Presence, Place, and Public Art

What makes a city feel alive?   In this episode, host Ebony Flake speaks with writer, podcast producer, and visual artist Audrey Atkins and Birmingham muralist Micah Briggs about the role art plays in shaping how people experience the city around them. From murals and spoken word readings to walkable neighborhoods, galleries, and public gathering spaces, the conversation explores how art can transform everyday movement into meaningful connection. A mural that makes someone stop mid-walk. A poetry reading that pulls strangers into the same moment. A block filled with music, conversation, and community. This episode examines how creativity influences the emotional experience of moving through Birmingham, and why presence, public space, and community connection matter just as much as infrastructure in shaping the future of the city.     Connections is goBHM’s official podcast, produced in partnership with the Birmingham Department of Transportation (BDOT) and the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) as part of the Multimodal Transportation Plan. Produced, written, and hosted by Ebony Flake. With field production by Jehme Pruitt. Learn more about goBHM  at www.letsgobhm.com