Downtown Atlanta transformed into a buzzing tech playground last week as innovators, technology pioneers, business leaders and rising professionals came together to spotlight the future of technology and business in Atlanta. 

RenderATL, which drives Atlanta Tech Week (ATW), spread across the city with 8,000 attendees and more than 15,000 participants for the flagship conference. The event partnered with 70 exhibitors spread over 250,000 square feet of tech space and featured numerous speakers and workshops. The partners include Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Google Cloud, IBM, Reddit and other significant industry players. 

Avilon Bingham, the President of ATW, told Trending with Ms. Tre, “These events are about more than code — they celebrate culture, creativity and collaboration, showcasing the full Atlanta experience. From panels and fireside chats to the Silicon South Summit, attendees get a taste of what Atlanta is building — both inside and outside of the perimeter.”

Although this year’s event was expanded to massive numbers, it culminates 20 years of work. 

Atlanta Tech Village (ATV), a startup platform, began in 2002 by David Cummings with the goal of expanding the city’s startup scene. To date, ATV has created over 10,000 jobs, helped establish more than 300 startups and raised more than $3.2 billion in capital. 

Venture Atlanta, which started in 2007, helped expand ATV by providing a bridge between promising startups and investors. Venture Atlanta gave the opportunity to many ATV startups to pitch their businesses at a yearly conference and has helped several southeast startups gain visibility and funding. 

COVID-19 catalyzed Atlanta’s rise as a tech hub as traditional industry leaders in New York and California slowed down. The pandemic, combined with the community created by Venture Atlanta and ATV, served as the foundation for the creation of RenderATL, beginning in 2020. Within two years, ATW was created to build on that vision. 

Cassia Baker, Technology Project Manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, funded by Tech, described how this year’s event came together. 

“It was very much a group effort across the city. There was a group on a planning committee, and everyone donated a lot of time and ideas. So many people shared resources, brought in people to provide expertise, and it was very much reflective of the Atlanta tech ecosystem- built from the ground up,” Baker said. “Then this year, all that hard work from years of work by the volunteers, the RenderATL and amazing Atlanta Tech team really paid off, and we saw people coming in from as far as the U.K. just to be at this one event, and they really got to see the city as the event was spread out all across the city.”

ATW had an economic impact of $20 million on the city’s infrastructure. Workshops included “Unlocking Early Stage Innovation for B2B Startups” with Cox Enterprises and  “From Hype to How: Things That Make Gen AI Actually Work for Your Business” with Paul Zikopoulos, Vice President of IBM Technology Sales. 

“We wanted to put together content that was relevant to today’s conversations around startup funding, or AI, or how does the city move to become a top five tech hub,” Bingham explained.

This year, they introduced the usage of headphones for each badge holder to combat the large audiences for each event. Attendees were able to listen to a talk of their choosing, even if the event hall was at capacity, by tuning into the channel on their headphones.

“Revitalizing Downtown: Tech, Innovation & The Future of Our City” with Jon Birdsong and Brian McGowan was moderated by Baker and discussed the city’s most ambitious revitalization development project in this generation. 

“These developments aren’t just building buildings — they’re building the future of how people live, work, move and belong in Atlanta.  The themes are innovation, leadership & the future of ATL. South downtown is what’s next in tech but it’s all happening now,” Baker stated. 

“Powering the Future: The Future of Data, Infrastructure & the Environment in ATL” with Cynthia Curry and Mezu Ofoegbu, also moderated by Baker, focused on how Atlanta is preparing 13,000 STEM graduates for the workforce and what the industry might look like in the next decade. 

“The panel highlighted how STEM education needs to start before traditional workforce ages – in K-12. Otherwise, it’s too late to see the impact you need. By the time you know what kind of workforce you want to develop, that ship may have already sailed,” Baker noted. 

As the next generation begins to enter the tech landscape, events like RenderATL and ATW play a pivotal role in promoting the city not just as a tech hub but as a launchpad for future innovators.

The post Atlanta Tech Week Recap appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

An arts and entertainment hub is underway on Marietta St. with the vision of becoming a space for students to explore the intersection of arts and technology. 

The “Creative Quarter” plans to occupy eight acres of space in West Midtown. Previously, the land was the former headquarters of a building products manufacturer, Randal Brothers. Tech bought this land in 2018 for $36 million to transform the space into a functional innovation district. 

The Creative Quarter will be a cross between Tech Square and the Invention Studio. It aims to be a place where any student can come to make art — either for a class, a research project, a student organization or just for fun. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technologies to make innovative content. It will also be a place for students to network with other creative industry leaders and startups, as well as form new collaborations with peers and mentors. 

“Our students at Georgia Tech are hungry for experiences in the arts,” Jason Freeman, Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts, told Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “No matter what their major is, the arts are important to a huge percentage of our students. Many of them are really interested in pursuing careers at this intersection of creativity and technology.”

With the proximity to campus and the broader Atlanta community, the location makes the  Creative Quarter a natural center for innovation, collaboration and cultural exchange. The aim is to replicate a similar trajectory of success achieved by earlier projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. 

These institute extensions have become startup incubators, headquarters for leading corporations and a hub for innovation labs. Institute President Ángel Cabrera and Freeman hope to do the same for the Creative Quarter by attracting art industry players, creating film sets, building sound studios and becoming a makerspace for students to experiment with art. 

“The Creative Quarter will be a place where students can learn how to use the latest technologies in creative practice, but also a place where they can innovate and help create the next generation of technologies that will continue to change how we create and experience art,” Freeman stated in an interview with the Technique. 

Although no timeline for development has been set, Freeman also told AJC that the Creative Quarter will hold infrastructure including academic space, offices, retail and housing. The space will aim to be active all year long, not only during the school year. 

