Keep Austin Creative

KEEP AUSTIN

CREATIVE An inside look into Austin’s booming entertainment scene

SPOT THE STREET ART Dive into the brilliant streaks of color that cover our city limits. pg. 8 AN ADVENTURE FOR BOOK LOVERS Discover all about the Texas Book Festival and its renowned authors. pg.`15 THE SOUNDS OF AUSTIN Explore the sounds of ACL fest through this vibrant article. pg. 33

Table of Contents

8 Spot the Street Art

6 12

6 Letters From The Editors

4 I Keep Austin Creative

14 An Adventure for Book Lovers

12 Must-See Murals

18 Authors Around the Country

24 The Past and Present of Austin Film Society

18

20 Guiding the Way for Local Film

30 Art Evolution of the East Austin Studio Tour

36 A Beginner’s Guide to ACL Festival

30

26 A Look into the East Austin Studio Tour

32 The Sounds of Austin

5 I Keep Austin Creative

Letters From the Editors My name is Annabel Andre and I am a freshman at LASA in Austin, Texas. Our magazine is centered around different art forms in Austin and the organizations that have a major role in supporting those arts. We unanimously decided on this topic due to our love of Austin and its creative side. I have lived in Austin all my life and its family-like creative community has always been an important part of my life. I love all the art that Austin has to offer but especially the vast world of local, often hardto-find, films, a world that is supported by Austin Film Society.

I think film is a great way for people to express themselves and a great way for film lovers to expand and enrich people’s lives.

There is an extensive local film community in Austin and with my story I hope to encourage you to explore this community that is often unexplored.

My name is Ella Tee and I was born in Tucson, Arizona however I grew up in Austin, Texas. My article in our magazine is about the East Austin Studio Tour. My choice in writing this article stemmed from my great appreciation of visual arts.

Growing up, art has always been a big part of my life, and I have been participating in it for as long as I can remember.

Choosing to write my article on this tour was meant to show appreciation for the arts as a whole, as well as local artisans in east Austin. I grew up most of my life in Austin and I was able to experience the uniqueness and artistic vibe of the city from such a young age. Through my article, I hope to immerse readers in a unique Austin experience that they may also take interest in.

6 I Keep Austin Creative

My name is Sarah Angelone and I am a student at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas. Through our collective love for the city, we chose to revolve our magazine around entertainment in Austin in order to share some of the beautiful cultures that connect Austinites. We sought to create a platform for Austin residents and interested outsiders in hopes that they discover new events correlating with the things they love. Each topic within the magazine is unique and inspired by our own personal interests in order to grasp the common interests of our readers. I chose to craft my article around the Texas Book Festival based on my personal love for literature, and I wanted to inform other book lovers of a place to express and bond through their passion as well.

My name is Mia Larson, and I’m a freshman in the class of 2024 at LASA. In my free time I enjoy playing sports, reading, exploring the outdoors, and hanging out with my friends and family. I also love music, and I have been playing the piano since I was six years old. Listening to music, discovering new artists, and going to concerts are some of my favorite things to do. I moved to Austin in 2014, and continue to be amazed by the rich culture and vibrancy of the city and its wonderful residents. One of my favorite parts about Austin is its incredible live music, so I was excited to craft my article about Austin City Limits, one of the city’s most beloved festivals. I hope you enjoy our magazine!

My name is Sofia and I am a freshman living life at LASA. Native to Texas, I have resided in Austin throughout the entirety of my 15 years of existence. I absolutely love spending time outside, and welcome any opportunity to travel and expand my horizons. Austin’s passion for art has long since drawn me to the bold strokes of paint that are splattered along the city limits. Street art intrigued me from the beginning, so it was a privilege to dive into its culture and uncover just how its roots have taken hold in our city. Beyond that, Austin in itself has so many unique aspects of city life that morph together to create something absolutely amazing. My hope is that through our magazine, you, the reader, will gain a newfound understanding of our wonderfully eccentric culture, and truly learn to appreciate the wacky weirdness known as Austin.

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Gasp of Beauty - As the sun dips below the horizon, the Austin skyline dazzles its citizens as commuters make their way home after a long day’s work. The briliant sunset is a renowned Austin attraction that guarantees a gorgeous view for the cost of nothing but good times.

(Photo by Dreamstime.)

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STREET ART: THE WORKS An inside look into Austin’s pride and joy: street art!

By: Sofia Castano

It’s no secret that Austin is a little odd; in fact, our beloved slogan even sums up the epitome of our quirks, Keep Austin Weird!

Throughout the recent decades, Austin has rapidly progressed into a phenomenal residential area that is home to lively attractions that both celebrate and cultivate our self-proclaimed “weirdness.”

Ask any Austinite and they will insist that our city’s soul and spirit is derived from our appreciation of unparalleled arts. And yet, the 8 I Keep Austin Creative

ultimate embodiment of our motto is fueled by the brilliant streaks of paint that blotch the city fences: street art. After all, it’s impossible to deny that it certainly is a step up from ordinary, dull, gray walls.

There is no doubt that Austin is saluted throughout the nation as the live capital of music; nonetheless, its diverse array of extraordinary art attracts all sorts of people from far and wide. Each mural imparts its own mark on the city while simultaneously presenting an inside account into the unique perspective of its creator.

For that matter, it’s safe to say that Austin most certainly has a soft spot for street art. Revered pieces are scattered through the city merely beckoning for an audience with open arms. With every selfie, smile and laugh, the marvelous potential of street art is sprinkled around communities, claiming its standing as a priceless aspect of the tradition.

