The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) today announced that minority-owned digital media company RYSE Interactive will redevelop a historic school space in Southwest Atlanta and transform it into a brand-new dynamic content production studio and development incubator, RYSE Creative Village. The first phase of the project will bring nearly $10 million in investment and create approximately 85 jobs in Southwest Atlanta.

“Investments from innovative companies like RYSE Interactive highlight our state’s support for new business ventures in the rapidly evolving creative digital media and production space,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “The state’s creative industries are vital to our economy, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome this incubator of diverse talent to Georgia. I want to thank the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Power for their partnership in bringing another innovative company to the Atlanta area.” 

This pioneering content production studio and development incubator, located at the former Atlanta Public School Preston Arkwright Elementary at 1261 Lockwood Drive, will be tailored to creatives seeking to enter the film, music, gaming and digital media industry. 

RYSE Interactive recently purchased the former Atlanta Public School and is currently working on plans for its redevelopment, with phase one scheduled to open in Summer 2021. Once completed, the facility will include co-working spaces, along with acoustically treated studio production spaces for film, music, photography and podcasting. It will also include a virtual reality and gaming center, a screening theater and an onsite cafe. Additionally, the project’s leadership team is working with partners to connect creatives to job opportunities within the industry.

“Obviously, there is no shortage of large-scale studios in Georgia for major film and television productions, and there is plenty of production work taking place here in the state. These productions will always need access to talent, not to mention opportunities that exist in the digital and emerging media landscape. We see RYSE Creative Village as a resource for curating and cultivating local, diverse creatives – helping them get connected to some of the larger opportunities,” said Jay Jackson, founder of RYSE Interactive, Inc. “We envision RYSE Creative Village as being part of a much larger ecosystem of resources for local creatives, similar to what accelerator programs have done in fostering the development of tech start-up founders.”

The Georgia Council for the Arts reported that the state’s creative industries have had a $62.5 billion impact on the economy, generating roughly $37 billion in revenue and accounting for about 200,000 jobs in the state. Georgia’s skilled workforce and unrivaled support for the digital gaming industry has helped create more than 12,000 direct and indirect gaming jobs and has generated a $550 million impact on the state. These factors, combined with Georgia’s unwavering support for the film industry, continue to lead to investment ventures with companies like RYSE Interactive. 

“Our creative community continues to grow and diversify in every corner of the region,” said Metro Atlanta Chamber President and CEO Katie Kirkpatrick. “Having a nexus where our aspiring artists can interact with established leaders in the ecosystem is critical, and RYSE’s decision to locate in Southwest Atlanta will play a key role in ensuring access to jobs for everyone.”  

Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Project Manager Asante Bradford represented the Global Commerce division on this project in partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Power.