✦ Two of Oakland Cemetery's beloved programs are coming together for a full day of music and community. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has more on the makeup/mashup they're calling Sunday in the Park featuring Tunes from the Tombs.

✦ As summer winds down and Atlanta weather moves from merely "tolerable" and increasingly towards "pleasant," you might be compelled to engage in some outdoor festivities, and you're in luck because the East Atlanta Strut is this Saturday! City Lights Collective Engineer Matt McWilliams has more on how this neighborhood likes to let loose, throw down, and let its freak flag fly.

✦ We love visiting with our artistic community "In Their Own Words." This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we shone a light on Atlanta artist Cyrus Nelson and Atlanta comedian Dante Quitman.

✦ You can see how dancers become one with nature in the new Flux Project film "Braiding Time, Memory and Water." Created by Core Dance artistic director Sue Schroeder, the film was a collaboration with conceptual artist Jonathon Keats and composer Felipe Pérez Santiago. The dances took place along the Chattahoochee River, and the film will be screened on Core Dance's storefront each evening through October 12. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans recently spoke with Schroeder about the project.

✦ Atlanta has a rich and lasting tradition of amazing poetry open mics. In venues, grottos, parks, and cafes all over the city, people speak their loudest truths, deepest hurts, and immeasurable joys to finger-snapping audiences. Some poetry open mics come and go, and some stick and stay. The Thursday night open mic at Urban Grind is the latter. Every Thursday night for the last nineteen years, people have taken the floor and taken the invitation to speak, even if their voices tremble. City Light's Collective Co-Host Jon Goode sat down with the Owner of Urban Grind, Cassandra Ingram, and longtime host B Rock to discuss the legacy and future of the iconic event.

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✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes The Atlanta Indian Film Festival and the Sweet Auburn Music Fest.

✦ ✦ Atlanta author Julie Olivia's new romance novel, "If It Makes You Happy," is described as Gilmore Girls meets the "Pumpkin Spice Café"—but a lot steamier. The slow-burn story is set in 1997 in the small town of Copper Run, Vermont, and tells the story of a recently divorced innkeeper and her new, seemingly perfect next-door neighbor. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Olivia about this recent release.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine and spent the next several decades immersed in music before beginning his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week." In January, he began joining City Lights weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures.

✦ Atlanta artist and puppet creator Chantelle Rytter is known for weaving magic into the streets of Atlanta. If you've ever been to the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade, then you've likely seen her in action. Here on the City Lights Collective, she covered our "Collective Joy" beat, talking about events that bring community together in the most beautiful, artistic, and sometimes quirky ways. On Saturday October 4, Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons will host "Where the Weird Things Are," an event that's set to transform the Old Fourth Ward Park. Now this isn't your typical parade — it's an entirely unique experience- a stationary "upside down parade" where giant mystical creatures come to life, and we get to parade around them. City Lights collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Rytter to learn more about the Collective Joy that awaits us on October 4.

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✦ City Lights Collective member and award-winning Atlanta comedian Joel Byars is one of the hardest-working people in the business. He hosts many comedy events around town, and his podcast, "Hot Breath Pod," aims to uplift his fellow comedians. Byars joins us weekly to share his picks for this week's must-see Comedy, and today his mix includes an Atlanta version of "Mom's Unhinged" and two nights of Josh Johnson at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.

✦ Harriet Tubman was more than just the operator of the Underground Railroad. She also led a Civil War raid that freed more than 700 enslaved people in a single day. That dramatic chapter of the war is the focus of "COMBEE," the Pulitzer Prize–winning book by historian and Emory alum Edda Fields-Black. The author is back in Atlanta on Monday, September 29, at the Georgia Center for the Book. Fields-Black recently spoke with "City Lights Collective" member Alison Law about the Pulitzer Prize and bringing COMBEE's untold stories to life.

✦ And I'm Kim Drobes. It's time now to hear from our artistic community In Their Own Words. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we shine a light on the band Solid State Radio.

✦ In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which began on September 15, The Gallery at Abernathy Arts Center presents "Caminos Compartidos." Showcasing vibrant and diverse works by artists of Latin origin, the exhibition is on view through October 30. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with the curator of the exhibit, Carol Santos.

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✦ This Saturday, September 27, the Avondale Estates Town Green will transform into a surf rock haven, featuring a lineup of local and national bands serving up a full day of reverb-drenched, beach-ready tunes. With DJs, vendors, and free admission, it's an all-ages celebration of the classic surf rock sound. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane caught up with festival organizer Richard Hawes to dive into what makes this year's Southern Surf StompFest a must.

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. They've been joining us weekly since the show launched, spotlighting five standout happenings. Today, they'll cover Atlanta Art Fair's return to Pullman Yards for its second year in operation, an immersive indoor/outdoor art festival at Goat Farm's sprawling 12-acre campus and kick off the fall season at Atlanta Contemporary with a roster of exhibition openings.

✦ Nature's natural patterns often look like stitched-together works of art. Whenever you look at the underside of a leaf or up close at the petals of a flower, symmetrical patterns and lines are on display. In Myrtie Cope's solo exhibition "Nature Embroidered," she photographs nature and landscapes, then hand embroiders them with cotton or silk thread...enhancing nature's patterns with texture. Her work is on display at Blue Heron Nature Preserve's indoor gallery through October 22. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Cope about her exhibit.

✦When you start your career in music backing Shelia E and Prince in Tokyo when you're eighteen, and your most recent accomplishment, three decades later, is writing songs for Beyonce's Cowboy Carter, the Grammy award-winning album of the year, you might ask, what else could you possibly want to do? Well, Soul and R&B legend Raphael Saadiq has an answer for you. Mr. Saddiq spoke with City Lights Collective Co-host Jon Goode about his latest project, "The No Bandwidth Tour: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits." It's part music, part storytelling, and all Raphael Saadiq.

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✦ Going to Brunch in Atlanta can seem like a sport. Even if you know some tricks for navigating the notoriously long lines, the cost can sometimes price people out of the game. In our mini-series, "Brunchin' on a Budget," we look at a few special Atlanta Brunch spots that can help you keep your wallet intact. Today, for the final installment of the series, WABE arts reporter Summer Evans takes us to Eat My Biscuits in East Point.

✦ National Food Service Worker Day is September 25, and the new Atlanta-made Horror/Comedy, "We're So Dead," is premiering just in time. Food service workers primarily produced the film through a crowdfunding campaign and opening night proceeds benefit The Giving Kitchen. City Lights Co-host Kim Drobes has more.

✦ Musical scores enrich the content they surround and help create the mood and tone of films, television, and even video games. Dr. Scott Stewart has been studying and teaching this aspect of music for decades, and he joins us occasionally for Music in Media. In this segment, he breaks down the sounds behind some of entertainment's most popular offerings. Today, he talks about the scores of this past season of Summer Blockbusters.

✦ We love hearing from our artistic community In Their Own Words. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we hear from Atlanta artist Eddie Farr.

✦ What does it mean to reckon with your past and the place you call home? John T. Edge, the Emmy Award-winning host of "TrueSouth," documents his attempts to do just that in his new memoir, "House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home." Out now, the book offers an unflinching look at his successes, failures, and the complicated stories he inherited from his family and the South. City Lights Collective member and "Bookmarked" contributor Alison Law recently talked to Edge ahead of his upcoming Georgia appearances.

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✦ For the last several years, a tiny yet momentous structure has popped up on sites of significance throughout Atlanta, inviting visitors to step inside moments of history. Charmaine Minniefield's "Praise House" Project replicates gathering spaces of worship that glued Black communities together since the days of slavery and beyond. The next installation for "The Praise House" will be at South View Cemetery in Lakewood Heights on September 21. There, they will honor the victims of the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre, an outburst of horrific violence that killed dozens of Black citizens. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Minniefield about this new site of remembrance.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes the latest in the "Off the Wall" film series and a look at this weekend's Japan Fest.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash," who were once billed as The Only Band That Matters, and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. This week, he tells us about Hoagy Carmichael's "Hong Kong Blues."

✦ Atlanta's own Improvement Movement has been making waves across the city and beyond with lush vocal harmonies, clever arrangements, and a sound that refuses to sit neatly in one genre. Now, they're bringing that energy to the main stage at this year's Shaky Knees Festival. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with keyboardist Zach Pyles and drummer Tony Aparo from the band ahead of their upcoming Shakey Knees performance about how they came together, the influences behind their music, and what's next for this rising Atlanta favorite.

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✦ The National Center for Civil and Human Rights will have its grand reopening on November 8, after being closed since January. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more.