Contemporary graffiti dates back to the late 1960s where it has commonly been credited to have arisen from the Black and Latino neighborhoods that lined New York City. With the introduction of the aerosol spray can, early graffiti artists (commonly referred to as “taggers” or “writers”) capitalized on the idea of possessing a specific stylized signature with the intent of tag-

ging as many feasible locations as possible.

“From the early 90s on, it mainly consisted of gang graffiti and a small, if not much of a graffiti scene at all,” said Harrison Gay, an AISD teacher who doubles as a commissioned artist. Ultimately, the fundamental underlying principle of graffiti practice was to broadcast one’s art and have said work be popularized. They aimed for their art to be seen by a con-

“Austin is the main reason that we’re doing what we’re doing, just because you can.

There are so many opportunities for artists to make a living painting murals.”

- Mike Johnston siderable amount of both people and places. “Then, in the mid 90s and up to 2011, Austin was able to expand big time,” Gay said.

As graffiti artists began to draw inspiration from important heroes or figures, it was not bizarre for writers to shift away from text-based works in preference for imagery. Since the turn of the mil-

Star Shooters - Various cans of spray paint sit in a box as they patiently await their artist. Essentially acrylic in a can, they do not spray with high intensity and offer a variety of different patterns and designs. (Photo by: Herronstock.)

lennium, this technique has been revived with renewed vigor and has cleared the path for countless aspiring artists.

For decades, Austin has boasted their fair share of innovative art and praised its vivacious tenacity and spunk. In no time at all, the idea of street art sprung up to seize a life of its own. It’s near impossible for one to take a brief stroll throughout the city and not notice a single mural blossoming on an otherwise ordinary wall. Astronauts, slices of toast, and pleasantly bemused frogs are hailed as heroes for their invaluable place in the capital’s culture.

The spirit behind these pieces is personified in the boundless energy of the artists and their

proud advocates. Numerous businesses have partaken in the cheer as well. It’s not uncommon for a

“The city is such an amazing, inviting place to create; we really take the ‘Keep Austin Weird’ slogan to heart.”

- Mike Johnston

vibrant image with bold hues to be 9 I Keep Austin Creative

bold hues to be painted on the back of a local supermarket, or for a crop of friendly flowers to be plastered on the red bricks belonging to an emergency room.

“I think the neat part about Austin is how the businesses embrace and adopt local culture,” said Mike Johnston, or “Truth,” a renowned street artist who has created several famous pieces throughout Austin.

As a result, studies have even documented that the rise of public art has become an increasingly popular form of creative advertising that serves as a distinguishable factor for businesses. It helps highlight brand values and builds a sense of community. Likewise, thanks to the courtesy of a dynamic atmosphere, customers have been shown to become significantly more engaged with their surroundings. Ultimately, it pays

off to paint!

There are numerous intangible benefits of the street art and murals in Austin; the lack of their presence would only guarantee that the city would undoubtedly be

“It’s amazing to live in Austin and experience the interactions of people firsthand.

I love seeing people appreciate my work.”

- Harrison Gay

less welcoming. However, you can’t

just put up a mural wherever and whenever the temptation strikes, rather, it is essential to either obtain permission or purposely seek out designated locations that are specialized for street art: aka, a Graffiti Park.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of places in Austin where graffiti is discouraged. One such location that was regularly acknowledged as “the king of all graffiti parks,” was the HOPE Outdoor Gallery.

Springing up in 2011, “it was a very Austin thing; everyone was always extremely friendly,” “Truth” said. While the pop-up eventually came to a close in 2019, the beloved park and tourist attraction stayed put longer than anyone expected it to. It’s steep, stair-stepped lot filled to the brim with walls and intriguing vegetation beckoned to both artists and visitors alike. For many, it was an anchor, a refuge that helped people stay grounded. At practically all times of the day, the park was crowded, immersed with hordes of artists looking to expand their skills.

“The people there would share paint or demonstrate new tricks, and despite it being crowded, the Austin art community never failed to make you feel welcome,” Gay said.

Although, never fear, HOPE is not lost forever! Property owner, Vick Ayad, announced that the outdoor park had plans

HOPEful - Paintings splatter the walls of the HOPE Gallery in Austin, TX in early 2019. The Gallery ended up closing in 2019 with plans to relocate to a new site that boasts a myriad of empty walls simply waiting to be painted upon. (Photo by: Dreamstime.)

10 I Keep Austin Creative

to relocate to a new home in east Austin where it will secure its position as the largest earth brick project in the State of Texas! How’s that for exciting?

With every colorful stroke of paint, the authentic essence of “The Heart of Texas” is affirmed through its unique enrichment. Moreover, the cherished Austinite culture that we hold dear wouldn’t be the same without its brilliant displays of paint. Street art is a showcase of how the fierce spirit of creativity can permeate the culture of a city in order to pave the path for a legacy that will only continue to evolve and take form. Ever changing, street art never fails to discover new ways to outdo itself time and time again.

Simply put, Austin would not be Austin without a spray can by its side.

Top Dog - Harrison Gay touches up his piece on a sunny afternoon in Austin, TX in 2020.

With a growing city comes an increase in artists and thus an increase in art that encourages community and acceptance. (Photo by: Harrison Gay.) Care for a Slice?

- An astronaut outstretches its hand to grab a slice of pizza behind Brick Oven Pizza on 1209 River St Downtown. “Spaceman with floating pizza” is well-known throughout Austin for its inviting persona. (Photo by: Pixabay.)

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MUST SEE So many murals, so hard to choose! Take a look below!

