Atlanta is Ranked #8 for Top Creative Hubs in the Nation
Friday, June 12th, 2026
Recent research from Squarespace, an all-in-one website builder, has revealed the Top 20 most creative cities in America, factoring in the total number of performance venues, art galleries, a calculated culinary score, artist-funding initiatives, and the annual craft fair count in each city.
|
Rank |
City |
Performance Venues (Total) |
Art Galleries (Total) |
Culinary Innovation (1-100) |
Artist Funding/ Initiatives |
Annual Craft Fairs (Est.) |
|
1 |
Milwaukee, WI |
97.1 |
6.5 |
72 |
Yes |
30+ |
|
2 |
Boston, MA |
96.8 |
13.6 |
88 |
Yes |
40+ |
|
3 |
Oakland, CA |
94.9 |
11.2 |
85 |
Yes |
35+ |
|
4 |
Minneapolis, MN |
90.8 |
12.9 |
81 |
Yes |
40+ |
|
5 |
Denver, CO |
75.2 |
10.5 |
84 |
Yes |
45+ |
|
6 |
Santa Fe, NM |
50.6 |
280.9 |
70 |
Yes |
25+ |
|
7 |
Miami, FL |
32.9 |
31.1 |
94 |
Yes |
30+ |
|
8 |
Atlanta, GA |
31 |
11.1 |
87 |
Yes |
35+ |
|
9 |
New Orleans, LA |
29.7 |
40.5 |
93 |
Yes |
35+ |
|
10 |
Los Angeles, CA |
24.6 |
9 |
98 |
Yes |
100+ |
|
11 |
Chicago, IL |
22.2 |
8.1 |
96 |
Yes |
85+ |
|
12 |
Seattle, WA |
20.4 |
14.9 |
89 |
Yes |
60+ |
|
13 |
Nashville, TN |
20.3 |
5.6 |
86 |
Yes |
40+ |
|
14 |
Las Vegas, NV |
17.7 |
5.2 |
82 |
Yes |
20+ |
|
15 |
Portland, OR |
15.1 |
13.5 |
91 |
Yes |
72+ |
|
16 |
St. Louis, MO |
14.4 |
15.5 |
79 |
Yes |
25+ |
|
17 |
San Francisco, CA |
14.3 |
20.6 |
97 |
Yes |
65+ |
|
18 |
Austin, TX |
13.1 |
6.5 |
92 |
Yes |
55+ |
|
19 |
New York, NY |
12 |
6 |
99 |
Yes |
120+ |
|
20 |
Philadelphia, PA |
7.3 |
8.9 |
95 |
Yes |
45+ |
Atlanta makes a name for itself as a creative capital, landing the #8 spot on the list. Hosting 31 performance venues and 11.1 art galleries per 100k residents, it serves as the heartbeat of its artistic community. This city is known not only for its deep history but also for its culinary talent, earning an 87 out of 100 for culinary innovation. This creative hub is kept alive by artist funding and initiatives, and also hosts over 35 annual craft fairs showcasing independent makers. Atlanta provides a space where creators can not only exist but thrive.
