ATLANTA, GA – June 2026 – Righteous Entertainment co-owner and film producer Nicki Lynch has been named a winner of the prestigious Altera Art Challenge. Her winning project, “Edgewood Embers,” is an immersive Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) digital sanctuary officially selected as a featured stop on the City of Atlanta’s FIFA World Cup walking tour.
Mapped directly onto the iconic “Ancestors are Watching” mural by @ArrrtAddict on the Atlanta Beltline, “Edgewood Embers” transforms physical infrastructure into a living, crowdsourced digital monument. The installation invites international soccer fans and local residents alike to pause, reflect, and immortalize their own lineage by adding their ancestors’ names to a growing digital constellation.
“This global stage isn’t held up by concrete alone—it’s built on Lineage, Legacy, and LIVES,” says creator Nicki Lynch. “Industry constructs the framework, but it is the people who hold the melody.”
Grounded in Atlanta Heritage, Tuned to a Global Rhythm
“Edgewood Embers” seamlessly bridges Atlanta’s deep cultural roots with cutting-edge spatial computing. The installation honors local civil rights and media giants, featuring virtual relief carvings of pioneering Georgia civic voices Jovita Moore and Grace Towns Hamilton. It also pays tribute to Lynch’s own aunt, GA resident and health education pioneer Glenda Ann Johnston, alongside a rhythmic tapestry inspired by the music of Jill Scott.
Visitors scanning the artwork will see an intersection of local identity—from the MARTA transit lines to the historic Sweet Auburn Avenue—blended with a “World Cypher” that celebrates competing World Cup nations like Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Morocco, Japan, and South Africa through traditional geometric and ancestral symbols.
The Creative AI Tech Stack
Built entirely through an innovative, cost-efficient AI pipeline, the experience features:
- Visuals & Space: High-end 3D models and liquid portals generated via Magnific and Kling.
- Voice & Narrative: A poetic tribute voiced and scripted using Gemini and ElevenLabs.
- Sound & Pulse: A custom audio track created via Suno that transitions from a lo-fi hip-hop gospel undertone into a slow, Latin-inspired cinematic conga beat deliberately timed to physically lower the user’s heart rate.
The Winning Announcement
As part of the Opening Night of Altera Festival, Donnie Beamer, Senior Technology Advisor for the City of Atlanta and Mayor Andre Dickens’ chief advisor on technology and innovation initiatives, presented the Altera Art: ATL Awards which recognize creators whose work uses augmented reality to reimagine public space. The ATL ARt walking tour launched June 15 along the Atlanta Beltline in partnership with the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Tech Hub, and Avant South.
“Atlanta has long been a city that embraces innovation while also celebrating creativity and culture, and ATL ARt represents the future of storytelling,” said Beamer. “By giving emerging artists the opportunity to experiment with new technologies, engage with the public in unexpected ways, and showcase their work to an international audience, this becomes more than a competition — it’s an opportunity to leave a long-lasting creative mark on the city.”
Experience It Live
“Edgewood Embers” is open to the public daily on the Atlanta Beltline for the duration of the FIFA World Cup games. Visitors can unlock the experience by opening their smartphone cameras at the designated mural location.
Media Contact:
Nicki Lynch
Righteous Entertainment
Email: info@righteousent.com
Social Media: @NickiLynchFilms