AUSTIN’S 10 “Instagrammable” must-see murals!

Time is on the Side of Change

Before I Die...

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

“We are East” Austin

Spaceman with Floating Pizza

Greetings from Austin

“I love you so much” Willie for President Hi, How Are You ‘Til Death do us Part

12 I Keep Austin Creative

BUCKET LIST

GRAFFITI REGULATIONS It’s all fun and games until it’s not! What rules should I abide to?

ORDINANCE OF 1995: This ordinance states that propety owners are responsible for removing graffiti from their property. This regualation is primarily enforced by the Graffiti Abatement Program.

Creating graffiti without consent of the property owner is a crime, and taggers are subject to various penalties under state law.

24 - 48 Immediate removal within 24 - 48 hours has proven to be the most effective method of prevention.

PREVENTION: - installation of street lights - installation of motor sensitive cameras - clear line of sight - make the wall less accessible

24 - 48

KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL at 512-391-0617 to notify of graffiti.

Contact

Sources: - City of Austin, Graffiti Removal, 2020 - A Taste of Koko, Jane Ko - Graffiti Abatement Program, Austin Public Health

13 I Keep Austin Creative

An Adventure for

BOOK LOVERS

By Sarah Angelone

interests. An opportunity to discuss literature with others, meet popular authors, and discover new books.

Luckily there is just the event located in Austin, Texas.

The Texas Book Festival is a nonprofit organization that hosts a two-day festival each year. The event was created in order to raise money to fund various libraries within Texas and is located in downtown Austin on Springdale Road. The festival

One of the Festival’s aspects that brings me the most joy is witnessing a giant community of book lovers—both writers and readers—come together to celebrate literature.

-Matthew Patin

Stack of Books upon hand. (Courtesy of Pixabay.)

The Texas Book Festival

M

any people interested in literature have been seeking a source to express and share their love for books, poetry and literary arts with a large community of people who share the same

14 I Keep Austin Creative

takes place once a year during the fall for two days. Throughout these two days, there can be up to 50,000 people attending the festival, and at least 250 authors attend the event for book signings, meet and greets, author presentations, and sharing their novels with the attendees.

In November 1996, the first lady of Texas, Laura Bush, and Margaret Farabee, Senator Ray Farabee’s wife, along with many volunteers, worked to provide a platform to give Texan authors the opportunity to share and spread the word of their literary creations as well as to donate to libraries within Texas, resulting in the establishment of the annual Texas Book Festival. This autumn will be the 25th anniversary of the tradition-

al festival, but there must be a motivation behind the ongoing event.

Being a nonprofit organization, the Texas Book Festival has a source of inspiration to continue hosting these festivals. Claire Burrows, deputy director of the Texas Book Festival, explains how the main goal and inspiration of the Texas Book Festival is always the opportunity to create a bond between authors and readers.

“Our mission statement is to connect authors and readers,” Burrows said. “That really is a guiding principle of goals in everything we do.”

Through every idea, activity and goal, the staff of the book festival always take into consideration the goal and whether or not the idea follows their mission statement, ensuring that the attendees and the authors will always have a good time by bonding through literature.

Matthew Patin, Literary Director of the Texas Book Festival, additionally expands on his perspective of the information regarding the general rundown of the main objective of the festival.

“The Texas Book Festival is one of the largest literary events in North America. It’s like an SXSW or Sundance of literature. More than a once-a-year Festival, it’s also a year-round nonprofit organization that—driven by its mission to connect authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination—serves Texas’s libraries, its students, and its literary community,” Patin explained.

Patin expands on the idea that celebrating the culture of literacy and imagination brings together authors and readers through the event which also serves the goal of assisting Texas

Attendees browsing through the pages of a book during the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Bob Daemmrich of Daemmrich Photography.)

15 I Keep Austin Creative

extremely well-known authors have attended the festival such as Julia Alvarez, R.J. Palacio, Jenna Evans Welch and Megan McDonald.

As a staff member of the event, Burrows has had countless interactions with famous celebrities and authors through the festival.

Some of these well-known individuals who have attended the festival include Tom Hanks, Ethan Hawke, Margaret Atwood, Jaqueline Woodson and Colson Whitehead.

“At this point, we have authors from all over the U.S. and sometimes we even have international authors,” Burrows explained.

Not only do you get to meet your favorite authors, but the Texas Book Festival additionally features book signings and author presentations Attendees browsing through a childrens panel at the Texas Book Festival (Photo Courtesy of Daemmrich Photography.)

libraries, students and overall literary environment and community. The festival gathers tens of thousands of hungry readers and hundreds of passionate authors in one place to bond through the beautiful art of literature.

“Discovering and reading extraordinary books, arranging memorable author conversations, collaborating with readers and writers, developing a lineup that aims to reflect Texas’s diverse literary landscape, and helping to steward an organization that has since its inception granted $3 million to 600 plus Texas public libraries and delivered nearly 125,000 free books to students across Texas,” Patin said when explaining his favorite aspects regarding working under the Texas Book Festival.

The main layout of the event begins with the actions of meeting a variety of authors and exploring the discovery of new novels and literary works. During the event, authors gather in “panels” or tables stacked and piled up with a specific novel of theirs, and the attendees go through and focus on and look through novels that peak their interests. This provides an opportunity for readers to search for and discover a plethora of different genres, styles, and works of literature.

The Texas Book Festival is not only a place where you can find new books, but it is also a place to meet your favorite authors. Many

16 I Keep Austin Creative

(Courtsey of Pixabay) for the community to enjoy. The festival also offers a variety of activities that differentiate from year to year.

