Atlanta Arts on a Budget

Alliance Theatre

Art experiences don’t have to break the bank. Encourage a love of the arts and explore all Atlanta has to offer with these free and low-cost artsy options.

Public Art

Explore permanent and rotating collections of beautiful and thought-provoking sculptures and murals at many spots around town. Find maps of self-guided walking tours at streetartmap.org.

ArtAround Roswell, roswellartsfund.org
Alpharetta Arts Walk, awesomealpharetta.com
ArtSS in the Open, artsandysprings.org
Decatur Artway, decaturartsalliance.org
Atlanta Beltline, beltline.org

Museums and Art Centers

Atlanta Contemporary
Walk the galleries of Atlanta Contemporary to see exhibitions from local, national and international artists, all for free. The Contemporary Kids program invites children to experience art and artists through hands-on experiences. Atlanta.

Hudgens Center for Art and Learning
Admission to this non-profit arts center is free; explore the galleries and beautiful outdoor sculpture garden. On Toddler Fridays, ages 5 and younger can enjoy crafts, story time and more; tickets are $5. Duluth.

High Museum of Art
Explore art at the High for free on monthly Second Sundays, which also feature performances, art-making and more. Admission is also free for Bank of America cardholders through their Museums on Us program, the first weekend of each month. Atlanta.

Marietta Cobb Museum of Art
The MCMA’s art collection focuses on Georgian and American art from the 18th century to the present. Adult admission is just $10; students pay $8 and ages 6 and younger are free. Marietta.

Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory
With admission ranging from $8-$10 (and free for ages 5 and younger), a visit to this world-class museum can be affordable. On Sunday FUNdays, held on select days, enjoy free admission as well as drop-in art studio activities. Atlanta.

Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
This fascinating museum explores the art and history of paper, from ancient Egyptian scrolls to paper created in space. Admission is free; family workshops range from $8-$15. Atlanta.

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
Located on the Spelman campus, exhibitions at this renowned museum feature art by Black women artists. Open Wednesday-Saturday, admission is free to the community. Atlanta.

Georgia Library Passes

Plan adventures in art through your local library! Get free experience passes or discounted admission to venues including the High Museum, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Alliance Theatre, Center for Puppetry Arts, Michael C. Carlos Museum and more. Learn more at your local library or visit georgialibraries.org/passes.

Festivals

Art festivals are a great way for families to experience a variety of art and music. Artisan demonstrations and hands-on activities allow kids to a close-up view of the creative process. Look for these upcoming spring festivals:

Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival, March 29-30
Festival on Ponce, April 5-6
Atlanta Dogwood Festival, April 11-13
Sandy Springs Artsapalooza, April 19-20
Decatur Arts Festival, May 3-4
Chastain Spring Arts Festival, May 10-11
Atlanta Jazz Festival, May 24-26

Local Theater Productions

Metro Atlanta has an array of local community theaters, and tickets to shows are typically much less expensive than a national touring production.

Alliance Theatre
The Theatre for the Very Young Series features fun, interactive programs designed for ages 5 and younger, This spring, see “Gimme Please” and “Dinosaur;” adult tickets are $12.50, ages 6-17 pay $5, and ages 5 and younger are free. A series package is $20-$40. Atlanta, alliancetheatre.org

Aurora Theatre
Aurora’s Children’s Playhouse series has kid-friendly offerings, including “African-American Folktales,” “Fairy God Doctor,” “Blacktop Playground: Improv for Kids” and more. The Saturday morning shows are just $7. Lawrenceville, auroratheatre.com

Stage Door Theatre
On Puppet Palooza Saturdays, see shows by Piccadilly Puppets for $10. Dunwoody, stagedoortheagtrega.org

School Productions

Check public and private school websites for plays and musicals; many offer kid-appropriate or shorter “junior” productions, and tickets are often free or reasonably priced. Here are just a few upcoming shows:

“The Lion King Jr.,” Jan. 24-26, Decatur High School
“Fame,” Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Campbell High School
“Mary Poppins,” Feb. 5-8, Wesleyan School
“James and the Giant Peach,” Feb. 28-March 8, North Springs High School
“Matilda,” April 3-4, Pace Academy