SEPT 26—OCT 4, 2026
Atlanta Design Festival is a platform to celebrate, convene, & connect creative industries. The festival invites the brightest creative leaders and organizations to host installations, exhibitions, design and architecture tours, film screenings, conference panels and more, to showcase Atlanta as a global powerhouse and innovator of ideas. Read More
Ortus Economic Research unlocks Atlanta’s Design Economy
Workshop articulates awareness, edging Atlanta closer to designing a future economy
The creative industries in Atlanta, a key sector to its sustainable economy, has a substantial design economy valued at over 35 billion dollars in GVA (gross value added) —however, few decision-makers understand it. In 2018, MA! commissioned economics researcher UK-based ORTUS to conduct a fact-finding initial study on a major US city, on what design means in Atlanta. The early findings reveals a wealth of data that justifies a much more rigorous investigation into leveraging and understanding design as the key economic driver. What the pioneering Atlanta study uncovers will have implications for other US cities wishing to transition into a design economy.
In June 2019 (before the effects of COVID eventually stalling the study’s momentum in 2020), Atlanta Design Festival hosted its first design economy workshop for decision-makers and leaders from the design/creative industries, government, business, international stakeholders and select non-profits. The workshop conducted by Andrew Graves of Ortus, expert researchers to the UK Design Council‘s acclaimed Design Economy Study, presented evidence-based justification of developing a strategy to support creative industries and sector growth in Atlanta.
Research Economists
ortuser.co.uk
Study Early-backers
midtownatl.com