A smaller version of the festival known as the Texas Teen Festival is an event held for one day giving teen readers the opportunity to meet and converse with young adult authors. During the Texas Teen Book Festival in 2020, there was a cooperation with the Barrio Writers, an innovative writing program for advanced writing sessions, to host an hourlong writers workshop during the Saturday of the festival. The workshop included lessons on blackout or erasure poetry in order to teach the youth surrounding the impor-

tance of using cultural and historical context through poetry.

Another popular event is the gala which takes place on the Friday before the festival. The gala is an evening event which features well-known authors in a fundraiser holding many sponsors in order to fund the festival. The gala is by far the most important and formal fundraiser of the festival.

The festival as well has some minor sources of entertainment included throughout the weekend. These features of the festival include food trucks, cooking demonstrations and children’s programs.

they are interested in the festival for students.” Burrows explained.

Not only can you solely attend the festival, but you can also assist in setting up the festival through volunteering. Becoming an intern for the festival is as well a great opportunity for young adults interested in publishing to gain experience.

The 25th anniversary of the festival taking place in 2021, the festival will occur partially online, yet the rest is unknown due to confusion and unpredictability regarding the Coronavirus. Regardless, the spirit of the festival remains the same even through virtual technology.

The Texas Book Festival is an event where the community can share their love for books, poetry, and literature whilst simultaneously contributing to the funding of the resourceful libraries all across Texas. All ages are included in the participation of this wonderful event for anyone interested in the art of books. The festival is a great place for literature lovers within Texas and is a great opportunity to be included in Austin’s literary community.

Logo of the Texas Book Festival (Courtsey of the Texas Book Festival)

The Texas Book Festival program however is not only a place to simply attend and talk about literature. There are plenty of ways for young adults to cooperate with the festival that includes more than just attending.

“There are a lot of ways for people to get involved in this festival, as volunteers, we have internships. A lot of our interns have gone on to work in publishing, major publishing in Disney or New York, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity for people if

17 I Keep Austin Creative

AUTHORS AROU

By Sarah

A map that pinpoints the residence of pop Festival in order to indicate the distance in which the festival in order to gain an understanding

Rene Denfeld Oregon The Child Finder Novel

Annie Barrows

2019

California Ivy and Bean Series 2018

TEXAS BOOK Texas FESTIVAL

Book Festival

Sources: texasbookfestival.org nationsonline.org creativemarket.com 18 I Keep Austin Creative

ND THE WORLD

Angelone

-ular authors who have attended the Texas Book each author travelled solely for the purpose of attending of the importance and popularity of the event.

Catherine Lacey Illinois

R.J. Polacio

Nobody is Ever Missing Novel

New York

2018

Wonder Novel 2019

Juliet Escoria West Virginia Witch Hunt Series 2019

KEY Author’s Name State of Residence Popular Works Year Attended the festival 19 I Keep Austin Creative

Guiding the Way for Local Film A Deep Dive into Austin Film Society's Role in the Austin Film Community

By Annabel Andre

ne of the jewels of Austin culture, Austin Film Society, has been a fixture of Austin pride since the 80s and continues to cultivate and spread the love of film in Austin today. AFS creates a community interested in film and fosters the creative hub Austin is through its many programs, artist supports, events and screenings.

AFS was founded in 1985 by a group of local creatives, including filmmaker Richard Linklater and South by Southwest founder Louis

20 I Keep Austin Creative

December Drive In - Due to complications of COVID-19, AFS moved their screenings outside to continue to show films to the Austin community while being safe. Photo courtesy of AFS.

Black to provide a place to enjoy hard-to-find movies. It started as a movie club in a makeshift projection room above a small coffee shop but soon grew to a nationally recognized organization with a mission of supporting and promoting the work of independent Texan filmmakers.

Lars Nilsen is the lead film programmer at AFS. He decides which films to show, for how long, and where as well as managing public relations. Prior to his current job, Nilsen worked as a programmer for

the Alamo Drafthouse. He joined AFS after the Alamo Drafthouse in order to continue focusing on local programming.

“I think that Austin is [a] hub, and any city that attracts a lot of interesting young people is going to be a hub of the arts,” Nilsen said.

“Interesting people are going to be drawn here, and when that happens, you’re going to have not only artists creating, but you’re going to have the kinds of audiences that artists want to create for. People do appreciate the art, just as much as the artists, and that’s always going to be something that’s going to draw those people together Youth Summer Camp-Teens in AFS's Young Producers Workshop summer camp. This camp teaches film making and production skills and gives access to equipment. Photo courtesy of AFS.

in Austin.”

Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, who has worked at AFS in production support and fundraising and is now a producer, echoed Nilsen’s thoughts.

According to Stepp, Austin’s strong and versatile community creates a great environment for film and all forms of art, which in turn encourages a steady flow of people moving to Austin.

“I know that [Austin’s] a really great hub for film,” Stepp said.

“There’s a phrase that I heard that I have come to find very true, which is Austin’s the third coast. You have LA and New York, and then you have Austin. We are a center of live entertainment [and] live music. [Austin has] such good culture and [we] always have something going on. I think the breadth of variety is really strong in terms of art mediums.”

AFS has grown tremendously over the years, bringing nationwide attention to Austin’s film scene,

21 I Keep Austin Creative

During COVID-19 many film festivals such as Sundance were unable to show films, so they turned to their friends across the nation, one of which was AFS, to show the films locally.

