Sidewalk Radio with Gene Kansas

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Hosted by Gene Kansas, Sidewalk Radio is a monthly, 20-minute, Special Feature radio show on Atlanta's WMLB AM 1690 The Voice of the Arts, that thematically focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation. If you like to hear smart, cool, colorful people talking about culture, character and community, you will probably dig it

Gene dives into Little 5 Points watering hole The Star Community Bar.

Gene flashes back to the Battle of Atlanta and looks at an Atlanta institution: the Cyclorama.

This month, the show explores innovative thinking and an unlikely band of combatants coming together to fight for the cause through thoughtful design

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, as its affectionately known by fans all over the globe, started in 1970, growing from a modest group of 350 to more than 600,000 annual attendees.

This month Gene looks at the past, present, and future of paper.

Gene explores the architecture of this island threshold to America.

This week Gene speaks with Phil Harrison about the current state of design in architecture and how it affects day to day living. Phil is the President and CEO of Perkins+Will

The Christmas season over, we thought it'd be fitting to take a retrospective look at toys so that we may have perspective about personal enjoyment and community development as we enter the New Year. It's important to hear Toy Stories as narratives not glamorizing collective gluttony, but introspectively about their importance in the cultural food chain. But, we promise, we won't get too serious. Toys are fun after all, and for us they are the topic of this month's show, the passion of our guests. We hear from Chris Burn who is the editor of Time To Play magazine, director of Atlanta's Toys for Tots program and Chief Warren officer A.T Wilson and Maxine, a 10 year old!

When we think about Thanksgiving we reflect and give thanks for friends, family, football, turkey, and on November 28th, 50 million of us nationwide will tune in our appreciation for the always-spectacular Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. For the past 86 years the parade has thrilled and entertained us, becoming as traditional as sweet potatoes, cranberry, and pecan pie.

Skateboarding was at one time relegated to misguided perception and city streets. Participants were counter-culture kids considered misfits constantly on the run from authority. Well, those misfits are grown up, and they're still running. However, now they're running businesses, charitable foundations and the town. This month we recognize and explore the personal expression and cultural development that skateboarding so righteously offers both fans and communities.

Over the past 3 years, weve interviewed over 150 colorful guests representing the very best in a cultural continuum thats shaping the world around us. Weve sat down with artists, urban planners, educators, administrators, architects, preservationists, and peregrine falcon keepers. Weve chatted with chefs, farmers, directors, designers, leaders, luminaries, and in one case a guy who carved a tree in to an owl. Its been a journey of great learning, and were so glad youve joined us for the ride.

In 1917, an enormous fire ravaged 75 blocks of Atlanta, leaving 1 mile of destruction in its wake. To replant the seeds of commerce, the city of Atlanta created an open-air market (1918 – 1923) in what is now the Sweet Auburn Historic District. The gathering became so popular, a permanent structure was demanded and the Womens Club of Atlanta raised money to help make it happen. The Municipal Market of Atlanta, as its officially titled, opened its doors in 1924, selling produce, meats, and products to consumers of the day. The market was in many ways egalitarian, meant for people of all classes and color, but not everyone was allowed inside. The African American shoppers had to buy their goods from carts on the curb, prompting a nickname that still stands nearly 90 years later; today we affectionately call it “The Curb Market."

This month we sit down with three unique guests to talk about the gravity and gravitas of the world’s largest piece of exposed granite, Stone Mountain. A memorial to the Confederacy, this several trillion-ton landmark stands as a complex example of both physical and cultural geography, of civil and natural significance. Our guests today are: (1) PAUL HUDSON, a professor of history and author of "Atlantas Stone Mountain: A Multicultural History" (2) cultural geographer, JOHN ALLENSWORTH, and (3) JAY DAVIS, an expert birdwatcher and board member of the Atlanta Audubon Society.

Barbecue fans, this show's for you. This month we take a spicy, sweet, saucy, smokin' good look at the history, art, science, position and passion for barbecue in our Southern society and beyond. Our guests today are: (1) ANNE QUATRANO, James Beard Award-Winning Chef of Bacchanalia (2) BOB TOWNSEND, food writer and columnist of "Beer Town" (3) JIM AUCHMUTEY journalist and author of the upcoming illustrated history of barbecue.

