By Kristy Gomez
Historic Oakland Foundation and The Grief House are pleased to announce a collaboration to relocate the Atlanta Wind Phone to historic Oakland Cemetery in Spring 2026. The new location will provide a peaceful space for reflection, remembrance, and healing in a setting that blends history, nature, and community.
The Atlanta Wind Phone, currently installed at Woodruff Park as part of the public-art project “The Space Within,” has offered Atlantans a unique, symbolic way to “call” loved ones, speak their grief, or find solace in silence. Since the art installation’s closing on December 31, the Grief House sought a lasting home for the Atlanta Wind Phone, and Oakland Cemetery is a space that offers a meaningful, deeply appropriate setting.
“Oakland Cemetery is already holding space for those looking to reflect and connect – both about and with our ancestors as well as our Atlanta community, said Sascha Demerjian, executive director and co-founder of the Grief House. “Moving the Atlanta Wind Phone to Oakland Cemetery will allow more grievers to engage with this powerful installation.”
Why historic Oakland Cemetery?
As a public park and community space, Oakland is already a place where Atlantans come to reflect, remember, and connect – whether for historic tours, quiet walks, or visiting with “resident” loved ones under oak trees. The addition of the Atlanta Wind Phone will offer a dedicated space for grief, remembrance, and healing rooted in both place and purpose.
“The Atlanta Wind Phone is a natural fit for Oakland because this space reminds us every day that memory, loss, and legacy are part of our shared story,” said Dr. Richard Harker, president & CEO of Historic Oakland Foundation. “By partnering with the Grief House to give the community a quiet, accessible place to speak their grief, we deepen Oakland’s role as a place of memory, connection, and healing.”
What this collaboration means: The Atlanta Wind Phone will be relocated in Spring 2026, once site planning and installation are complete. Historic Oakland Foundation will maintain the installation and ensure the space is respectful, accessible, and integrated into the Cemetery landscape. The public will be invited to use the Atlanta Wind Phone at no cost, and it will be available to all Oakland visitors from dawn to dusk. This collaboration with the Grief House and Historic Oakland Foundation will include future programming and community outreach to introduce the Atlanta Wind Phone to the Oakland community.
For more information, contact Kristy Gomez at kgomez@oaklandcemetery.com.
