, public projects) to spark dialogue about race, health equity, history, and city identity. It highlights local artists, designers, activists  blending art with community well‑being and civic awareness. Thriving Together Atlanta

  • Contact / Social Media: While there isn’t a single “public person” email listed, the group is publicly visible through their website (and likely social media). You can browse “Participating Creators” and “Media” on the Thriving Together site. Thriving Together Atlanta

  • Why They Matter: By using art as a tool for public health, history, identity, and community healing  Thriving Together Atlanta transforms creative expression into civic participation. They show how art isn't just aesthetic, but vital for social consciousness and community solidarity.

  • Possible Story Idea: A feature exploring how public art projects under Thriving Together are shaping neighborhood identity in Atlanta  and how residents can engage with art that reflects their history, struggles, and hopes. Maybe interview one of the participating artists about why they do public art and what it means for community healing.

 Why These Voices Matter to Your Beat

These three  a queer‑arts organizer, an institutional art center, and a civic-minded public‑arts collective represent different parts of Atlanta’s creative ecosystem. Together, they show how community, identity, art, and social change intersect.

For you, as a media‑minded student interested in storytelling, community voices, and art: these are people/organizations doing the work  the ones whose stories matter, who shape culture, and who influence how art gets made, shared, and felt in the city.

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