AFS showed many films that were submitted to Sundance in a drivein theater setting as a way for film enthusiasts to still be a part of what Nilsen calls an ecosystem of film, while staying safe during the worldwide pandemic. “[AFS is a] part of what you might call an ecosystem of film,” Nilsen Austin Public - Austin Public's audio suite which is a vocal booth with a seperate control room. AFS's Austin Public offers low to no cost training, equipment, facilities, and content distribution to all Austinites. Photo courtesy of AFS.

AFS Cinema - AFS owned and operated, AFS Cinema is a two screen theater and production hall for private screenings, premires, film festivals, performances, and even art exhibits. Photo courtesy of AFS.

22 I Keep Austin Creative

said. “Austin’s a pretty great city.

It’s just a whole great holistic film environment where a lot of people make a living working in films. Just a lot more people have their lives enriched by films.”

Over the years, AFS has grown and so has its ability to provide access to films. AFS shows many hard-to-find independent films, which, according to Nilsen, opens the Austin community to a variety of stories that enrich people’s lives.

“I think we’re helping to provide a way for better stories to enter the world," Nilsen said. "Unless you enrich their ability to understand complex stories, about real people who feel and have hearts and minds, people are going to be impoverished.

If you were to break it down to a real basic level of what AFS does, I think it’s to provide a means for people to tell stories and for people to hear those stories.”

Stepp, who didn’t know she

could make a career of her passion as an adult, the most important thing AFS does is to support filmmakers.

AFS has started many programs over the past 25 years to support artists, such as the AFS Grant, the AFS Artist Incentive, AFS Works-In-Progress, and sponsorships. These programs have missions varying from providing monetary support to providing feedback and resources, but what all of these programs have in common is that supporting Austin’s community of filmmakers in their ultimate goal.

“The support that they give local artists is incredible, the network is amazing,” Stepp said. “A big one is the grant, the help and the support, and not specifically monetary grants.

They do a good job with works in progress screenings or feedback screenings, giving people an opportunity to have their work seen, see each other and have community around film and what they’re creating. It gives people an opportunity to meet like-minded people within the community and industry.”

AFS provides youth programs such as their after school and summer film programs. According to Stepp, this is essential in not only opening young people’s minds to career options, but giving them a creative outlet.

“I think it’s integral to giving people, and giving young people especially, an opportunity to see what options are out there in the world,” Stepp said. “It helps expose people to different things, and for a lot of people will help give them a creative outlet that they otherwise wouldn’t have, and telling stories that we’ve never heard before, which I think is important to foster from an early age.”

Stepp believes that everything AFS does, they do with the community in mind. They give a community and support to many people in the film industry, including Stepp, as according to her, she wouldn’t have the career she has without AFS.

Getting Outside - Outdoor showing of 1968 horror film Kuroneko at The Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria. Photo

by Brian Fritzsimmons.

Drive Ins - AFS showing of a 2021 Sundance film in an outdoor drive in setting in order to adjust to COVID-19. Photo

by Olivia Vale.

“They do things very much with people in the community in mind,” Stepp said. “They provide a space and provide a natural hub for like-minded people with similar interests to come together and celebrate the love for film and cinema. I think they do a really good range of things to support the overall mission of bringing together this community to support artists and support art.

I think that it truly impacted [Austin] culture in that way where they enabled people to make great work happen.”

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The Past and Present of Austin Film Society

By Annabel Andre

Timeline

AFS

AFS was created in 1985 by film maker Richard Linklater along with cinamatographer Lee Daniel, Austin Chronicle editor and South

by Southwest founder Louis Black. The original mission was to bring hard to find films for screening in Austin.

At the begining it was held in a makeshift projection room a floor above a coffee shop and created a small following. Eventually it grew much bigger and began holding more events, creating programs to supprot filmakers, and promote film.

Events/ Programs Youth Programs:

AFS has hosted both the Film Club afterschool and the Film Summer Camp since 2004. Both of these programs have a mission of cultivating interest and acsess to film amongst Austin youth.

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Camera Class

Classes:

AFS provides many classes for youth and teens, for career entry, for school programs, and for adults to inform about film production.

Austin Film Society, formed in 1985 has had a mission to create opprotuities for filmmakers and help Austin become a hub for film. The timeline below describes a few notable events in the history of AFS from its inception to present day. Below the timeline is descriptions of a few of the many events and programs they provide to help filmmakers and to improve knowlege of and accessability to film.

Austin Studios

In 2000, in a partnership with the City of Austin, AFS created Austin Studios.

Austin Studios is a film and video production facility with two sound stages, production offices, wardrobe facility, and two flex stages.

In 2016, AFS took over the lease of the Marchesa Hall and Theater and turned it into the AFS Cinema. AFS Cinema is Austin’s only non-profit theater where they show many different types of films that would normally be hard to see.

Grants:

Lone Star Slate:

Since 1996, the AFS Grant has awarded over 2 million dollars in cash grants to over 400 Texas filmakers.

The grants provided give life-changing oprotunities artists traditionally underrpreseted in the film industy.

the Lone Star Slate is a way for AFS to share work created by Texas based filmmakers via their “Virtual Cinema”. On their online portal, each supported title is available as a video-on-demand-rental.

Sources : • Austin Film Society, Wikepedia • austinfilm.org • Lone Star Slate: Austin Film Societies Virtual Screening Library, Visit Austin

25 I Keep Austin Creative

The East Austin Studio Tour The tour for onlookers and artisans alike

By Ella Tee

alking through the vivid streets of Austin, Texas, you’ll appreciate the artistic atmosphere, and the musical aura that floats through the city’s winds. Extravagant murals on the sides of buildings, to tiny, locally owned art pieces all feed into your love for this quirky town. This is just the facade of Austin’s artistic scene however.