✦ Recently, stories have been circulating about the dropping number of major motion pictures being produced in Georgia, and consequently, Atlanta's film industry is in flux.  But what about the work coming from independent filmmakers? Is there a way to help our ecosystem thrive again by pushing to make marketable, mainstream indies from start to finish locally?  Atlanta filmmaker Ben Hall certainly thinks so, and his newest production, "Remote," aims to serve as an example. The movie explores what happens when problems related to human emotions, like grief and loneliness, collide with non-human solutions, like Artificial Intelligence. Ahead of the movie's premiere at the Tara Theater on September 20, City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes sat down with Hall to learn more about the film and his thoughts on the future of Georgia-made indie movies.

✦ City Lights Collective member and award-winning Atlanta comedian Joel Byars is one of the hardest-working people in the business. He hosts many comedy events around town, and his podcast, "Hot Breath Pod," aims to uplift his fellow comedians. Byars joins us weekly to share his picks for this week's must-see comedy, and today his mix includes a 1UP local comedy showcase and a live show from a Daily Show correspondent.  

✦ For nearly 90 years, The Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre has stood on the historic square in Marietta and served as both a cultural anchor and a community gathering place. Once a glittering movie palace, and later a fading relic, the theater is now a thriving hub for live performance, film, and celebration. The Strand's story is one of resilience, and the inventive people who refused to let its lights go dark. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane brings us this story ahead of the Strand's 90th birthday.

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✦ The Fulton County Arts Council does so many things. From undergirding and showcasing rising artists to highlighting established talent, to elevating the profile of Atlanta and Georgia on the international stage. With all of that, the Fulton County Arts Council is also still dedicated to partnering with local organizations to create stellar programming that is accessible to all. On September 26 at 7:30 pm, the arts council, in partnership with Art Farm at Serenbe, will be bringing jazz and soul vocalist extraordinaire, Rhonda Thomas, to Gainey Hall in Chattahoochee Hills. City Lights Collective Co-host Jon Goode recently discussed the upcoming night of Jazz with David Manuel, the director of The Fulton County Arts Council.

✦ Although Atlanta has a relatively small Italian population compared to other U.S. cities, the Italian industrial footprint thrives in Georgia. This week's "The Made in Italy Expo" spotlights how the country is showing up in the Southeast, and WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has more.

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes an Atlanta stop for Adam Davis's project to capture 20,000 tintypes of the black diaspora at Atlanta Center for Photography, experimental installation at Say That Studios which takes place inside a room-sized camera obscura, and work from environmental artists at Spruill Gallery that's sure to spark some existential questions about your relationship with nature.

✦ Atlanta has culinary experiences that range from fine dining to dining that's simply fine, but a good glass of wine can elevate any meal. City Lights Collective members Tory and Sawyer Vanderwerff believe you should feel just as inclined to pull out the corkscrew regardless of the star level of your meal. They spend their time looking for the best and most unpredictable food and wine pairings throughout Georgia, and today, they share what happens when Magic City meets Chateau Elan.

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✦ We love hearing from our artistic community In Their Own Words. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we hear from Atlanta artist Demetri.

✦ 23-year-old singer ivri has carved out a distinct place for herself in the internet's hyper-saturated music scene. She made her debut at the age of 15, posting faceless snippets of her singing on Instagram that garnered hundreds of thousands of views and a dedicated fanbase that has stuck with her for the better part of a decade. Now a seasoned musician with millions of monthly listeners worldwide, Ivri released her debut album, "Tower of Memories," last month, and is embarking on her first headlining tour across the country. Ahead of her Atlanta performance at Masquerade on September 16, she spoke with City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian and began by explaining what it was like to take a leap of faith and move to New York City, by herself, at only 18 years old.

✦ Starting in the 1880s, each year on September 1, every single lease in the City of Atlanta—yes, the entire city—expired and renters moved out and into new homes…on the exact same day. Wagons jammed the streets. Furniture everywhere. Tempers flaring. Back pain? Guaranteed. From utility workers following behind to reset phone lines and gas, to real estate tycoons begging for more rental properties. So how did it all work? And when did it finally disappear? City Lights Collective member and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos has more.

✦ Atlanta's first-ever full-time string quartet is celebrating 20 years with a free concert tomorrow, September 12. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more about the Vega Quartet.

✦ There are not many places and productions where Orisha Mythology, Caribbean folklore, dance, and Black Punk music all come together to create an artistic gumbo that is sure to stick to your ribs and blow your mind. In Atlanta, we are in luck because F.Punk Junkies is such a production, and 7Stages is the place to see it. City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode caught up with some of the people creating this magical, mystical theater experience in Little Five Points.

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✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes the world premiere of Atlanta playwright Topher Payne's latest comedy, and four upcoming performances from the Atlanta Ballet at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

✦ Atlanta's catching its annual case of mural mania once again with the upcoming Forward Warrior Festival. The all-day creative celebration is this Saturday, September 13, in Cabbagetown. Each year, the walls of Wylie Street, right by the Krog Street Tunnel, are transformed with works of new art. Atlanta artist Peter Ferrari founded the festival, and when he spoke with City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes, he discussed both the history and the future of community-driven events.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash," who were once billed as The Only Band That Matters, and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he shares the story behind the New Miles Davis Quintet's version of "Just Squeeze Me."

✦ Robert Frost once urged us to "take the road less traveled." Atlanta photographer Geo Gerard chose a different path—riding his bike along every road within the I-285 perimeter. From 2020 to 2022, he documented the journey, capturing everyday moments of awe, joy, and humor. The result is "All the Roads Taken," a new exhibit on view at Gallery 100 through September 25. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Gerard about the project.

✦ Have you ever been curious about the people running in groups along the sidewalk or on the sidewalk or along the beltline? Well, City Lights Collective member and WABE Studios intern Oli Turner decided to lace up her sneakers and catch up with some of Atlanta's many run clubs.

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✦ City Lights Collective member and award-winning Atlanta comedian Joel Byars is one of the hardest-working people in the business. He hosts many comedy events around town, and his podcast, "Hot Breath Pod," aims to uplift his fellow comedians. Byars joins us weekly to share his picks for this week's must-see comedy, and today his mix includes a couple of big-name touring stars and a local treasure returning home to play the Fox Theater.

✦ There's no better place for Shakespeare than an outdoor theatre, and this fall, the Atlanta Shakespeare Company launches "A Shakespeare Happening," the first-ever free public Shakespeare festival in DeKalb County, taking place in the picturesque neighborhood of Avondale Estates.  Alongside the theatrical performances, there will be live music and workshops for all ages. The first day of festivities is this Saturday and begins with "Tempest Jr.," an adaptation of "The Tempest" for young audiences. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans recently discussed the series with festival creator Nicole Sage, and Atlanta Shakespeare Company associate managing director Katie Grace Kirby.

✦ Long before modern choirs and vocal coaches, there was Sacred Harp—a uniquely American way of singing that turned everyday people into music-makers. This powerful and historic tradition dates back to the early 1800s and continues to thrive today, bringing together communities in spirited, four-part harmony. The 120th convention of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association comes to the Foundry at Puritan Mill on September 13 and 14, 2025. It is expected to be the largest gathering in a generation, drawing hundreds of singers from across the US and beyond. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with Matt Hinton, a longtime Sacred Harp singer and scholar, to learn more about this enduring and uniquely American form of group singing.

✦ Atlanta's vibrant world of cocktails and zero-proof beverages thrives in our bars and restaurants as well as our local distilleries and non-alcoholic bottle shops. Few may know this world better than Beth McKibben, editor in chief and senior dining editor at Rough Draft Atlanta. Beth's expertise is invaluable as she continually explores our city's elevated beverage programs and examines the latest trends in mixology. She joins The City Lights Collective monthly for "The Beverage Beat," and this month, McKibben discusses what she calls "transitional cocktails," sips to savor during our fake-fall slash second summer season—also known as September in Atlanta.

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✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today, they'll tell you about Living Walls's 15-year-anniversary "quinceañero" party, an exhibit at Marcia Wood that's sure to excite all you color theorists out there, and Cat Eye Creative's final show opening in their current South Downtown space.

✦ It's never too early to spark a lifelong love of the arts and theatrical performance. To that point, The Alliance Theater's Bernhardt Theater for the Very Young, in partnership with the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, is presenting a stage adaptation of "The Birthday of the World," based on the children's book by New York Times Bestseller Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen. The show runs through October 26 and includes two special performances at the MJCCA's theater in the Zaban-Blank Building on Sunday, September 14. City Lights Collective Engineer Matt McWilliams recently spoke to creator and director Jonathan Shmidt Chapman about bringing "The Birthday of the World" to Atlanta's youngest theatergoers.

✦ For 20 years, the High Museum of Art has awarded the David Driskell Prize to field-defining contributors in African American Art and Art History. This year, the award goes to Alison Saar, sculptor, installation artist, printmaker, and art scholar, whose sculpture "Salon" welcomed visitors to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Driskell Prize winner joined WABE arts reporter Summer Evans to share her extraordinary legacy as an artist and scholar.

✦ Our series, "In Their Own Words," tells firsthand stories from our artistic community. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we highlight comedian Nate Allen.

