The closest airport to the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead is the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is about a 30-minute ride by car. 

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PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will close its Airport Station for six weeks from Monday, April 8 through Sunday, May 19 to renovate the concourse and platform levels. MARTA service will continue to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport via a bus shuttle between College Park Station and the North Terminal Lower Level, downstairs from North Baggage Claim, 22 hours a day, 4 a.m. to 2 a.m.
There are also rental cars, taxis and shared ride services are easily available from the airport.
Please click here for more information.

Come to the foyer of the Grand Ballroom on Thursday, April 25 starting at 4:00pm. You will pick up your name badge, and the Art Materials Exhibition Hall will be open. Check the back of your plastic name badge holder for your tickets. Make sure you wear your name badge at all times during the conference as you will need it to enter classes or the General Sessions.

The Expo Hall's Grand Opening is on Thursday at 4:00pm with a wide variety of art materials and services:

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                  Thursday:   4:00pm-7:30pm                              Saturday:  10:00am-5:00pm

                  Friday:       10:00am-5:30pm                              Sunday:     8:00am-12:30pm

Exhibitors this year are: Artefex, Blick Art Materials, Chelsea Classical Studio Fine Art Materials, General Pencil Co., Golden Artist Colors , Jack Richeson & Co., MacPherson's Art, Michael Harding Handmade Paints, New Wave Fine Art Products, Raymar, Rosemary & Co., Silver Brush Limited, Winsor & Newton, Portrait Society Fine Art Books

The Portrait Society offers a variety of books by faculty and other well-known artists. – we will only be accepting checks or credit cards (no cash) for books. Make note of our book signing, buy your books early and have it signed by the author! 

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Friday, 12:30pm: Michael Shane Neal and Mary Whyte

Saturday, 12:30pm: Anna Rose Bain, Casey Childs, Virgil Elliott, Susan Lyon, and Oliver Sin

The top 20 artworks from the International Portrait Competition will be on display in the Library, right across from the Onyx bar on the lobby level. Don’t forget to place your vote for the People’s Choice award. You will receive your ballot when you pick up your name badge, and ballots must be dropped in the ballot box located in the Library by Saturday at 2:00pm.

Among one of the most popular programs at the conference are the individual portfolio critiques, which will be held on the second-floor Highland Ballroom foyer area. Take advantage of the artists who have generously agreed to critique portfolios during the Friday and Saturday lunch hour. Feel free to share your artwork for critiques electronically on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. You do not have to bring a physical portfolio notebook unless you have one. 

A fast-paced and exciting event featuring donated artwork offered for a fixed price of $275! Our 6x9: Limited Size, Unlimited Talent Mystery Art Sale will take place Friday night, April 26, in the Grand Ballroom. Doors open for viewing at 5:30pm and the sale will begin at 6:00pm. The work being offered is created by past and current faculty, gold medal recipients and other award winners. The twist comes after purchase when the buyer discovers whose painting they have acquired.

If you have already purchased a ticket, it will be in your name badge. Remember to bring the ticket with you to the Grand Ballroom. We implemented a system that allows attendees to reserve a seat at the banquet.  To do so, come to the Volunteer desk next to Registration on Friday between 8:00am-4:00pm and Saturday between 8:00am-2:00pm. Bring your ticket as well as others you would like to sit with, and we will attach your reserved seat to your ticket. Dress code is business casual to semi-formal. 

• Please note: Grand Hyatt Atlanta is CASH FREE - and only accepts credit cards, debit cards and, where applicable, other contactless forms of payment. It is a cash-free environment.

There are a variety of food options available including:

• Cash sales for breakfast in the Grand Ballroom foyer each morning.

• Grab and Go Lunches will be available for purchase on Friday and Saturday. Forms for will be available in the Ballroom Foyer each day to pre-order.

• Other Options: Inside the hotel is the Cassis Restaurant, open daily for breakfast. Also, the Onyx Lounge in the lobby offers a wide selection of food items and specialty drinks.

• Within walking distance are a variety of reasonable opportunities: Chick-Fil-A, Farm Burger, Jason’s Deli, Starbucks, Jimmy Johns, Flying Biscuit, Caribou Coffee, Buckhead Pizza, and more.

Through the generosity of the artists participating in the Face-Off event, we are offering their demonstration artwork for purchase through a silent auction. It will be held immediately following the 6x9 Art Sale at 6:30pm Friday in the Grand Ballroom. If we have active bidding right up to the 6:30pm deadline, we will go to a live auction to complete the sale. Funds raised from the auction will be used to support our scholarship program. 

Not able to attend in person?  If you register for the virtual conference, you will:

• Have access to live-stream all of the presentations and demonstrations that take place on the Mainstage in the Grand Ballroom

• Thursday: Live broadcast of one artist group at the Face-off

• Friday’s General Session and Friday’s breakout session- "Chasing the Likeness: How to Paint a Portrait and Not Lose a Friend"

• Saturday’s General Session and Saturday’s breakout class- "Chromatic Emotions: A Journey of Presence and Form."

• Sunday’s General Session

Because we are not set up to film outside the Grand Ballroom, the other breakout sessions nor the Pre-Conference Workshops are not available to be viewed. For an additional fee, you can have access to the recordings for 90 days.

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