There is plant life, and then there is the life centered around plants. Today we germinate, blossom and bloom with conversation about both. Our journey takes us from the farm to the garden to the design studio and even to edible insects. Lets just say its a show that flowers with cultural pollination. Our guests today are: (1) MARY PAT MATHESON, CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (2) DARON JOFFE, aka "Farmer D" and (3) Jule-Lynne Macie, "The Bug Lady."

If youve ever flown into Atlanta, and thats about 100,000,000 passengers per year, youve certainly noticed one thing as you soar over the city: the trees. Atlantas urban canopy gives it an enduring nickname – City in a Forest, and towering pride if not a-plenty of pollen. These green guardians beautify our neighborhoods, clean our air, and cool our homes, but it takes a community to ensure theyre around for all to enjoy. In honor of Earth Day, Arbor Day and Springtime in the Peach State, we thought it would be fun to celebrate the season with a look back at our roots and the shade they provide. This month we take a look at trees with a few friends who help keep Atlanta green and the conversation colorful. Our guests include: (1) GREG LEVINE - Co-Executive Direct and Chief Program Officer of Trees Atlanta (2) JENNIE RICHARDSON of the Olmstead Linear Park Alliance (3) WAYNE SHANNON - an Arborist and urban forest conservation manager and (4) artist DANIEL BLIGNAUT whose new exhibition "A Conversation with Trees" will be on display at the Bill Lowe Gallery.

Sidewalk Radio goes on the road with a visit to Athens to learn how this small town has achieved so much on the national stage. Our guests today include: (1) Grammy Award-winning producer BEN ALLEN, an Athens native who shares his personal and professional insights into the Athens music scene, (2) WILL GREENE, co-owner of the iconic Georgia Theatre, (3) MARK CALLAHAN, artistic director for an innovative new interdisciplinary program at UGA called ICE – Ideas for Creative Exploration, and (4) legendary football coach VINCE DOOLEY who digs deep into the history of Athens as well as his off-the-field passion – gardening.

To say that the film industry is making an impact on Georgias economy is an understatement of blockbusting proportion. In 2012, direct economic benefits of film production came to nearly 3.1 billion for the state. But, its not just A-list actors and revenues generating buzz, Hollywood is also a boon to students, residents, cultural events and local communities. This month, we explore the epic of cinema in the South and why Georgia wants to continue to roll out the red carpet. Our guests include: (1) LEE THOMAS, the Director of Film, Music, and Digital Entertainment at the GA Department of Economic Development (2) TINA OHAILEY, the Dean of SCADs School of Digital Media (3) CHRIS ESCOBAR, the Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival and (4) Mark Asworth, a working actor here in Atlanta that was also the star of the “Doritos Goat 4 Sale” commercial which aired during this years Super Bowl.

So often on Sidewalk Radio we focus on developing the physical environment of the city, for todays show we are going to highlight and celebrate people who have committed to improving the community of Atlanta. This months show is all about the gift of giving back. Our guests include (1) DON MUELLER - the Executive Director of the Marcus Autism Center (2) JANICE MCKENZIE-CRAYTON - the President and CEO of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Atlanta (3) DAVID AXFORD - "little brother" for the past 6 years (4) LISA MOORE - former Executive Director of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts.

This month, we celebrate the ho, ho, holidays with Atlantas very own, Coca-Cola. The Coke brand is a cultural identity curated through art and advertising, rooted deeply in the National and International psyche. From Santa Claus to polar bears to holiday caravans and concerts, Coca-Cola – more than any other commercial factor – has made Christmas what it is today, and we happily drink it up. Our guests today include: (1) TED RYAN, Director of Communications for Coca-Colas Archives Department, (2) KEN STEWART, the creator the famous Coca-Cola polar bears (3) ZOE HOWORTH, the Marketing Director for Coca-Cola Great Britain who oversees the annual Christmas caravan and (4) JERE FLINT, a celist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra who will help us compliment the look of Christmas with the perfect sound of Christmas.

This month, we get off the sidewalk and head down the highway, Buford Highway - a truly unique stretch that is equal parts road and gastronomic paradise. Guests include: (1) JACK HALPERN, the CEO of Halpern Enterprises which owns properties up and down Buford Highway and was instrumental in establishing the first Korean owned businesses in the area (2) HAROLD SHINN, who along with his family, own and operates the Buford Highway Farmers Market, one of the culinary anchors of Buford Highway (3) CHEF LINTON HOPKINS, the James Beard award-winning chef of Restaurant Eugene and co-host of Feed Radio (4) and GREG BEST, the owner and mixologist of Holemanand Finch and co-host of Feed Radio.