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✦ Going to Brunch in Atlanta can seem like a sport. Even if you know some tricks to navigate the notoriously long lines, the cost can sometimes price people out of the game. In our mini-series, "Brunchin' on a Budget," we look at a few special Atlanta Brunch spots that can help you keep your wallet intact. This week, WABE arts reporter Summer Evans takes us to Ria's Bluebird.

✦ Today, we take a moment to hear from our artistic community In Their Own Words. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today's spotlight shines on the band Champagne Lane, and we learn about their new album, "The World in Your Eyes."

✦ The art of Dance is leaping into the future at Spelman College. The new short documentary, "Beyond the Movement," explores new technologies and their applications in Dance through the testimony of students and faculty, as well as through their movement. The film, produced by WABE and made possible through a grant from HBCU Week Now, screens along with a live panel discussion on September 8th at Spelman's new Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts. City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes recently spoke with filmmaker Booker T. Mattison and Spelman's department chair of Dance and Choreography, Professor T. Lang, to learn more.

✦ What makes up a Good Night? I'm sure there are as many answers as there are people. But on the first Friday of every month, at Buteco in Grant Park, comedian David Purdue and Spoken Word Artist Adan Bean have a Free show that has a little bit of everything. You want to laugh, dance, hear an amazing vocalist, have some great food, have a strong drink, maybe all of that, or maybe just some of it. It's all available; at night, you can self-curate, appropriately titled: Good Night. City Lights Collective Co-host Jon Goode sat down with Adan Bean and David Purdue to discuss the night.

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✦ Local music artists across genres are coming together for a festival that organizers say is "by Atlanta and for Atlanta." City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes has more on this weekend's Mainline Music Festival.

✦ Each Friday, the Atlanta Contra Dance community comes together at the Decatur Recreational Center to experience the joy of dancing to live music. City Lights Collective member Gillian Anne Renault has more on this high-energy dance that has a low bar of entry.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days as executive editor of ArtsATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes a breakdown of the Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective's season opener, a new exhibition at The Sun ATL, and the Brookhaven Porchfest.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash," who were once billed as "The Only Band That Matters," and remained by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media as part of his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha."

✦ Artist, illustrator, and educator Faith Ringgold showed us our world through the eyes of young children in every medium you can think of –books, paintings, drawings, sculptures, even quilts. She trained and has been widely honored in the fine art and academic circles of New York City. Ringgold worked as an art teacher in New York City public schools for decades, focusing her work on those exceptional children, who have remained her lifelong muse. Now, the High Museum is presenting the most comprehensive exhibition to date of Faith Ringgold's art, featuring pieces from her children's books, including never-before-seen works. Curator Andrew Westover took a moment to chat with City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane about this extensive collection, which is on view through October 12.

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✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: a glimpse into Taino ancestry through a talk at the ArtsXChange in East Point, as well as the Georgia State's Art School faculty showcase that happens only once every three years, and one of Southern Fried Queer Pride's ever-popular figure drawing sessions.

✦ When City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode was told that High Bias is a good thing, he wasn't entirely sure what that meant. So, he decided to go to Block and Drum on a Wednesday night to find out for himself.

✦ City Lights Collective member and award-winning Atlanta comedian Joel Byars is one of the hardest-working people in the business. Aside from his podcast, "Hot Breath Pod," he hosts many comedy events around town, and now, he joins us weekly to share his picks for this week's must-see comedy.

✦ A new park in metro Atlanta is set to honor the legendary Black folk artist, Nellie Mae Rowe. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has the details.

✦ After over three decades on Atlanta walls, streets, stickers, wheatpastes, and flyers, the iconic art of R. Land is now on view at Atlanta Contemporary through September 7th. His work, like "Pray for ATL" and "Loss Cat," has previously been preserved for posterity at the Atlanta History Center and the Georgia State Capitol. Still, those pieces only represent a fraction of his artistic career. City Light Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Land to discuss his first-ever retrospective solo exhibition, "Landmarks: The World of R. Land."

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Guests include:

Dragon Con’s Art Curator: Tracy Harvey-Bell

Fine Art Show Guest of Honor: Donato Giancola

Founder of the “Black Geeks of Dragon Con”: Channing Sherman

Community Director of the Cosplay Medics: Russell Thorne

Co-owners of Joystick Gamebar: Johnny Martinez

Drunken Dragon Hotel shop owner and Dragon Con Cult expert: Sven Licht

Members of The Loyal Order of the Ribbon

Members of the Cult of Marriott Carpet

Music Curator and Dragon Con Senior Director: Billy Messina

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✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes House in the Park, The Atlanta Black Theater Festival, and a preview of Dragon Con.

✦ Dee Dee Bridgewater embodies jazz. She takes jazz standards and makes them her own while being true to the original composition. This is something she's done before and since releasing her debut album in 1974. No stranger to Atlanta, Ms. Bridgewater returns to the Rialto Center for the Arts on September 6 to the delight of all. Ahead of her concert, City Lights Collective Co-Host Jon Goode sat down with Ms. Bridgewater to discuss her new album, her return to Atlanta, and to share a laugh or three.

✦ Get ready for some cinematic chaos, VHS Deathmatch is coming to Monday Night Garage on September 26th. Part screening, part comedy showdown, the event takes the best (and worst) of B-movie VHS tapes and pits them head-to-head for ultimate bragging rights. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with organizer Kristopher Bolz about the madness audiences can expect at the Deathmatch.

✦ Kosmo Vinyl is a visual artist and lifelong music lover. He bought his first LP when he was just nine years old and went on to spend decades immersed in the world of music. He got his start at London's groundbreaking indie label Stiff Records, and in 1979, he began working exclusively with The Clash—staying with the band until they disbanded in 1986. Today, Kosmo's legendary record collection fuels his social media series Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week, and he joins us every Wednesday to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1969 hit, "Born on the Bayou."

✦ Ebony magazine debuted in 1945 and quickly became an inspiring celebration of Black life, culture, and achievement. The monthly magazine thrived for over seven decades, and within its pages lived the iconic column, "Fashion Fair," created by Eunice W. Johnson. "Mrs. Johnson," as all reverently called her, is the subject of the children's book, "Miles of Style," Eunice W. Johnson and the Ebony Fashion Fair." The book is the first by Atlanta author Lisa D. Brathwaite, and when City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes spoke with the author last year, Brathwaite explained how she first learned about Mrs. Johnson.

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✦ WABE's Sounds Like ATL documentary series explores the vibrant Atlanta music scene. Each week, it either introduces or reintroduces you to a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can watch, dance, and sing along on the YouTube channel, @WABEATL. Here's a preview featuring Thee Blk Pearl.

✦ City Lights Collective member and award-winning Atlanta comedian Joel Byars is one of the hardest-working people in the business. Aside from his podcast, "Hot Breath Pod," he's always hosting comedy events around town, and now, he joins us weekly to share his picks for this week's must-see comedy events.

✦ A strange realm both familiar and unsettling greets visitors in Victoria Dugger's solo exhibition, "Must Be Nice." She's been praised for the mesmerizing marriage of cuteness and grotesque in her work, which explores Blackness, femininity, disability, and domesticity. She was recently awarded the 2024 Hudgens Prize for her work. Dugger joined WABE arts reporter Summer Evans to talk about her collection currently on view at the Hudgens Center in Duluth.

✦ Over the past decade and a half, the Atlanta-based public art organization Living Walls has transformed Atlanta's streets into a vibrant gallery of murals and cultural storytelling. And now, Living Walls is all grown up and celebrating its 15th birthday with a full quinceañera at the Goat Farm on September 13. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with creative director Tatiana Bell about why a quinceañera felt like the perfect way to honor the milestone, and how the organization continues to shape the city's creative landscape.

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✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's visual art scene. Each week, they spotlight several standout happenings, and today, they'll cover: Atlanta Downtown & Dashboard's exhibition celebrating civil rights icon Xernona Clayton, Ayana Ross's Working Artist Project exhibition at MOCA GA, and more.

✦ A new gallery has opened in the Star Metals District, which showcases international artists. Rodney Kazemi founded Luca Fine Art Gallery. He has 30 years of global experience, curating artists from New York to Art Basel in Miami. The gallery's exhibition, "Glimmer and Gaze," is currently on view through September 28. WABE arts reporter spoke with Kazemi about the new space.

✦ "It is a truth universally acknowledged" that one of the year's most anticipated birthday anniversaries belongs to Jane Austen. The literary icon behind classics such as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma" was born on December 16, 1775. Now, 250 years later, devoted fans, scholars, and critics are marking this milestone year with celebrations all over the world, including in the Atlanta area, including a series of events throughout the Gwinnett Public Library system, and a celebration at Emory University's Rose Library. Our "Bookmarked" contributor Alison Law has more.

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✦ Today on "In Their Own Words," we highlight blues guitarist Buddy Red. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out.

