Before the first whistle blows at any World Cup match, Atlanta is making clear to the world that the city’s culture is the main event, and that programming will follow the tournament’s rhythm, with cultural activations scheduled for the day before each of Atlanta’s matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Atlanta Cultural Exchange opened Sunday at The Center (CTR) Atlanta on Marietta Street, transforming 23,500 square feet of blank eighth-floor space into an immersive showcase of the city’s art, fashion, music, and creative community. The experience, presented by Showcase Atlanta and powered by The Gathering Spot, will run June 14 through July 14, with activations scheduled the day before each of Atlanta’s World Cup matches.
Mayor Andre Dickens, addressing an opening-day crowd, credited a broad team of collaborators for bringing the vision to life, while acknowledging the attendance of former Mayor Shirley Franklin, who was set to join Royce Bable of Sweet Auburn Stories and Deante Kyle, host of the Grits and Eggs Podcast, for a panel examining Atlanta’s journey from a center of civil rights leadership to a global hub for culture, business, sports and innovation…