For todays show Gene examines the physical and cultural impact of the Center for Disease Control - better known as the CDC - the only government agency headquartered outside of Washington DC. The relationship between the CDC and Atlanta traces all the way back to the malaria epidemic of the early 20th century, but it has grown more over time. In the Atlanta community, the CDCs impact cannot be understated. It is measured by prestige, progress and even in terms of economic development, bringing new business to the city and to the region. Today, the CDC is also fostering an environment of collaboration: through design, through education, and even by way of Zombies…yes, Zombies. Our three guests are: (1) Dan Watch, an architect for Perkins+Will who helped lead the design of CDCs newest Atlanta campus (2) JULIE RHOAD, President and CEO of the NAMES Project Foundtion which oversees the AIDS Memorial Quilt and (3) DAVID DAIGLE. agency spokesperson for the CDC and creator of the Zombie Apocalypse campaign.

This month, The Fashion Show - where we celebrate the distinctive eclecticism of Atlanta style. Our 4 guests today include designer Sid Mashburn, author and artist Amy Flurry, fashion expert Cynthia Crowder, and Bruce and Brett Teilhaber of the legendary Atlanta shoe shop Friedmans Fine Shoes.

With the breezes cooler and the porches in full swing, Sidewalk Radio devotes a show to that very iconic and very serene setting of the idealized south – the front porch. Our guests today represent the many facets of this seemingly simple space: (1) JIM STRICKLAND – founder of Historical Concepts, an architecture firm believing strongly in the prominence and provenance of the porch (2) JOCELYN DONLON – the author who quite literally wrote the book on the Southern porch, Swinging in Place: Porch Life in Southern Culture. (3) URIEL KITRON – Chair of Emory Universitys Department of Environmental Studies and (4) KATHLEEN OSCADAL – a designer with a modern update to the classic rocking chair.

It is poetic to think of ourselves as a nation founded on the mutual ideals of freedom and equality. But as a city, Atlanta, more than any other city in the country, has its foundations – both cultural and physical – shaped by the struggle for freedom. For todays show, we will be examining how this abstract concept was quite literally made into concrete. Our guests today are (1) GORDON JONES, Senior Military Historian for the Atlanta History Center (2) LAIN SHAKESPEARE, the great great great grandson of Joel Chandler Harris and the Board Chairman of the Wrens Nest (3) US CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, an iconic champion of Civil Rights and (4) DOUG SHIPMAN, the CEO for the forthcoming National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

This month Sidewalk Radio delves into the art of education. Our guests today are: (1) Bill Arnett, the self-made collector and founder of Tinwood Media, who has helped organize some of the most seen and best regarded exhibitions of traditional African American art including a truly remarkable traveling exhibition of the Gees Bend quilters (2) Jeff Stebar an architect with the internationally renown design firm Perkins+Will who specializes in designing for the educational environment in particular student life centers and (3) the long-writing arts critic Cathy Fox of artsatl.com.

Memorials are here to remind us, to motivate us, to inspire us. This month we explore and remember the leadership, courage and creativity that molded art, music, and educational arenas in Atlanta, and places far beyond. What we find is that memorials are community building, not necessarily isolated to one static place. Today we will tell two stories that have shaped the physical and cultural contours of Atlanta -- the Orly plane crash of 1962 alongside the musical life and premature death of Blind Willie McTell. Our guests are (1) JOE BANKOFF - President and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center (2) PEARL CLEAGE - a poet and playwright as well artist in residence at the Alliance Theatre (3) and DAVID FULMER - an author and musical historian.

We have all heard that April showers bring May flowers. In this months episode of Sidewalk Radio, we will also find that water brings folklore, inspiration, public parks and preservation. In examining Atlantas life aquatic, Gene sets out to explore their areas of expertise, everything from dance to destination, from history to heritage…and all of that as told through good ole H20. Our guests for todays show include: (1) Sally Bethea - the Executive Director of the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (2) Markham Smith - a founder and principal at Smith Dalia Architects and one of the original founders of the Historic Fourth Ward Park (3) Sharon Foster Jones - a former divorce attorney, turned Atlanta author, turned Atlanta historian who will be speaking about the Ponce Springs and the Fountain of Youth and (4) Lauri Stallings - the founder and Dancemaker at gloATL whose newest production "Search for the Exceptional" will echo the contested significance of public pools during the racially charged years of desegregation.