✦ The Center for Puppetry Arts is launching a new beta program this fall to bring puppets into Atlanta-area classrooms. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more.

✦ When you think of movie censorship, you might picture blacked-out scenes, controversial ratings, or headlines from the 1980s. But what if I told you that the roots of film censorship in America go back over a century—and that Atlanta played a starring role? We're diving into the world of film censorship- starting in 1897, Maine, and winding to 1960s Atlanta. We'll meet the people who shaped what Atlantans could and couldn't see on screen and uncover the strange, often absurd criteria that determined what was safe for public eyes. City Lights Collective member Victoria Lemos has more on this bit of Atlanta history.

✦ You know as well as I do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well, too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes a gem show, a reminder to see Ain't No Mo, and the Atlanta Alt rock fest.

✦ Hip Hop is a male-dominated genre and industry. For a woman to make a name for herself and carve out a slice of the rap pie is no small feat. From Sha-Rock, The Sequence, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Salt N Pepa, and Queen Latifah up to Megan Thee Stallion and Doechii, it's been quite the climb. Vocalist, M.C., Producer, mother, wife, and Lawyer, Stacy Epps has a name that has echoed through the halls of hip hop for more than two decades. She's shared the stage and booth with legends and has become a legend herself. Ahead of her new album, “FlowHeart,” which will be released tomorrow, August 22nd, she sat down with City Lights Collective Co-Host Jon Goode to discuss music, life, and her winding journey through both.

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✦ Quilting has a long, rich history that crosses many different cultures and eras. For African Americans, creating quilts served not only as a means of survival and communication but also as a tool to share stories and showcase their artistry. O.V. Brantly created the Atlanta Quilt Festival 17 years ago to preserve and promote African American quilting and textile art. The juried exhibition has grown to over 100 quilts on display at the Southwest Arts Center and is on view through September 6. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans went down to check out these vibrant pieces of artwork.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at ArtsATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes The Weeknd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, A Strange Loop at Actor's Express, and two shows that highlight the silver screen at The Booth Western Art Museum.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash," who were once billed as The Only Band That Matters, and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. This week, he shares the story behind "Roadrunner" from The Modern Lovers.

✦ Known for his vibrant, retro-inspired illustrations, Atlanta-based artist Derek Yaniger's work is a delightful blend of mid-century modern aesthetics, vintage comic book style, and rock 'n' roll culture. His art often features bold lines, striking colors, and a playful sense of nostalgia, making him a standout in the world of contemporary illustration.

Yaniger's journey has taken him through a variety of creative industries, from ad agencies to Marvel comics to Cartoon Network. He has a special place in his heart for Atlanta's pop culture convention Dragon Con and has collaborated on artwork that combined the ethos of the convention with his signature style. You can see Derek and his art next week in the Comic and Pop Artist Alley at Dragon Con, and he recently joined City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes to discuss his artistic process, influences, and his attachment to our city's longest-running fan-based convention.

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✦ The Aabaha Arts and Theater Festival aims to spotlight the rich culture and history of Indian Theater while showcasing a variety of artistic expressions. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane has more on this eclectic gathering.

✦ Known for their infectious melodies, sharp lyrics, and electrifying live shows, New Zealand's "The Beths" have carved out a global following with their unique blend of power-pop and indie rock. At the heart of the band is lead singer and guitarist Elizabeth Stokes, a former jazz student whose songwriting has helped define the band's unmistakable sound. Their newest album, 'Straight Line Was a Lie,' comes out on August 29, and the band will return to Atlanta for a show at Variety Playhouse at the end of October. Ahead of the show, we listen back to our 2022 conversation with Stokes when the Beths were touring for the album, "Expert in a Dying Field."

✦ Atlanta has long been overlooked and underappreciated as a culinary destination in the U.S. But the "South has something to say, "and it's not just that we have amazing fried chicken and barbecue. Our diverse culinary options got the attention of the popular food magazine, Bon Appétit. And this month, they released an entire article titled "How to Eat Atlanta." WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Pervaiz Shallwani, the writer of the article and editor at Bon Appétit, about his restaurant choices.

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✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today, they'll talk about: winding down summertime at the mystical South River Art Studios, building giant piñata sculptures for Living Walls's quinceañero celebration, and congratulating Atlanta Printmaker's Studio on an impressive 20 years in operation.

✦ Peter Essick is no stranger to capturing the world around him. Outdoor Photography magazine named Essick one of the 40 most influential nature photographers. For over twenty-five years, he was a frequent contributor to National Geographic Magazine. And now, he's documenting the ever-evolving city around him: Atlanta. In Essick's book "Work in Progress," he photographs construction sites from his drone—examining the various textures, colors, and environmental impact of development.  When WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Essick, he began by discussing his inspiration for the book. 

✦ Alicia Bognanno is the frontwoman of the Nashville-based rock band Bully. Known for her searing vocals and razor-sharp songwriting, Bognanno channels a mix of vulnerability and defiance into music that resonates with fans of punk and grunge alike. Bully plays the EARL this Wednesday, August 20, and when Bognanno joined City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian, she explained how her relationship with her audience has changed over the years.

✦ The Mosaic Quartet, an all-women of color classical music ensemble, performs a free outdoor concert on September 13. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has more.

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✦ The Little 5 Points Alliance hosts its annual People Make the Place event on Sunday, and this year, awards will be presented to community members who focus on elevating the arts in the area. City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes has more.

✦ A star is on the rise with the new music act "Star Forest." It's a colorful squad of animated creatures who deliver good vibes and positivity through the expansive Star Forest media ecosystem of music videos, catchy tracks, interactive experiences, and even a podcast. Some say it's like "Gorillaz" for kids – one thing's for sure, it's ambitious, joyful, inclusive, and downright psychedelic. "Star Forest" is launching its debut live event, "Cosmic Campfire," at Sandy Springs Cinema on August 16th, and the creator of the "Star Forest," Genevieve LeDoux, recently spoke with City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane to learn more.

✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes a vintage expo, a brewery anniversary party, and a bioluminescent event at the Georgia Aquarium.

✦ Atlanta is a place of remarkable history, and the new audio-intensive project "Tales of Downtown Atlanta" shares that history alongside some creative storytelling. Part podcast, art exhibit, and old-school mix tape, "Tales of Downtown Atlanta" aims to become an audiovisual anthology of Atlanta. The project features short stories written, voiced, and visually amplified by notable Atlantans who offer a spirited tour of our historic downtown locations. Sundiata Rush, the creative behind "Tales of Downtown Atlanta," recently joined City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes to elaborate on his vision of stirring civic engagement and introducing the world to Atlanta's soul.

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✦ After raising 27 million dollars, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is set to embark on a two-year transformation, the biggest since it opened over 30 years ago. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has the story.

✦ What do you dream of when you dream? That line comes up multiple times in Atlanta-based author Van Jensen's novel, "Godfall." And the answer, well, if you're Jensen, you dream of a unique story premise so compelling that it will start a bidding war for the TV rights. “Godfall” follows the story of David Blunt, the sheriff of a small Nebraska town during the time leading up to, and following, what should have been an extinction event – a miles-long object falling from space destined to crash into the Earth. That idea alone doesn't seem so unusual. However, when you discover what the gigantic object from outer space IS, then the book orbits into a world of its own. When City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes spoke with Jensen, the author explained how the idea for the novel originated.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes surreal shadow puppetry and the Center for Puppetry Arts, Jimmie Vaughan of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and some Canadian Comedy at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. This week, he tells us the story behind The Elgins' "Put Yourself in My Place."

✦ If you're looking for a close-to-home adventure, you might consider the North Georgia Mountains. Karen Warren is a long-time journalist and resident of the area, and her book, "100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die," outlines places to visit, restaurants to try, and day trips to take. When WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with the author, Warren explained the inspiration behind the book.

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✦ "In Their Own Words" is our segment where creatives tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, poet Deanna Repose Oaks takes the spotlight.

✦ LA star power thrives in Atlanta, as actor Kat Graham can attest. An Atlanta transplant since 2017, Kat starred in TV's megahit series "The Vampire Diaries" throughout its 8 seasons: she's also a dancer, author, musician, and recording artist with four studio albums. Now, the multi-talented performer stars in - and executive produces - the new Lifetime original movie "If I Run." It's based on a novel by Terri Blackstock about a suspenseful murder mystery with Graham's character falsely accused, on the run, and surviving on faith. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with Graham about this new film.

✦ This Saturday, August 16, the Star Bar in Little Five Points is hosting a benefit for Upbeat, an Atlanta nonprofit that helps musicians in need. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes has more.

✦ There's been a lot of chatter lately about proposed budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, but what is the actual impact of these cuts on working artists, arts institutions, and the communities they serve? Who are the human beings whose livelihoods are at risk? City Lights Collective member Kelundra Smith recently spoke with Heather Infantry, CEO of The Giving Gap, to find out.