The truth is, dozens of artistic events are constantly taking place all throughout the city. From east to west, Austin possesses some of the most diverse and inclusive art tours the world has to offer. Art lovers in Austin, searching for a unique local event, should consider exploring the artistic culture of the city through the beloved East

W

26 I Keep Austin Creative

A photo of Mark Macek’s ‘Whetstone Stereo Console.’ Courtesy of Mark Macek Furniture

Austin Studio Tour.

The East Austin Studio Tour arose from a group of artists labeled as ‘Big Medium.’ With a plan to provide artists with job opportuni-

“I think the biggest benefit is actually... that sense of community” - Mark Macek

ties, create a safe space for onlookers and artisans to enjoy, and to bring together communities through art, Big Medium launched their event in 2003. At the inception of the event, Big Medium hosted a showcase with only about 23 artist studios. The small event swiftly gained attention, however. Big Medium’s directors’ ties within the artistic community allowed them to quickly cultivate and grow an even greater number of artists who were interested in working with them.

Since 2003, the tour has been held without interruption, taking place over the course of two weekends in November.

Another main reason for the tour’s quick success over these years has been the director’s progressive, communal vision. Local artisans,

over that time, have come to appreciate and build upon these progressive ideologies. Nowadays, hundreds of artists and artist groups flock to this tour, in order to take part in the interactive community that has become a staple in Austin’s artistic scene.

The attention that the tour has gained is not truly that surprising. The uniqueness of the tour’s art is a feature that sets it apart from other events. With the rise of gentrification in Austin, however, one wonders how the directors will be able to preserve the distinctiveness and culture behind the artists and their work.

Well, by continuing to host the tour of course. The exposure that the tour offers provides these artists with jobs and commissions, which in turn keeps these unique artists working in Austin thus allowing them to continue their evolution here. The tour’s noteworthy mix of prioritizing exposure as well as communal interactions will continue to

connect communities while simultaneously sustaining them and even fueling them.

Though, a tour with such a diverse nature doesn’t always benefit everyone in the most obvious ways.

Numerous artists that create large, or expensive pieces have an arduous time selling their work during the duration of the tour. So how do these artists deal with this inescapable issue?

Perhaps they might simply avoid this specific tour all together? Well, to many artists with this particular complication, selling art is not their top priority of the tour. Many artists participate in the event not only to experience the unmatched, fun atmosphere, but also participate with the purpose of meeting new, important clients.

Mark Maček, a local custom furniture designer in Austin knows,

“I think it’s really beneficial because it gives you exposure.”

-Jennifer Prichard “It’s definitely about meeting a great client. It is an awesome thing.”

A photo of Jennifer Prichards Sculpture hanging in Pisco y Nazca. Courtesy of J Prichard Design

27 I Keep Austin Creative

Due to Maček’s work consisting mainly of large, custom furniture pieces, it is very difficult for him to sell his actual furniture at the tour. However, the tour is able to offer him an incredible amount of exposure, thus opening doors to new clients, and future potential commissions.

Maček even notes that he has met some of his most important and demanding clients through the tour.

Jennifer Prichard, another local artist and regular attendee of the tour, makes mostly large scale paintings. The size of her artwork often makes it difficult for her to sell her work at the tour. She stated, similarly to what Maček said about the tour, that, “A lot of artists who are trying to, you know, sell a large painting, don’t sell as much or even sell anything, and it becomes more about exposure.”

So, the tour is an extremely important event to many artists, and the exposure gained from it is something that makes the tour so attractive. But what do the tour’s attendees believe the event is truly about? Many believe that the experience of meeting new people and sharing your artwork with others is the true heart of the event. Big Medium themselves even stated that a major goal of the tour is for artists and onlookers to form relationships around a creative practice.

“I think the biggest benefit is actually that sense of community, that you and your friends are

28 I Keep Austin Creative

recognized by other friends and other people that you never knew, never met before, and that that social exchange takes place,” Maček said.

The tour’s ability to link artists with one another and create a space that artists want to be in is something that makes the tour so ideal to so many people. The tour also offers a way for artists to grow their work by sharing it with their friends and colleagues in the community, as well as other onlookers that participate in the event. Of course, part of being an artist is the ability to be proud of

A photo of Mark Macek’s “EZ chair” 2010. Courtesy of Mark Macek Furniture

your pieces, and the dedication that went into them. But without gaining constructive, positive feedback, many artists would never be able to grow and flourish in their field of work. So the ability for the tour to provide artists this type of feedback is exceedingly important.

“You get to talk to lots of different people who want to hear about your art, and are kind of fascinated by people who make things, and I find it very interesting,” Prichard said.

Austin’s famous East Austin Studio Tour is renowned for its ability to culturally, communally and economically benefit the artists involved. Lifelong friendships are gained here, and important clients are met. New, unique artists blossom into their careers from the tour, and longtime attendees continue their artistic journey here. Participants of the tour acquire unforgettable experiences, and open doors to the treasure that is Austin’s artistic culture. By taking part in the East Austin Studio Tour, everyone has the opportunity to contribute to our love of Austin’s ever evolving artistic scene.

A photo of Mark Macek’s ‘200 West Madison.’ 2016. Courtesy of Mark Macek Furniture

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Art Evolution

Of the East Austin Studio Tour A discussion of the gradual changes of the East Austin Studio Tour from 2005 to 2019.

