Ebon Dooley Legacy Awards | Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025 | 5 p.m. in the Paul Robeson Theater at ArtsXchange
YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS YOUR TICKET. BECOME A MEMBER TODAY TO ATTEND! (artsxchange.org/memberships) Admission is included at the $40 membership level or above.
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Six honorees will be celebrated at ArtsXchange’s Ebon Dooley Legacy Awards for their impact on Atlanta’s lasting power as global cultural capital.
The full program will be at 5 p.m. in the Paul Robeson Theater at ArtsXchange, with soul food bites and performances by the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble.
The Ebon Dooley Legacy Award honorees are:
• Shirley C. Franklin , a champion of individual artists and grassroots organizations in all art communities;
• Sheryl Riley Gripper, for her groundbreaking work in media and as founder of the Bronze Jubilee Award;
• Deidre McDonald, visionary founding artistic director of the BronzeLens Film Festival, amplifying Black stories and filmmakers on a global stage;
• John “Kole” Eaton, a steadfast arts administrator whose decades of service have strengthened Atlanta’s cultural institutions and artists alike;
• Diane Carroll, for youth development in dance, nurturing generations through movement, discipline, and joy; and
• Bem Joiner, cultural caretaker and co-founder of Atlanta Influences Everything, a voice for the city’s creative power and international reach.
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Since 2018, the Ebon Dooley Arts and Social Justice Awards have celebrated individuals and organizations whose artistry, vision, and dedication have left an indelible mark on Atlanta’s creative landscape. In a time when erasure and defunding of the arts threatens cultural memory, this gathering affirms that the arts remain a powerful language of hope and survival.
This year’s theme, “Trailblazers: Honoring Atlanta’s Cultural Arts Pioneers,” uniquely centers those whose work reflects the values of collective responsibility and art as a tool for equity and self-determination. Each honoree is a root from which new branches of expression continue to grow, carrying forward the legacy of poet, organizer, and ArtsXchange Founder Ebon Dooley.
*** PLEASE NOTE ***
The general admission ticket is included at the $40 membership level and above. You must be a current ArtsXchange Member at the $40 level or above for admission to the Legacy awards (VIP reception not included at $40 level). Membership will be verified at check-in.
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