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✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: SCAD in 4D with Atlanta Photography Group, Trees Atlanta, and Lost in the Letters collaborating to bring us stories of Atlanta's canopy, and a global group show at ABV's headquarters in East Atlanta.

✦ WABE's Sounds Like ATL documentary series explores the vibrant Atlanta music scene. Each week, it either introduces or reintroduces you to a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can watch, dance, and sing along to new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Here's a preview featuring Rex Evans.

✦ Originating over 50 years ago in Mexico City, Circus Vazquez has presented death-defying acts and mesmerizing entertainment since 1969. Their all-human cast of performers has come together from locations around the globe, including Italy, Africa, and even Ukraine. The Circus is returning to Atlanta on August 22, and they'll be pitching their tent at Plaza Fiesta on Buford Highway through August 24. When City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes caught up with ringmaster and performer Yan Vazquez, and aerialist Valeria Koshova, Yan began by explaining why his grandfather originated the Circus over 5 decades ago.

✦ When you think of iconic Georgia foods, pecan pie, peach cobbler, or boiled peanuts might come to mind. But a deeper dive into the state's culinary history reveals a much richer—and sometimes surprising—story. Taste the State Georgia: Distinctive Foods and Stories from Where Eating Local Began.   offers just that. Co-authors Dr. David Shields and Chef Kevin Mitchell take readers on a delicious trip through the state's food history—one recipe, one story at a time. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with the duo about the dishes that define Georgia and the deeper stories they tell.

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✦ Atlanta Influences Everything, as espoused by Tory, Ian, and Bem, speaks to the fact that what is local in Atlanta is national and even international. This is evident in the work of Korean American filmmaker Crystal Jin Kim. Her latest short film, Threadbeat Dad, was shot in Atlanta but is poised to reach the world. Kim joins City Lights Co-host Jon Goode, from her filmmaking residency in Jeju, South Korea, to discuss the film and her journey as a filmmaker.

✦ Brunching in Atlanta is practically a sport. There are strategies involved—arrive early to beat the rush of a crowd, or maybe you're a diner that prefers to make reservations. Regardless, you'll need good stamina to make it through bottomless mimosas and rich portions of pancakes and bacon. BUT in this economy, who has the money to drop $80 to $100 on breakfast food and drinks every weekend? In our new mini-series, Brunchin' on a Budget, we feature several delicious AND affordable brunch spots in Atlanta. On today's premiere installment, WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans heads to Decatur to visit Pastries A Go Go.

✦ When we think of the European Master of Art, Atlanta might not be the first connection we make, but this story aims to revisit that assumption. Enter Athos Menaboni, an Italian-born artist, who moved to Atlanta in the 1920s. While here, he painted ceilings, murals, and even airplane interiors for Coca-Cola executives. But his most profound passion? Birds. From cardinals to crows, he painted them not just with scientific accuracy but with reverence. It led to him and his wife, Sara to publish Menaboni's Birds, a book now considered a Southern classic. City Lights Collective member Victoria Lemos shares more on this bit of Atlanta history.

✦ Are you a fan of music photography, but craving something more than a casual stroll through an exhibit? How about being surrounded by over 1,200 iconic images of rock legends, projected onto 40-foot-high walls, all synced to a high-octane soundtrack played through a state-of-the-art sound system?  Amplified: The Immersive Rock Experience, now showing at Atlanta's Illuminarium, takes visitors on a full-body journey through the history of rock and roll. Created in partnership with Rolling Stone, the show blends legendary soundscapes with cutting-edge visuals to celebrate the artists and moments that defined generations. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with creative director Brad Siegel to learn more about the making of this immersive experience.

✦ In our series, In Their Own Words, we check in with our artistic community. This is where they tell us who they are, what they do, what they love, and a few things you might not see coming. What things? Who knows, there's only one way to find out. Today, we hear from Atlanta actor Christopher McDonald, who recently appeared in Superman.

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✦ The 8th annual "Middle Age Cabaret: Cougar Club is a sizzling mix of burlesque, comedy, aerialists, and more. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans takes you to the cabaret.

✦ When thinking of foods that are deeply rooted in the American South, Grits might immediately come to mind. City Lights Collective members and food contributors Akila McConnel and Chef Asata Reid have the story behind the creamy porridge's history, AND how grits became a classic Atlantan dish.

✦ Alex "Cost One" Acosta lives at the intersection of art and community outreach. His non-profit organization, Soul Food Cypher, uses freestyle rap and lyricism as tools for empowerment. By showcasing the positive aspects of rap through cypher events and tournaments, the organization provides lyricists with a nurturing environment where their voice and artistry can grow.

This year marks the 13th anniversary of their first freestyle cypher, and their next event is August 24, at Create ATL in Adair Park. When Soul Food Cypher founder Alex Acosta and Cypher member Rio Nkosi recently spoke with City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes, Acosta painted a picture of a typical Cypher event.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986.

Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind X-Ray Spex's "Germ Free Adolescents."

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes Monster-rama, The Black Martial Arts Cinema Double Feature at the Plaza, and a flute quartet at the Supermarket.

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✦ Sharon Van Etten is one of indie Music's most influential voices. Her latest record, "Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory," marks a new chapter in her already illustrious songwriting career. The album explores her chosen family, her biological family, grief, aging, and the modern landscape that contextualizes us all.  Van Etten has just announced new fall tour dates that will see her returning to the South in October. When City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian spoke with the musician this past April, she explained the inspiration behind the title of her new album.

✦ Atlanta's vibrant world of cocktails and zero-proof beverages thrives in our bars and restaurants as well as our local distilleries and non-alcoholic bottle shops. Few may know this world better than Beth McKibben, editor in chief and dining editor at Rough Draft Atlanta. Beth's expertise is invaluable as she continually explores our city's elevated beverage programs and examines the latest trends in mixology. She joins The City Lights Collective monthly for "The Beverage Beat," and this month, McKibben discusses snack-size cocktails and why sometimes less is more.

✦ For some artists, Atlanta is a giant canvas. And that seems true for VAYNE, one of our city's most notorious, admired, and internationally recognized graffiti-style writers. You've likely seen his name in giant block letters, sprayed or paint-rolled on some of Atlanta's seemingly impossible-to-reach billboards and overpasses. And yet – there it is. Last year, VAYNE had his first-ever solo exhibition, and this spring, he was a featured artist at Oakland Cemetery's yearly Illumine event. When City Lights Collective Co-host Kim Drobes caught up with VAYNE, they discussed his life spent in the shadows yet seen everywhere.

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✦ Since 2014, re:imagine/ATL has been empowering the next generation of creatives through hands-on training, mentorship, and real-world media production. With programs that equip young people to navigate Atlanta's growing film and production industry — and provide access to professional opportunities — the organization is helping emerging talent build both skills and careers. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with Program Director Jessie Sparrow and program alum Syeara Dunlap to learn more about their work — and how they're using creativity to shape futures and communities.

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: a story about how the Goat Farm is picking up where MINT left off, bringing the family to the High Museum for free, and explorations of Southern, Black, queer history and iconography.

✦ Comedian and podcaster Sean Jordan is following his life's calling to spread laughter and positivity to the masses, but these days, that can be a challenge. Especially as he balances fatherhood and life as a touring comedian, Sean strives to show up, hold it down, and turn life's ups and downs into material for his standup. You can see for yourself, as he makes his Atlanta debut this Friday, the 8th, at the Limelight Theater, and he spoke with City Lights Collective engineer Matt McWilliams ahead of the show.

✦ Several Georgia playwrights are showcasing never-before-seen works at this year's Essential Theatre Play Festival. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more.

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✦ A speakeasy meets a night of jazz-opera fusion, R&B, and chill vibes this Saturday. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more about "The Den on Queen" event.

✦ City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos lives to research the stories behind Atlanta's treasures, and this week, she dives into the wild origin story of one of the city's most beloved institutions: Zoo Atlanta. It all started in Grant Park in the late 1800s, where an abandoned circus, a lumber magnate with a vision, and some very confused animals collided to create Atlanta's first permanent menagerie. In today's story from Lemos, you'll meet the city's first zookeeper, an "educated pig," and learn how a train car full of lions, monkeys, and even a dromedary led to what we now call Zoo Atlanta. We'll uncover how public parades, dime campaigns, and even elephants named Coca and Cola shaped the park's future—and why the city's love for the zoo never quite matched the funding behind it.

✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes two separate food events – one for veggies and one for jollof, and a film festival in the suburbs.

✦ Award-winning photographer Jim Alexander has spent his life refining what he calls the art of documentary photography. A photojournalist, teacher, activist, media consultant, and entrepreneur, Alexander has amassed an impressive collection of images showcasing Black culture and human rights. He's also a dear friend of photographer Sue Ross, who has spent five decades telling the story of Black Atlanta through images of politicians, artists, literary greats, community leaders, and as she puts it, "just plain people."

