The former CNN Center is adding another layer to its transformation. On April 16, Atlanta leaders announced the ATL Culture House — a 23,000-square-foot creative venue inside the building that will host performances, exhibitions, and local vendors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The project is a collaboration between Showcase Atlanta, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs. It represents something the building has never been before: a stage for Atlanta's homegrown creative community, operating at scale, in the middle of downtown.
What the Space Will Include
The ATL Culture House will feature a performance stage, exhibition spaces, and vendor areas. Programming will span eight days throughout June and July, with half curated by the city and the remaining slots filled by artists selected from an open application process.
The response was overwhelming. OCA executive director Adriane Jefferson said the office received more than 400 proposals from across Atlanta. "This shows what it means, how this is resonating, and what it means to Atlanta creatives to have a space that really represents them."
Events will include live performances, artist panels, film screenings, and youth workshops. The first event is scheduled for June 14 — one day before Atlanta's first World Cup match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Space as Cultural Infrastructure
Bem Joyner, co-founder of Atlanta Influences Everything, framed the project in terms of what physical space makes possible. "Without space and place, the cultural exchange happens via the Instagram marketplace or something like that," he said. The ATL Culture House gives Atlanta's creative community something that social media cannot: a room, a stage, and a crowd that showed up on purpose.
The announcement also followed Governor Brian Kemp's signing of a bill creating a Georgia Music Office — a state-level signal that cultural infrastructure is being taken seriously. Mayor Andre Dickens connected the dots: "Which should hopefully lead to production tax credits so the producers, the writers, etc., can get a little love."
Why It Matters for Downtown
The ATL Culture House occupies the same building that will reopen as The CTR on May 21. Together, they represent the most ambitious reimagining of the former CNN Center since Ted Turner first chose it as his headquarters in 1980. For visitors arriving in downtown Atlanta this summer, The CTR offers restaurants and a World Cup shop. The ATL Culture House offers a reason to stay longer — and a window into the city that no FIFA broadcast can provide.
Original reporting by Amanda Andrews, Georgia Public Broadcasting, April 16, 2026.