Austin, Texas, a city well-known for its bustling country and rock music scene, also has a growing arts community filled with painters, sculptors, fiber artists and potters. The city is home to over 40 art galleries and several museums. Art alliances in Austin hold special art shows and events throughout the year, plus artists also hold open studio tours where they invite the public to come meet them and watch them create.
East Austin Studio Tours (E.A.S.T.) is an organization that brings art lovers and artists together. Once a year in late autumn, artists open their work spaces for the public to come tour, watch art be created, mingle with other art lovers, artists and collectors and support the artistic community through the purchase of limited edition pieces made especially for the studio tour. Temporary art installations are also created for the public to enjoy during the event.
Art City Austin is a yearly event put on by the Art Alliance Austin organization to bring art to the city streets. Each spring, areas of the city are cordoned off so that art lovers can view paintings, temporary murals, art for sale, special exhibits and also street performers like jugglers, stilt walkers and fire breathers. The hub of the event takes place on the grounds of the Austin City Hall near Lady Bird Lake.
Art Austin is an organization that unites several downtown art galleries under one website to help art lovers and possible collectors find access to local working artists. This organization also promotes local artists by holding the yearly event called On Site. On Site focuses on contemporary art by setting up exhibits in 16 galleries one weekend a year. These exhibits educate the public on current art being created, plus expose the public to temporary art installations.
Fusebox Festival is a yearly art event that promotes innovative art in different mediums, from painting and sculpting to music, performance art and spoken word. This week-long event helps expose the public to the idea of what art is, what creation is, innovation and collaboration. This is done by holding an event each night to highlight a different artistic genre.
Art Week Austin is the culmination of several different art events in the same week. Various art groups and alliances come together to hold art events simultaneously, including the Fusebox Festival, the Austin Modern Art Association's New Art exhibit and the On Site festival. During the week, there are several talks about art throughout the downtown area, plus installations, public art displays and public art and bike tours.