Often when we talk about an art collection it comes from the context and perspective of the collector; however typical to Sidewalk Radio, we like to look at things a bit differently. In this months episode we explore the art of collecting by assembling a collection of our own: the appraiser, the artist, the cultural curator, and the puppet master (well, of sorts). What we find is that the art of collecting is a varied, and many times individual, process of understanding. This month Gene welcomes to the show Spalding Nix, a certified art appraiser of Spalding Nix Fine Art; Todd Murphy, an avid art collector; Louis Corrigan, creator of Flux Projects; and Daniel Summers Jr., the Marketing Director for the Center of Puppetry Arts.

Auburn Avenue was at one time known as Wheat Street. In 1893, a group of white citizens went to the city council and petitioned to change the name to Auburn because they thought it sounded more sophisticated. However, it wasnt the whites who made Auburn Avenue sophisticated, but instead the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of Atlantas diverse African American community. With over $200,000,000 in new and proposed development, plus a shiny new streetcar, Auburn Avenue is once again poised for prosperity.

This month Sidewalk Radio explores the history along with the impact and importance that the skyline plays in both our physical and cultural development. As usual, a great gang of guests help Gene understand the skyline from each and every aspect. Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+ Will.

In 1929, William Fox was a movie mogul and The Fox Theatre was Atlantas crown jewel of movie palaces. Over the years it has hosted many award-winning performances. Comedies, tragedies, and dramas – in the form of movies, plays and dance – have all played on the big screen and the stage, creating more than a few memories along the way. On this months episode of Sidewalk Radio, host Gene Kansas welcomes in Beauchamp Carr, the Executive Vice President of The Woodruff Arts Center and a major player in helping the Fox Theater remain an Atlanta landmark in the 1970s. Also joining in on this months conversation are Chairperson of Emory’s Film and Media Studies, Matthew Bernstein and Leo Alvarez, the Urban Design Leader at Perkins+Will. As always, this episode of Sidewalk Radio is brought to you in part by Perkins+Will.

For this, our Thanksgiving Special, Gene is joined by four very thoughtful guests who act as our Atlanta Restaurant Guides, coming together through conversation to explore our heritage, our history, the soul of Southern Food, and the importance of family and friendship.

In this episode of Sidewalk Radio, our host Gene Kansas explores the art, music, mayhem and culture of this alternative enclave that includes Elvis shrines and disco nights (Star Bar), record stores (Criminal Records, Wax n Facts), raucous retail (Junkman's Daughter), thrift havens (Stefan's), booze (Euclid Avenue Yacht Club), books (A Cappella), bands (Variety Playhouse), co-op's (Sevananda), coffee (Aurora), and pimento cheese burgers (The Vortex) to die for, all available within a few block radius, and in Atlanta that makes it one of the truest novelties of it all. As always, this episode of Sidewalk Radio is made possible by Perkins+Will

This month Sidewalk Radio takes a look at Atlantas largest but least talked about monument, the airport. This month, our host Gene Kansas welcomes in former Atlanta mayor Sam Massel, experimental branding expert Keith Curtis of Perkins+Will, author of the book Sunshine Skies David P. Henderson and celebrated chef of the airports first upscale restaurant One Flew South Duane Nutter. So please, bring your seat-backs to their upright and locked position, make sure your tray table is put away, and all of your carry-on items are stowed. It’s our job to provide your in-flight entertainment, a colorful, fascinating and fun history lesson about perhaps the biggest reason Atlanta is Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Please enjoy, have a nice trip, and see you next month. As always, this episode of Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+Will.

This month, we explore the contested history of Freedom Park as well as its complex and still evolving relationship with Freedom Parkway. Were it not for the impassioned efforts of neighborhood activists, where the Jimmy Carter Library now sits could once have been a highway overpass similar to Spaghetti Junction. This episode of Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+Will.

MARTA is more than a method of transportation, it is about connecting people, neighborhoods, promoting business, and conservation. And then of course there is the art, architecture and history. In essence, MARTA is integrally important to Atlanta. This month on Sidewalk Radio, host Gene Kansas invites in some special guests to talk about Atlanta's public transportation system from beyond the typical budget shortfalls and cancelled routes. Joining Gene this month are industrial designer Ted Freeman, architect Brian Bell, Senior Transportation Planner Heather Alhadeff, and newly appointed Manager of Streetcar Development with MARTA Paul Grether. This episode of Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+Will.

