Art Sullivan was born in Montgomery, Alabama on November 25, 1945. He attended Hayneville High School and graduated in 1964. Sullivan was a star on the football field playing for the Blue Devils where he earned honorable mention all-state honors during his junior and senior seasons as a fullback. Sullivan also played basketball, baseball and ran track during his high days. His high school coach was Mac Champion.

Sullivan earned a scholarship to play football at Alabama for Paul "Bear" Bryant following high school. He transferred to Livingston and played football for two seasons. Sullivan graduated from Livingston in 1969.

He is best known for his coaching with the AISA schools over his career. He started at Clarke County High in 1969, moved to Grove Hill Academy as an assistant coach the following year, then took over the reins as head football coach in 1971.

He moved over to Morgan Academy in 1973 for three seasons, Warrior Academy for two years in 1976-77, and Fort Deposit Academy from 1979-1981. In 1983 Sullivan spent one season at Hooper Academy as the head football coach.

Sullivan started his relationship with the AISA in 1970, the same year many of the schools in the private school association opened and has remained there ever since, spending 22 of the last 23 years at Lowndes Academy.

He became the head football coach at Lowndes Academy in 2002 where he remained for the next ten seasons.

Coach Sullivan said his greatest influences were his parents and his high school coaches, along with Bear Bryant at Alabama.

Coach Sullivan was named Coach of the Year several times during his career and was inducted into the Alabama Independent School Associations Hall of Fame in 2007.