When the Southeast Community Cultural Center's board of directors incorporated and opened The Arts Exchange in 1983 it reshaped the landscape of the Metro Atlanta arts scene: This inner-city Artist colony/community arts center was an intentional effort to create fully integrated facility—multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary and inter-generational. Over the years we have been the place where individual artists could find performance or rehearsal space; and artists and community could find a wide range of classes. A gathering place for community events and social change efforts, and an in-town artist colony representing all disciplines of the arts traditional to the experimental.

That original Grant Park facility open in 1984 and housed 18 resident studio artists, a recording studio, two galleries, two dance studios and a year-round theater/performing arts/music season, with work ranging from avant-garde to traditional, self-taught artists to Guggenheim Fellows. A diverse mix of multidisciplinary talent that attracted a multicultural audience across race and class.

The ArtsXchange, is a new name reflecting our relocation to the southwest side of town to the former Jere Wells Elementary School in East Point. Since opening on January 10, 2019, we have been celebrated as an exemplary and unique center for community, civic, and arts engagement. We offer event and performance spaces, artist studios, classes, literary events, survival sessions for musicians and visual artists, wellness classes and more. Our programs include The Jack Sinclair Gallery, Jikki Riley Community Library and the Ebon Dooley Art & Justice Awards. Our new audiences span generations and races. As we move into our 37th year, we are proud to have returned to our roots.