By Ella Tee

The 2005 East Austin Studio Tour was one of the first showcases ever held. It contained 110 individual art pieces of varying mediums. This showcase was very small compared to other years. Rightfully so, since it was one of the first studios held, being the 4th edition of the tour.

Courtesy of J. Prichard Designs

2005

In the 2012 East Austin Studio Tour, there were approximately 460 individual artwork pieces. In the 2012 online magazine, there were in total zero extra advertisements (advertisements which were not meant to promote the artists). The online magazine instead focused solely on the artists’ work and descriptions of thier processes

2008

a photo of Mark Macek’s “Temple ranch Benches” 2008.

The 2008 East Austin Studio Tour included about 240 Individual art pieces, and about 250 artists. This showcase had more than double the pieces than the previous year did, evidently striking interest in many new artists. The tour was held over the course of two days, identical to the 2005 tour which was also held for two days. The online magazine from 2008 included about 18 pages of advertisements, and for reference, the online magazine had a total of only 106 pages.

30 I Keep Austin Creative

2012

The 2014 East Austin Studio tour included 204 pages of artwork with over 300 separate artists displaying work at the tour. Philippe Klinefelter, a sculptor that has participated in the East Austin Studio tour over many years said that he thinks that as the East Austin Studio Tour has progressed, there has been too much of a festival-y feel to it, instead of the close knit community feel that the tour once had. However, he thinks that the tour is progressively going back to its roots of the more communal feel.

2014 and 2015 were important years for gentrification in the East. As the gentrification issue quickly progressed in East Austin, many artist groups and artists were being pushed out of their Studios in the East. Studios became more difficult to obtain, striking fear in people like the founders of Big Medium, for the uniqueness in art of East Astin was something which could quickly disappear. Big Medium aims to provide a space for diverse artist to display their work, and interact with other creators. They work hard to keep their showcases unique and open to local artists, even during difficult times.

Courtesy of J. Prichard Designs

2014

The 2019 East Austin Studio Tour was the latest in person tour. The tour included 807 individual artists showcasing their work at this tour. The 2019 East Austin Studio Tour occurred over a span of two weekends in November with a total of 4 showing days. In the 2019 online studio tour You will not find a 9 page map. This is because directors at Big Medium decided that having an online map would be easier for participants to navigate. Technological influence is able to make events easier for all people. The online showcase included about 200 pages of artwork from the tour. The 2019 East Austin Studio Tour was the 22nd annual tour.

2017

A photo of Mark Macek’s “Mayer Coffee Tables.” 2008.

2019

The 2017 East Austin Studio tour was held over a course of 4 separate days. These days included November 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th. The East Austin Studio Tour online showcase included 238 pages of artwork, and was the first online showcase to include a nine page map of the tour. This year, so far, had the largest map included. The East Austin Studio Tour in 2017 included more than 500 artist studios, the most Since 2003. Evidently, the East Austin Studio Tour is growing quickly in popularity.

https://www.bigmedium.org/east https://austinstudiotour.org/ https://theculturetrip.com/northamerica/usa/ 31 I Keep Austin Creative

The Sounds of Austin

By Mia Larson

32 I Keep Austin Creative

A pretty sunset over the iconic ACLMF flags in 2017.

The flags have become a tradition and symbol of the festival. Photo courtesy of Megan Eimers.

ou’ve been waiting for this weekend all year. You and your friends grab your wristbands, sunscreen and water, and hop in the car, eager to arrive at your destination. As you walk through the gates, the sounds of once far-off music playing grows closer and closer, and your nose starts to catch delicious scents of Micklethwait Barbecue, Torchy’s Tacos, and many other beloved Austin restaurants.

The beautiful Austin skyline spreads out before you as you walk across Zilker Park, pushing through the thousands of people who are dressed in everything from shorts and tank tops to dragon onesies, trying to get to the stage where your favorite artist is about to perform.

You get right up to the Tito’s stage, and scream and cheer in excitement along with the rest of the crowd when she walks across it. The music starts, and you yell along the words to your favorite song, a huge smile spreading across your face. You’ve been waiting for this since the moment you stepped out of the gates last October. You can hardly believe it’s finally here, you think it might be a dream. But it’s not, it’s real. It’s the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Held over two consecutive weekends in October, Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACLMF) draws more than 450,000 people to Austin’s beloved Zilker Park each year to enjoy the city’s unique atmosphere and deep appreciation and talent for music. Every year since it was founded in 2002, the festival has brought people from all backgrounds and cultures together to enjoy incredible musical performances. But in addition to showcasing the city’s musical talent and providing festival-goers with a gratifying experience, ACLMF also benefits and gives back to the Austin community by supporting the economy, parks and green spaces and local businesses. In 2020, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, festival staff were able to host a virtual event that

highlighted the festival’s engagement with the community and nonprofit organizations, and provided a look into the future for ways in which the festival may continue to grow and adapt.

ACL Festival contributes to and supports the Austin community in many ways. ACL Fest has generated more than $41 million for Austin parks and green spaces, and the 2018 ACL Fest was reported to bring $264 million into the Austin economy. Festival organizers work to incorporate Austin restaurants, brands, and nonprofits through sponsorship partnerships, and many local businesses are featured throughout

“The key is making sure that the sponsorship feels like it’s integrated into the festival and is something cool and valuable for the fans.”

- Sam Elkin the event.

One of the biggest music festivals in the United States, ACLFM requires for the organizers to work closely with many different brands and sponsors. But while sponsorship is a necessary part of any successful music festival, organizers of ACL Fest strive to have as much local representation in their sponsorship partners as possible, and are specific about which businesses they choose to collaborate with.

