‘Under the Artisan Sun’ | New multipurpose event space provides local craftsfolk with unique vendor environment
The Foundry Ruins hosts a variety of local pop-ups just shy of downtown at the Atlanta Utility Works.
EAST POINT, Ga. — Hapeville may have soundly beat us to the punch here in the city of East Point when it comes to branding themselves as the ‘Home For the Arts,’ here on the Southside – but don’t count East Point out just yet.
In our fair hamlet’s defense, it’s (more than) safe to say that East Point has been a haven for artists from all walks of the creative spectrum – and depending on the discipline, the refuge that artistic safe space provided can reach back decades.
Whether in the realm of Dance with the prestigious Ballethnic Dance Company which has called East Point its professional home for over thirty years.
Or Theatre with the highly esteemed Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Magnet Program, at our very own Tri-Cities High School (TCHS) which helped birth the careers of several local superstar performers including but not limited to; Outkast, Xscape, Jagged Edge, and Kenan Thompson.
Let’s not overlook the relatively recent ‘explosion’ of commissioned Public Art Projects that have cropped up around the city, including but not limited to; the Norman Berry underpass, the Downtown East Point Train mural, The ‘Mayor Patsy Jo Hilliard’ mural at Aya Tower.
Without burying the lead any further, I would contend that the city of East Point is inarguably the ‘leader of the pack’ in terms of providing venues that almost exclusively host creative art events.
Now while I don’t know how to quite describe the onomatopoeia of side-eye, I’m pretty sure that it would sound something akin to – ‘Mm-hmm…’
For the skeptics out there, please allow me to retort with Exhibit A.
That ‘A’ stands for the Historic Atlanta Utility Works (AUW), the latest addition to East Point’s fellowship of artistic enclaves which incidentally celebrated its official grand opening & ribbon cutting this past weekend on August, 11th 2023.
The site that AUW currently stands on dates back to the turn of the 19th century in East Point during the city’s industrial boom.
Where it served as a manufacturing plant dealing primarily in farm equipment, fertilizer, and mill machinery for the better part of seven decades.
In spite of that lengthy run, the Atlanta Utility Works had sat dormant for the better of forty years before entrepreneur and local resident, Melanie Styles had the bright idea of revitalizing and revamping the defunct property into the Swiss Army knife, multi-use facility that it is now.
“We've Made Remarkable Strides In The Beautification & Preservation Of This Once Overgrown And Forgotten Factory.” - states founder & CEO, Melanie Styles in a quote from the Atlanta Utility Works website.
In addition to other on-site renovations, Atlanta Utility Works transformed the foundry exteriors into a unique & intimate 3,000 sq. ft. events space, called the Foundry Ruins.
Inconspicuously wedged between Central Ave., and Irene Kidd Pkwy at 2675 RN Martin Street, East Point 30344.
Some of your eagle-eyed cinephiles might already recognize the “abandoned factory” located at Atlanta Utility Works from popular Netflix series such as “Ozarks” and “Stranger Things.”
Vox Pop ATL had the pleasure of stopping in during one of the “Sunday Funday” artist markets and spoke with a couple of vendors about their overall experiences with AUW and the local clientele.
Owner of Red Aries Rising, a local organic home & self-care product line, Melinda Mills Walkey had this to share.
“I really found a good community here, very helpful,” proclaims the homeopathic-centric ‘soaper’ of other vendors she’s encountered at the Foundry Ruins.
“There's not a competition, it’s about uplifting each other.”
For more information about the Foundry Ruins and other special events held at the Atlanta Utility Works, visit their websites here.
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