Postmodernist Members and above are invited to join us for our next Meet the Maker featuring Lauren Jackson Harris, a fine art management professional, project manager, and independent curator, on Tuesday, February 11 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.  Harris will be one of two guest curators for a joint exhibition in fall of 2026 between the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston. Members are encouraged to attend from 5:30 – 6:00 PM to engage with Harris and other fellow Halsey Institute Members before the presentation begins at 6:00 PM.

Meet the Makers are quarterly get-togethers for members at the Postmodernist level and above to meet an artist or maker and learn about their creative process within an intimate setting. The Maker is often an upcoming or past exhibiting artist at the Halsey Institute. They will give a presentation describing their inspiration, passions, process, and, ultimately, final result. Members are asked to bring “a bottle of wine and an open mind.” Postmodernist Members and above may RSVP here.  

Not a member yet? Not a problem! Find out more about the benefits of membership here. 

Lauren Jackson Harris is a fine art management professional, independent curator, and project manager from Atlanta, GA. After earning her BFA in Graphic Design and Art History from Howard University, Lauren quickly immersed herself in New York City’s gallery scene in addition to the growing fine arts landscape in Washington, DC.

With an MA in Creative Business Leadership from SCAD, she uses her innovative strategies and progressive ideas to help ignite the arts community and create new avenues for artists. Lauren has worked as the Gallery Manager and Curator of ZuCot Gallery, a black-owned fine art gallery exhibiting the works of notable Black artists. She has also worked with the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective, a program that prepares undergraduates for careers in the visual arts. 

In 2019, she co-founded Black Women in Visual Art, an organization that connects, cultivates, and serves Black women arts professionals. With BWVA, Lauren builds partnerships and develops programs that create further visibility and opportunity for Black women in art. As an independent arts worker, Harris has curated exhibitions and art experiences with organizations and art spaces such as For Freedoms, Facebook, MINT Gallery, Day & Night Gallery, The Gathering Spot, Stay Home Gallery, Living Walls, Atlanta Contemporary  Art Center, and more. Harris also serves as the Co-Chair for the Beltline Public Art Advisory Council, a member of the Board of Directors for Dashboard, and as a Board member for Tessera Arts Collective, and is an active arts advocate consulting with artists on their practice and career-based opportunities.

In June 2022, Lauren joined SCAD Atlanta as the Director of Art Sales, working to elevate the talents of SCAD creatives into the greater landscape. As of June 2023, Lauren embraced her 15 years of art world experience to work as a consult with artists to advise on strategic development in their careers and practice, curate impactful exhibitions, and produce special projects with organizations and art spaces across the globe. Continuing to navigate the industry as a multi-faceted arts worker, Lauren offers excellence and knowledge to various platforms and programs for artists and art spaces in Atlanta and beyond.