“Just like our other innovation districts — Tech Square and Science Square — the Creative Quarter is a long-term project,” Freeman explained. “With that in mind, we know that the funding models will evolve over time, and the site will be developed in phases. There will be a mix of funding sources, such as private capital (for more commercially-oriented spaces) and philanthropy (for spaces more directly focused on serving GT students).”

The Creative Quarter will also aim to help Jackets aspiring to enter the entertainment industry by leveraging technological resources to expand artistic possibilities. 

“Georgia Tech is an incredible place for the arts, with thousands of GT students taking arts-related classes, participating in arts-related student orgs, attending arts events, engaging with visiting artists and even sharing their artistic work beyond campus,” Freeman said. “We have world-class alumni who have found tremendous success across so many facets of creative industries — even winning Academy Awards. Yet as an institution, we sometimes lose sight of how fantastic and unique we are in the arts, just because so much of GT’s reputation has always been focused on technology. The Creative Quarter is our moment to make a big statement: to remind ourselves and the world that the arts and creativity are central to everything that we do, and to create a space where our campus, our community and our partners can come together to celebrate that and make some unbelievably cool stuff happen.”

The post Plan for Creative Quarter unveiled appeared first on Technique.

In response to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) claims, Georgia lawmakers have approved a $434 million budget to improve conditions in the prisons. The budget will allow for 700 new guards and increased salaries for existing staff, which will allow for improved supervision of the state’s 47,000 prisoners. 

The Georgia prison system has come under intense scrutiny in recent years after the Department of Justice (DOJ) found that the state’s prisons violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 8th amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

The DOJ released information about widespread violence and ineffective monitoring of the prisoners’ well-being. The claims target Georgia’s treatment of prisoners as cruel and unusual punishment.  

“The advanced recommendations and cash infusion highlighted the sense of urgency shared between both the executive and legislative branches and our need for swift action to address the pervasive problems with the prison system,” Rep. Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin told The Center Square.

The budget was set during this year’s legislative session, where lawmakers agreed that the prison system was operating in a state of emergency. Gov. Brian Kemp requested that a certain amount of the fiscal year budget be given to the Georgia Department of Corrections, which the House and Senate approved.

“This was a priority both for my administration but also the leaders in the Legislature, and I am proud that we worked together to deliver these results,” Kemp told the AJC,

Much of the budget will go to security and infrastructure projects that will include replacing faulty locks, expanding housing units and facility maintenance. Gov. Kemp’s consultants, tasked with assessing the state of prison facilities last year, stated that maintenance issues enabled prisoners to use broken materials to make weapons. 

The Department of Corrections is requesting that $50 million of the budget go toward new contraband detection tools. The funding will support technology designed to detect cell phones and drones, which are often used to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons. 

Although many are saying that the new budget is a step in the right direction, lawmakers and locals who have studied the prison system say a lot more work needs to be done.

Monique Monge’s son, Almir Harris, died while in custody at Baldwin State Prison. Harris battled autism, bipolar disorder and type 1 diabetes. He was allegedly denied medication by prison staff and was found hours later in a day room due to overcrowding. 

Monge, who is now a vocal advocate for prison rehabilitation, remains skeptical of how effective the budget will be.

Many will be watching the Department of Corrections to see if the budget will help facilitate improvements to Georgia’s prisons or if neglect will continue.

The post Department of Corrections to Receive New $400 Million Budget to Improve Prison Facilities appeared first on Technique.

In response to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) claims, Georgia lawmakers have approved a $434 million budget to improve conditions in the prisons. The budget will allow for 700 new guards and increased salaries for existing staff, which will allow for improved supervision of the state’s 47,000 prisoners. 

The Georgia prison system has come under intense scrutiny in recent years after the Department of Justice (DOJ) found that the state’s prisons violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 8th amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

The DOJ released information about widespread violence and ineffective monitoring of the prisoners’ well-being. The claims target Georgia’s treatment of prisoners as cruel and unusual punishment.  

“The advanced recommendations and cash infusion highlighted the sense of urgency shared between both the executive and legislative branches and our need for swift action to address the pervasive problems with the prison system,” Rep. Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin told The Center Square.

The budget was set during this year’s legislative session, where lawmakers agreed that the prison system was operating in a state of emergency. Gov. Brian Kemp requested that a certain amount of the fiscal year budget be given to the Georgia Department of Corrections, which the House and Senate approved.

“This was a priority both for my administration but also the leaders in the Legislature, and I am proud that we worked together to deliver these results,” Kemp told the AJC,

Much of the budget will go to security and infrastructure projects that will include replacing faulty locks, expanding housing units and facility maintenance. Gov. Kemp’s consultants, tasked with assessing the state of prison facilities last year, stated that maintenance issues enabled prisoners to use broken materials to make weapons. 

The Department of Corrections is requesting that $50 million of the budget go toward new contraband detection tools. The funding will support technology designed to detect cell phones and drones, which are often used to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons. 

Although many are saying that the new budget is a step in the right direction, lawmakers and locals who have studied the prison system say a lot more work needs to be done.

Monique Monge’s son, Almir Harris, died while in custody at Baldwin State Prison. Harris battled autism, bipolar disorder and type 1 diabetes. He was allegedly denied medication by prison staff and was found hours later in a day room due to overcrowding. 

Monge, who is now a vocal advocate for prison rehabilitation, remains skeptical of how effective the budget will be.

Many will be watching the Department of Corrections to see if the budget will help facilitate improvements to Georgia’s prisons or if neglect will continue.

The post Department of Corrections to Receive New $400 Million Budget to Improve Prison Facilities appeared first on Technique.