These two giants of photography have much in common, but it's their shared love for Music that is spotlighted in the exhibition, "We Are Music," currently on view at The Sun ATL.

Both Alexander and Ross have seemingly endless collections of live concert photography. They've both been stage-side to capture images of some of Black Music's biggest names, including Dizzy Gillespie, Gladys Knight, Miles Davis, Run-DMC, Herbie Hancock, and India Arie - many of whom were photographed at Atlanta's annual Jazz Festival. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently visited The Sun ATL to view the exhibition and was given a tour by the legendary photographers.

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✦ Last May, when the pizzeria-arcade chain Chuck E. Cheese announced plans to retire its famous animatronic bands, the backlash was swift. After hearing this outcry, the company promised to keep a few of the bands across the nation. You may be surprised to hear that there was an outcry over Animatronics, but the art form, which brings mechanical and electronic figures to life, continues to hold the public's attention. In fact, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts offers a graduate concentration in Animatronics. It's true. If you're a fan of life-like, magical, moving figures with Dead Eyes (Jon's words, not mine), you don't have to travel far to get your fix. City Lights Collective member Wesley Boutilier brings us the story of a Six Flags Over Georgia ride that recently underwent a significant animatronic upgrade.

✦ Local artist Carl Janes knows that making art isn't a solo effort—it's as much about community as it is about creativity.  Over the years, he has helped carve out spaces for Atlanta's local music and arts communities to gather, perform, and thrive—including his former East Atlanta home, The Secret Spot, and more recently, his location in Underground, called Inner Space.  For his latest endeavor, he has teamed up with local brewery Halfway Crooks to curate a diverse Summer Sunday Concert series, which will run throughout August. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently sat down with Janes learn why he's bringing his Inner Space outdoors.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers, and he joins us weekly to share highlights. Today, his mix includes Black Writers Weekend 2025, and True Colors Theatre Company's adaptation of Jordan E. Cooper's Ain’t No Mo’.

✦ Artist and music enthusiast, Kosmo Vinyl. He spent several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media as part of his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, Kosmo discusses the story behind Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain.”

✦ The game of Pinball has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last decade, and for those who love the game, August 1 is considered National Pinball Day. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes brings us the story behind the celebration.

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✦ The Atlanta spoken word community is going through an extremely tough time. Actor, musician, spoken word poet, and brother to all, Malcolm Jamal Warner, suddenly and tragically passed away last week. To honor and celebrate his life, his art, and his legacy, a collection of some of the best poets in the nation, including Grammy award winner J Ivy, Tony award winner GA Me, Theresa Tha Songbird, Abyss, Queen Sheba, and many others are performing at City Winery tomorrow. Doors are at 11a.m. and the performances take place from Noon to 3pm.

✦ Tossing bean bags or rolling bocce balls—it's the kind of simple fun that can make you feel like a kid again. Only this time, maybe you've got a beer in hand. The Atlanta Cornhole and Bocce League is all about bringing that playful energy to a local pub near you. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more on how these outdoor games are turning weeknights into something worth showing up for.

✦ The Pan African Festival returns on August 16 with the theme of Liberation Rising: Remember, Resist, Rejoice. Created by the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights, this is the festival's 5th year, and the event promises to bring music, food, dance, and discussion to the heart of Decatur. The Alliance's co-chair is Fonta High, and when City Lights Collective member Katina Pappas-DeLuca recently caught up with her, the leader began by explaining the organization's history and mission.

✦ Could the key to advancing AI, educating under-resourced youth, and even healing the divisions of our country lie in hip hop?  Author Manny Faces thinks so.  A longtime advocate for hip-hop culture and academia, Faces speaks with experts and explores this concept in his new book, "Hip Hop Can Save America!"  City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with him to learn more.

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✦ Atlanta Pride, Georgia's oldest nonprofit organization serving our city’s local LGBTQ+ community, turns 55 this year. To celebrate, they’ve partnered with Out on Film and are showcasing queer resistance in the South - through a film screening and community summit. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more.

✦ For nearly three decades, Dad's Garage has been become synonymous with improv comedy in Atlanta. And as their fans have put down roots and grown families here in Atlanta, so to has Dad's expanded their offerings to appeal to the next generation of comedy lovers. Performing Saturday matinee shows, Wowie Zowie is a playful and engaging experience for audiences of all ages. Kids get to let loose and see their creative ideas come to life on stage, while parents can enjoy an afternoon out of the house without suffering the oppressive summer heat. City Lights Engineer Matt McWilliams recently caught up with Dad's Garage ensemble player Avery Sharpe-Steele after a sold-out Wowie Zowie show.

✦ . You may be familiar with Toni Morrison, the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author of novels “Beloved,” “The Bluest Eye,” and more. But did you know that Morrison was also one of the first Black editors for a major publishing company? A new book, “Toni at Random,” examines Morrison’s years as an editor at Random House and the book’s author, Dana Williams, will celebrate her new release tomorrow, with a discussion at Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue Research Library. City Lights Collective member Alison Law recently caught up with Willams to talk about “Toni at Random” ahead of tomorrow’s event.

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta’s visual art print magazine, “GULCH”, want you to get out and engage with the city’s art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: prints galore at the Black Art in America Print Fair, love and care in a group show at the historical Haugabrooks Gallery on Auburn Avenue, and thoughtful textile explorations at Gallery Chimera.

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✦ What do you do when you're stuck at home during the pandemic, with too much free time and no creative outlet? For Atlanta Symphony Orchestra bassist and composer Michael Kurth, you create a chamber group. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more on the Ridibund Chamber Music Society.

✦ City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos recently took a deep dive into the Southern institution that never sleeps — Waffle House. From its roots in a chance friendship in Avondale Estates, to being used as a FEMA disaster barometer, she traced how two neighbors turned a $4,000 investment into a 24-hour empire. This is more than just breakfast — it's a story of Southern identity, innovation, and two visionaries who made waffles a way of life.

✦ You know as well as I do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment. Today, their mix includes free music, peaches, and a trip to the stars.

✦ It's been a long road since The Swell Season first captured hearts with their Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly" and the hit film Once, which dramatized their real-life connection. That breakout moment led to a beloved Broadway adaptation and the release of their critically acclaimed second album, Strict Joy. Now, 16 years later, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová reunite for a new collection of heartfelt songs—and will bring their long-awaited return to Atlanta with a performance at the Woodruff Arts Center on August 2. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with the duo to discuss their reunion and everything that has unfolded in the years since.

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✦ It's time to check in with our artistic community and hear from an artist in their own words. Today, we're catching up with poet Lauren Doriahna. She's an Atlanta lyricist, and she's here to share the rhyme and reason behind the art of language.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes a few options for Comedy and details on a 3-band show at the Garden Club with a few of Georgia's finest.

✦ Five Eight is playing the Garden Club with Magnapop, Anna Kramer, and Easy Now on Saturday. Five Eight emerged from the Athens scene in the late 1980s with live shows fans described as "brilliance bordering on a train wreck," delivered with frontman Mike Mantione's trademark honesty and immediacy.  As mentioned, there's a documentary called "Weirdo: The Story of Five Eight," created by filmmaker and music journalist Marc Pilvinsky, which was filmed over a nine-year period. Ahead of the Five Eight show this Saturday, we listen back to Kim's 2024 conversation with Five Eight's Mike Mantione and documentarian Marc Pilvinsky.

✦ Artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl spent several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind Them's version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."

✦ In his YouTube documentary series "Our Voices, Our Lives," Atlanta-based filmmaker William Feagins Jr. shines a light on our city's creatives of color. The program has been running for 7 years, and City Lights Collective member Jacob Smulian recently spoke with the award-winning documentarian to learn more about the celebratory project.

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✦ 11:24 - After three weeks of intensive workshops at Alliance Theatre's Palefsky Collision Project, twenty metro-Atlanta teens will showcase their original productions on July 25 and 26.  WABE arts reporter Summer Evans shares more.

✦ 13:23 - Atlanta Artist Jym Davis describes himself as a myth builder. And that's true. However, the creative, better known as "False Face," is also a sculptor, photographer, online content curator, and a five-time National Park artist-in-residence. Davis's primary medium is elaborate and otherworldly papier-mâché masks inspired by nature. The artist then wears the masks in natural settings and captures their essence using performative photography. The result is enchanting. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently spoke with Davis to learn more about his practice and how he curates his incredibly successful and beautiful Instagram account.

✦ 28:19 - Stone Mountain stands over 800 feet tall, making it the largest exposed piece of granite in the world. While it offers incredible views of the Atlanta skyline, it has a dark history and was once a well-known meeting ground for intolerance and hate. Photographer Jean Shifrin hopes to change that narrative by showcasing the diverse range of people who make the mile-long trek up to its peak year-round, and she aims to reframe Stone Mountain as a place for unity and diversity. WABE arts reporter Summer Evans recently spoke with the photographer about her new book, "Rise Above: On Top of Stone Mountain."