This episode of Sidewalk Radio explores Atlanta's drinks and how they have not only changed our palette but our city as well. Gene samples Atlantas dynamic coffee and cocktail scenes and of course sips on some history with Coca Cola. As always, this episode of Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+Will.

What is sustainability? What does it mean? How does it differ from green and how does it relate to different fields? Gene explores Sustainability and its various meanings across design, development, architecture and art. The guests for this show include Paula Vaughan (the Co-Director of Sustainable Initiatives at Perkins+Will), Steve Nygren (a visionary and the developer of Serenbe community), Kevin Clark (a Partner with architectural firm Historical Concepts), and Lori Sturgess (an artist and sculptor of re-usable materials).

Gene explores the role of sports in building identity, community, and development for the city. Gene welcomes as guests Mr. Bill Bartholomay, Chairman Emeritus of the Atlanta Braves who was responsible for first bringing the Braves from Milwaukee to Atlanta. Jim Irwin of Green Street Properties and the man behind one of the truly unique and transformational new baseball stadiums. Cheryl Levick, the Director of Athletics for Georgia State University who oversaw the formation of GSUs new football team. And artist Chris Fennel who used 800 baseball bats to create a truly incredible sculptural arch at the entrance of Southside Park.

Gene explores some of Atlantas most vibrant creative spaces - including the corporate headquarters of the Grammy Award Winning Zac Brown Band, the newly opening Museum of Design Atlanta, GA Tech's newest architectural gem, and some of Atlantas best regarded and most dynamic restaurants. Guests on this episode include Bob Amick of Concentrics Restaurants, Allison Hyer of Hyer Creative (and the brains behind Zac Browns corporate headquarters), historian and Assistant Dean with the Georgia Tech College of Architecture Leslie Sharp, and Perkins + Will designer Bruce McEvoy

There is Broadway in New York, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Sunset in LA, and Bourbon in New Orleans, but Peachtree Street is more than famous, it is a living, breathing, archeological diorama of Atlanta’s history told through its transitioning neighborhoods and ascending architecture. This episode of Sidewalk Radio, brought to you by Perkins+Will, explores the history, lore, legacy, culture and character of a street whose name really came from a pine tree. See, it’s already getting interesting.

Typically on Sidewalk Radio we choose dynamic topics that are in a state of flux. The BeltLine, The Clermont Hotel, The Art Show, as recent examples. So, it might seem odd that January's show highlights a place that normally we might think about as anything but in transition, a cemetery. But, it’s not just any cemetery. Historic Oakland Cemetery is the oldest landmark in continuous use in Atlanta history. And, as you will hear, Oakland is anything but dead. It is very much alive and growing. Guests on this episode are George Hart, former board chair for the Historic Oakland Foundation, Douglas C. Allen, the Sr. Associate Dean of Architecture at Georgia Tech and a master landscape architect, D.L. Henderson, a Dr. of Humanities and researcher of Atlanta's African-American History and Cooper Sanchez, an artist and landscape designer.

Do you ever look at a painting and wonder if you are missing something? Ever consider why the work is even in the place you are seeing it to begin with? Can you see art, but cannot see how it can become a career? What about trying your whole life to create something, and then suddenly, and without explanation, obtain the ability? We are working on this one too! If the answer is yes to any of the questions above, then YES, The Art Show is for you. Sidewalk Radios The Art Show considers the question about how to see art from four uniquely creative perspectives. On this show How to See Art featured guests are prominent local artist Radcliffe Bailey, artistic director for the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center Stuart Horodner, chair of the print-making department at SCAD Robert Brown, and chainsaw sculptor Terry Legge.

Sidewalk Radio focuses on art, architecture, design, development, city planning and preservation, highlighting the way we live and enjoy Atlanta. For the second episode of Sidewalk Radio, host Gene Kansas explores the Beltline and Atlantas history and self-identification with the railroad. For this episode, Gene welcomes Brian Leary (President and CEO of the Atlanta Beltline), Gordon Jones (Senior Military History for the Atlanta History Center), Jeff Morrison (an architect, sculptor and preservationist), and Robert West (a visual historian and painter of trains).