According to Sam Elkin, the Director of Operations and Client Management at C3 Presents (the company which produces and organizes ACL fest), sponsorship is a vital

part of festivals.

“From a revenue perspective, it’s a key component.

[But] it’s really important to us that our sponsorship feels like it makes sense for the festival, because that’s how the sponsors will have the most success and how fans will feel like it really helps the festival,” said Elkin.

“The key is making sure that the sponsorship feels like it’s integrated into the festival and is something cool and valuable for the fans.”

Chloe Rizk, a local high school student who has frequently attended the festival, recognizes the importance of having local representation throughout the event and appreciates how it displays the city’s vibrant culture.

“I think ACL displays the unique atmosphere and identity of Austin because it involves lots of local restaurants and shops and brands. It shows how Austin feels and it is unique,” Rizk said. “It kind of feels like the ‘Keep Austin Weird’ thing.”

In 2020, festival organizers faced many

new challenges while figuring out how to still engage and support the Austin community as they pivoted the festival to something virtual.

“We’re all about experience,”

Billie Eilish Performs at ACL Fest in 2019.

The festival’s lineup features many popular artists each year. Photo by Mia Larson

Elkin said.

“That’s what the festivals are all about.

[Musicians] get to be in front of people ple and interact with fans. So shifting to something virtual is hard because you have to figure out how you do that.

How do you engage with fans? So, that was hard.”

Although the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual festivals presented many new challenges, organizers were also able to take away important lessons that they can incorporate in future years. The 2020 event high-

lighted the festival’s engagement with the community and nonprofit organizations, and provided new insight to organizers on how best to integrate them into future events.

According to Elkin, it was a learning experience for everybody.

“It was very important, from a perspective of working with charitable nonprofit partners this year, to support the community, to support

“I think ACL displays the unique atmosphere and identity of Austin because it involves lots of local restaurants and shops and brands.

It shows how Austin feels and it is unique.”

- Chloe Rizk diversity, restaurants, local businesses, all of that was really important,” Elkin said. “It really shed some light on the fact [that] we need to focus better. We always do a lot with nonprofits, but to really focus and hone in on specific organizations that we can work with, and how to integrate them. We learned a lot about ways that we can also integrate some of those nonprofits into future festivals on the ground to really engage people with them.”

Festival organizers hope to continue to work closely with nonprofits and community organizations in the future, especially as festival-goers are expressing more interest in getting involved to help their communities.

“I think there’s an interest from a lot more people in engaging

with that type of element,” Elkin says.

“So we’re excited to find ways to organically weave that into our festival programming.”

Looking forward, it may still be too early to tell what’s in store for the 2021 ACL Fest, but festival organizers have made clear their hopes to return to in-person festivals as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.

“For starters, we just want to get back to Zilker Park and bring our fans and our people back,” said Elkin.

And as soon as they are able to, the Austin community is excited to return as well.

“I would definitely go to ACL fest again,” Rizk said. “Once, you know, the pandemic is completely gone and it’s safe to go. But ACL was very, very fun and I’d be really happy to go again.”

While Austin City Limits Music Festival will continue to grow and make changes in the future, festival organizers will keep their impact on the city and the community around them in mind.

“ACL fest is happily in a good place,” says Elkin. “We’re just excited to continue to grow and evolve it and keep it fresh, and support the people around us.” ◆

Crowds gather at Zilker Park for ACL Fest in 2019. The park attracts more than 75,000 people each day for the fest. Photo by Mia Larson

ACLs iconic flags at an empty Zilker Park in October 2020. The festival went completely virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Megan Eimers

A Beginner’s Guide to

FESTIVAL TIPS AND TRICKS for going to the fest:

What to Wear:

- comfy clothes

- close-toed shoes you can walk a lot in and don’t mind getting dirty

- sunglasses or a hat

- sunscreen Check the Weather!

- Austin weather is pretty unpredictable- you should know whether to dress for 50 degrees or 90!

What to Bring:

- phone (a portable charger isn’t a bad idea either)

- wallet

- refillable water bottle

- small backpack with other items/essentials!

- your wristband!

PRO TIP: Be sure to check the ACL Fest website to find out what specific items you can and can’t bring!

36 I Keep Austin Creative

75,000 $112.58

the cost of a single-day GA ticket in 2019

people attended the festival each day in 2019 ACL fest has generated more than

The first ACL fest was on September 28th,

2002

$41 million

for Austin parks, trails, and green spaces

Fun facts, tips and tricks, and everything you need to know to enjoy Austin’s favorite music festival.

By Mia Larson

FUN FACTS TIPS AND TRICKS for going to the fest:

Since 2013, the festival has run for

2

consecutive weekends in October

140+

bands performed at ACL Fest in 2019

The 2018 ACL Fest was reported to bring

$264 million into the Austin economy

8

the number of stages at ACL fest

- Make a Plan!

- Cell service may be spotty at the fest, so it’s a good idea to have a plan ahead of time

- Look at the lineup ahead of time and figure out which artists you want to see

- Know how you’re getting there and going home! (parking may be tricky, so it’s a good idea to use public transport, take an uber, or get dropped off)

- If going with friends, designate a meet-up spot and have a plan in case you get split up

- HAVE FUN!

Sources: - Austin City Limits Music Festival - Austin Parks Foundation - Austin Monitor Entertainment and Events - TickPick Blog, 2019 ACL ticket options

37 I Keep Austin Creative

SEE YOU

SOON!