✦ 42:10 - Through light and sound, the sensory manifestations of mathematics, quantum physics, and vast archives of raw data are dancing on the walls of the High Museum this summer. In an immersive exhibition, critics are praising as "awe-inspiring" and "visceral," leading Japanese artist and electronic composer Ryoji Ikeda invites us to experience "data-verse." City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently spoke with High curator Michael Rooks about Ryoji Ikeda's epic installations.

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✦ 11:28 -  We preview of this week’s WABE’s Sounds Like ATL music documentary series. For the unfamiliar, the show dives into the heart of Atlanta’s music scene. And each week, Sounds Like ATL spotlights a local artist—sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Here’s a preview of the episode coming in a couple of day that features singer-songwriter, Kira. 

✦ 15:03 - A new development is promising to reconnect neighborhoods and restore opportunity in the city’s core. It’s called BLVD NEXT and City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode went to the groundbreaking ceremony to learn more about the arts organization that’s been tapped to collaborate.

✦ 26:42 - City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta’s visual art print magazine, “GULCH”, want you to get out and engage with the city’s art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: Blaxploitation film posters on display at ADAMA, live figure model drawing at The Supermarket, and the all-ages Contemporary Kids art program at Atlanta Contemporary.

✦ 38:12 -  One of Atlanta’s own is heading to Switzerland this summer to participate in the first-ever “European Throat Singing Festival and Competition.” City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Atlanta throat singer Aileen Loy ahead of her upcoming European adventure.

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✦ Today marks the 5th anniversary of Congressman John Lewis' death. Lewis dedicated his life to advancing the cause of freedom and equality in America and was a towering figure in our country's struggle for civil rights. He inspired countless people, including the band members of the Cabbagetown band, Evan Stepp & The Piners. They recently released a single titled "Good Trouble," and Evan joined us recently to share the story behind the song.

✦ The West End's Portrait Coffee is hosting an event this weekend called "A Place to Play," and City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode recently sat down with co-founder Marcus Hollinger to learn why play is not a game.

✦ Today, we trace the history of one of Atlanta's most nostalgic institutions: the Science & Technology Museum of Atlanta, or SciTrek. From its grassroots beginnings to becoming a downtown sensation, SciTrek brought science to life for a generation. City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos recently traced SciTrek's journey through civic politics, fundraising highs and lows, and the love Atlantans still have for the museum today. If you grew up here (or wish you had), this nostalgic deep dive is for you.

✦ You know as well as we do that there is always a plethora of things to do in Atlanta, and we have earned the title of "The Cultural Capital of the South." Mike Jordan, senior editor at the AJC, and Sammie Purcell, associate editor at Rough Draft Atlanta, know this well too. They join us weekly to share a few of their picks for your weekend entertainment.

✦ ATL Comic Convention is this weekend, and a couple of the stars from the hit saga "Twilight" will be in town to participate.  WABE arts reporter Summer Evans spoke with two of the vampires—actors Kellan Lutz and Jackson Rathbone, or for you fangs out there, that would be Jasper Hale and Emmett Cullen, ahead of their appearance at the Georgia World Congress Center.

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✦ Atlanta's first-ever Halal Food Festival is coming to Atlantic Station on Saturday. Mouthwatering food  such as tandoori chicken, shawarma sandwiches, kebabs, and gyros is just some of the cuisines being served by the over 80 vendors.

✦ What do you get when you mix sketch comedy, improv, and Georgia-grown talent with a dash of storytelling? That would be Sketchy Business ATL, a live showcase from Trilith Institute, the non-profit part of Trilith production studios. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane sat down with event host Christian Noel alongside Trilith Institutes co-founder Jeffrey Stepakoff to find out more.

✦ WABE's Sounds Like ATL documentary series dives into the heart of Atlanta's music scene. Each week, it spotlights a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Today, we preview the recent episode with Uriel UMC.

✦ What will the world look like 100 years from now? This question about the future inspired artist T.W. Pilar and creative technologist Ivan Reyes to construct the exhibition "Technoterria," an immersive exhibit currently on view at the Georgia Tech Library.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London's pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979, Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986.  Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary. In 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and today, he shares the history of Tom Waits' song, "Jockey Full of Bourbon."

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes a Plazadrome event with former TCM 
Underground host and film historian Millie De Chirico, and a daytime dance party hosted by drag superstar Lady Bunny.

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✦ In honor of MLB All-Star Week, Truist Park isn’t the only place in Cobb County to see baseball this summer. A new exhibition at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art features the work of artist Mike Schacht—a prolific painter of baseball legends.

✦ Known to soap opera fans as the hold no prisoners mob by Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital, actor Maurice Bernard has earned several daytime Emmy awards and the attention of millions of fans. However, in recent years, he has stepped into the role of a lifetime: mental health advocate. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Bernard has used several platforms, including his podcast, State of Mind, to raise awareness about living with mental illness. He'll share his candid experiences at the Punchline on July 24th with his one-man show, Maurice Bernard: Live on Stage.

✦ Artist, illustrator and educator Faith Ringgold showed us our world through the eyes of young children in every medium you can think of –books, paintings, drawings, sculptures, even quilts. Trained and extensively honored in the fine art and academic circles of New York City, Faith Ringgold nevertheless focused her work on the children who remained her lifelong muse, working as an art teacher in New York City public schools for decades. Now, the High Museum is presenting the most comprehensive exhibition to date of Faith Ringgold’s art from her children’s books, including never-before-seen pieces.

✦ Municipal Support for the Arts

✦ They play on street corners, beneath overpasses, and in MARTA stations — creating the soundtracks of Atlanta’s daily hustle. But who are these street performers, and what drives them? WABE arts reporter Summer Evans explores the city’s vibrant busking scene and learns how it compares to other musical cities.

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✦ The Happy Black Parent 4th annual Children's Book Festival is coming to Pittsburg Yards on Saturday.  WABE arts reporter Summer Evans has more.

✦ After over three decades on Atlanta walls, streets, stickers, wheatpastes, and flyers, the iconic art of R. Land is now on view at Atlanta Contemporary through September 7th. His work, like "Pray for ATL" and "Loss Cat," has previously been preserved for posterity at the Atlanta History Center and the Georgia State Capitol. Still, those pieces only represent a fraction of his artistic career. City Light Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Land to discuss his first-ever retrospective solo exhibition, "Landmarks: The World of R. Land."

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta's visual art print magazine, "GULCH", want you to get out and engage with the city's art scene. Each week, they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: an outdoor film screening on the Beltline by Off the Wall, art in three dimensions at Kai Lin's group show opening, and discussions about fine art curation on Edgewood Avenue with the Obsidian Collective.

✦ WABE's 'Sounds Like ATL' documentary series delves into the heart of Atlanta's music scene. Each week, it spotlights a local artist, sharing their creative process and a few live performances. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday on the YouTube channel, @WABE ATL. Today, we preview their latest episode with the band Anna Kramer and Easy Now.

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✦ Atlanta fashion icon and philanthropist Lauren Amos recently gifted millions to the High Museum of Art to fund a new fashion-focused initiative that will bring a dedicated curator, cutting-edge exhibitions, and public programming and events to Atlanta. City Lights Collective member Jasmine Hentschel recently caught up with Amos to learn more.

✦ WABE's Kenny Murray has the story behind the Georgia Film Academy's recent announcement that it is partnering with one of metro Atlanta's most prominent movie studios. The aim is to provide education and workforce training to a new generation of professionals in the film and television industry.

✦ In the spring of 1955, the Heart of Atlanta Motel was built in downtown Atlanta, a flashy monument to mid-century hospitality. However, by the 1960s, it had become a civil rights battleground. A place where John Lewis was arrested, where hundreds protested, and where a segregationist attorney named Moreton Rolleston Jr. took his rage all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. City Lights Collective member, podcaster, and self-proclaimed history nerd Victoria Lemos recently traced the rise and fall of the Heart of Atlanta Motel, as well as the jaw-dropping twist involving Tyler Perry that emerged decades later.

✦ When you hear pancakes, booze, and art, what comes to mind? How about a festival combining this unlikely trio into a unique art experience? The Pancakes and Booze Art Show is a traveling festival coming to Underground Atlanta on July 19th. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently spoke with festival organizer Justin Allen and Lyle Baldes, special events coordinator for Underground Atlanta, to find out more about this culinary culture mashup.

✦ Did you know that the last car Elvis Presley ever purchased is permanently located 50 miles northwest of Atlanta? The 1977 Cadillac Seville sits in an eclectic museum known as Old Car City USA. WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans visited the rural town of White, Georgia, to explore how this 32-acre American car junkyard intersects with nature and art.

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✦ Praised by jazz legends Ramsey Lewis and Les McCann, Atlanta jazz pianist Joe Alterman has never been a gatekeeper. He knows that jazz is for everyone, and it’s not rocket science – in the words of Duke Ellington, “If it sounds good, it is good.” Now, Joe Alterman is lending his voice, wisdom, and impeccable taste to WABE listeners with a brand-new radio show, “The Upside of Jazz,” with the first episode airing July 12th at 7pm. He’ll also be performing live at Eddie’s Attic on July 10th.

✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today, his mix includes things to do even if you’re not one of the three hundred thousand Atlantans heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Beyoncé’s four-night stand.

✦ Visual artist and music enthusiast Kosmo Vinyl bought his first LP when he was nine. He spent the next several decades immersed in music and began his professional career at London’s pioneering indie label, "Stiff Records." In 1979 Kosmo started working exclusively with "The Clash" and stayed by their side until the punk icons disbanded in 1986. Over the years, Kosmo's record collection became legendary, and in 2014, he began posting about his favorite releases on social media for his series, "Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week," and he joins us weekly to share the stories behind the records he treasures. This week he shares the history behind Mongo Santamaria’s version of “Fever.”

✦ City Lights Collective co-host Jon Goode tells us about his recent visit to The Book Bird, an Avondale Estates nook, that sales physical books, and closes down so that you can open up.

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✦ WABE arts reporter Summer Evans brings us a story about the Atlanta creative writing organization “Lost in the Letters,” which recently announced they are opening a studio in Candler Park. What began in 2012 as a quarterly reading and workshop series, has become the annual Letters Festival, which brings together literary enthusiasts for workshops, nightly readings, and live events. Now, the organization has found a permanent space to bring accessible programs and resources to people seeking creative writing opportunities.

✦ Songwriter, producer, and studio artist K Michelle Dubois has been making music in Atlanta for over three decades, most recently as a solo act but previously with bands such as Ultrababyfat and Luigi. Dubois’s newest album, “Infinity Sandwich,” drops this Friday, and she’ll celebrate with a release party at the EARL on Saturday. City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes recently caught up with Dubois to discuss the new album, her creative process, and how she helped us launch The City Lights Collective with a bang. Did we mention Dubois wrote our new theme music?

✦ Luenell, an entertainment veteran known to her fans as "The Original Bad Girl of Comedy," has been making audiences laugh for nearly three decades with her appearances onstage, as well as in TV shows like "Hacks," and the upcoming Tracey Morgan sitcom, "Crutch." Luenell performs at City Winery August 1st through 3rd, and she recently caught up with WABE reporter Kenny Murray to discuss her sharp wit, high tone, and long nails.

✦ Atlanta’s vibrant world of cocktails and zero proof beverages thrives in our bars and restaurants as well as our local distilleries and non-alcoholic bottle shops. Few may know this world better than Beth McKibben, editor in chief and dining editor at Rough Draft Atlanta. Beth’s expertise is invaluable as she continually explores our city’s elevated beverage programs and examines the latest trends in mixology. She joins The City Lights Collective monthly for “The Beverage Beat” and this month, McKibben embraces summertime sipping wines and shares the history of the ever-popular pink drink, Rose.

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✦ Latinas in Media Atlanta, also known as LIMA, creates opportunities for Latine artists to tell untold stories from the Latin diaspora. Founded in 2017, the organization provides networking opportunities for Latine film, theater, and television professionals. Viviana Chavez and Denise Santos are the two women behind LIMA, and City Lights collective member Kelundra Smith recently spoke with them to learn more about their ethos and their mission. 

✦ Meet our co-host, Emmy-nominated writer, author and poet Jon Goode! He is no stranger to a microphone; he hosts many events around town and performs regularly nationwide for The Moth. But what else should we know about Jon? WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans sits down with Goode to learn more about his background.

✦ The Lavender Performing Arts Festival from Out Front Theater Company returns this month with a new theme: “Celebrate Every Letter.” With a lineup spanning theater, music, drag, AND performance art, the festival is more than a showcase—it’s THE stage for Southern queer voices to tell their stories. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane recently spoke with festival Organizer Ty Autry and festival contributor Hannah Marie Smith to find out more.

✦ City Lights Collective members Jasmine Hentschel and EC Flamming, the creatives behind Atlanta’s visual art print magazine, GULCH, want you to get out and engage with the city’s art scene. Each week they spotlight five standout happenings, and today their mix includes: Gallery strolling through Castleberry Hill, mural installation pieces at Cat Eye Creative Downtown, and a solo show opening at Hawkins HQ.

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Welcome to The City Lights Collective, WABE’s new weekday show where you’ll discover the best of what Atlanta’s arts and culture scene has to offer. You’ll hear short stories, rich voices, and innovative ideas, presented by a team of local contributors.

Join co-hosts Kim Drobes and Jon Goode as they connect you to the pulse of Atlanta’s creative world – exploring everything from music and theater to spoken word, food, film, festivals, and more.

Starting on July 7, listen to The City Lights Collective on WABE 90.1, Mondays through Thursdays at 1-2 p.m. You can also catch the rebroadcast at its new time, 9-10 p.m.

If you already follow the City Lights podcast, you’ll automatically start seeing new episodes of The City Lights Collective beginning July 7, available wherever you listen.

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Plus, in "Wildcat," the 2023 movie about the author Flannery O'Connor, we hear the question, "If imagination impacts reality, isn't faith where those rivers meet?" Co-written and directed by Ethan Hawke, the movie stars his daughter, Maya Hawke, and explores O'Connor's intellect and the role of faith in her life.

As part of the "City Lights" series of "Farewell Favorites," we listen back to Lois's 2023 conversation with Ethan Hawk.

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Join Lois Reitzes at the Plaza this Saturday as City Lights Cinema presents “Stir Crazy," starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. As Lois celebrates her 45th year on WABE, this classic comedy celebrates its 45th anniversary! Comedian Mark Kendall joins Lois before the screening to celebrate the movie and discuss Richard Pryor’s inspiration on his comedy. Tickets at WABE dot org slash events. We hope to see you there!

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Join Lois Reitzes at the Plaza this Saturday as City Lights Cinema presents “Stir Crazy," starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. As Lois celebrates her 45th year on WABE, this classic comedy celebrates its 45th anniversary! Comedian Mark Kendall joins Lois before the screening to celebrate the movie and discuss Richard Pryor’s inspiration on his comedy. Tickets at WABE dot org slash events. We hope to see you there! 

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Guests include longtime contributors and friends of both programs:

Camille Russell Love, longtime City of Atlanta Dir. of executive director of the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs

Hank Klibanoff, journalist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and a Peabody Award-winning podcast host of Buried Truths

Nsenga Burton, founder and editor in-chief of the award-winning news site The Burton Wire

Chris Escobar, owner of the Tara and Plaza Theatres and executive director of the Atlanta Film Society

Plus,  performances from poet Jon Goode, comedian Mark Kendall, poet Adán Bean, and violinist Alice Hong.

Explore more Closer Look and City Lights from the last 10 years at wabe.org.

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Did you know that both "City Lights" and "Closer Look" are turning 10 this month? It's true, and we'll be celebrating with a special anniversary show. We'd like to include your voice in the show, so please leave us a message at 678-686-0354 and let us know what "City Lights" means to you. And don't forget to tune in on January 13 for a combined special with Closer Look from Noon-2 pm, on WABE 90.1

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Did you know that both "City Lights" and "Closer Look" are turning 10 this month? It's true, and we'll be celebrating with a special anniversary show. We'd like to include your voice in the show, so please leave us a message at 678-686-0354 and let us know what "City Lights" means to you. And don't forget to tune in on January 13 for a combined special with Closer Look from Noon-2 pm, on WABE 90.1

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Did you know that both "City Lights" and "Closer Look" are turning 10 in January? It's true, and we'll be celebrating with a special anniversary show on January 13. We'd like to include your voice in the show, so please leave us a message at 678-686-0354 and let us know what "City Lights" means to you. And don't forget to tune in on January 13 for a combined special with Closer Look from Noon-2 pm, right here on WABE 90.1

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Did you know that both "City Lights" and "Closer Look" are turning 10 in January? It's true, and we'll be celebrating with a special anniversary show on January 13. We'd like to include your voice in the show, so please leave us a message at 678-686-0354 and let us know what "City Lights" means to you. And don't forget to tune in on January 13 for a combined special with Closer Look from Noon-2 pm, right here on WABE 90.1

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Plus, a new documentary spotlighting Athens rock band Five Eight will be screened at the Plaza Theatre on December 15. Frontman Mike Mantione and filmmaker Marc Pilvinsky discuss “Weirdo: The Story of Five Eight” with “City Lights” managing producer Kim Drobes.

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Plus, a shelter-in-place advisory is now in place for more than 90,000 people in Rockdale County following a chemical fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers, Georgia. Air quality surveys done by the Environmental Protection Agency have detected levels of chlorine. Show host Rose Scott checks in with WABE’s environmental reporter Marisa Mecke and Dan Whisenhunt, the founder and editor of Decaturish.com, for the latest details. 

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