Art City Austin Festival Details, Lineup Revealed

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Art Alliance Austin on Tuesday announced the full programming schedule for the 69th annual Art City Austin Festival, which includes fine art, culinary, and cultural events.

The event is scheduled on April 12, 13, and 14 at the newly renovated Republic Square in downtown Austin. The Art City Austin weekend revolves around the two-day festival that includes an art market or “Convergence Fair” — defined as a highly curated selection of up to 80 local and visiting visual artists, designers, installation artists, artisans, and makers coming together to showcase and sell their wares.

Featured artists include David Bjurstrom, Greg Davis, Jay Long, Rebekah Farrell, Bryan Clocker, Kreg Yingst, Haley Lebeuf, Justin Goodall, and others. For a full list of participating artists, visit: https://artcityaustin.org/lineup

The weekend kicks off with a preview party where guests will be “United In Color.” The event takes place on Friday, April 12, and benefits Art Alliance Austin. In addition to live entertainment and art filling the senses, the Convergence Fair also enables attendees to gain a preview of the festival and shop early from among the showcased wares. Guests will sip on complimentary craft cocktails and wine from Kimo Sabe Mezcal, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Z Wines and others.

Guests will also savor light bites from local restaurants, including Austin Java, The Backspace, Bob's Steak & Chop House, Darcy's Donkey, Eddie V's, El Dorado Café, Fancy Fluff, Fixe Southern House, Fluff Meringues, Lake Austin Spa & Resort, La Pera, Poke Poke, and Thai Fresh. Those attending also will enjoy one-night-only art installations along with music and entertainment including live performances by Shy Beast, Break Austin, Nunamaana Immersive Dance Theatre, Peligrosa, ArtScream, live art by SprATX, and a special workout with Erica Nix to get the party started.

Tickets for Art City Austin’s preview party are on sale now starting at $80 with additional ticket package options available including 2-packs and VIP upgrades. All Preview Party ticket purchases include complimentary entry into the weekend festival on April 13 and 14. For ticket packages, visit: https://artcityaustin.org/preview-party.

Image courtesy of Art Alliance Austin.

Mayor Steve Adler will open the Art City Austin Festival at Republic Square at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 featuring an art market aka Convergence Fair, where guests can meet the artists, learn about their work, and be able to purchase unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Other programming includes live music on the Amica Stage curated by Austin Music Foundation with performances from local artists Aaron Stephens, Alesia Lani, Beth // James, Jeff Lofton, Jake Lloyd, Jane Ellen Bryant, KP & The Boom Boom, and The Tiarra Girls.

Installation artists including Adreon Henry, Stephen Hal Fishman and Suzanne Wyss will create large-scale works in the park on display all weekend for the festival. Works from Ion Art, Raw Paw, and SprATX will also be on display. For those spending all day at Republic Square, Austin’s iconic food trucks will be onsite including Burro Cheese Kitchen, Chilaquil, Odd Pop, Pueblo Viejo, and Shwarma Point, along with a cash bar to wet your whistle.

Photo courtesy of Art Alliance Austin.

New for the 2019 festival

Art City Austin features a series of creative explorations and artist talks held throughout the weekend. Eric Silverstein, owner and chef of the Peached Tortilla and Bar Peached will take the H-E-B Stage for a demonstration highlighting “The Art of Fusion” in a signature dish incorporating modern Asian comfort food and Southern cuisine. Other sessions include “The Art of Tacos” by Chef Jeff Martinez of El Chile Group, two “Art of Wine” talks from Advanced Sommeliers Rania Zayyat and sommelier couple, Paul Ozbirn and Ali Schmidt, as well as “Art of Cocktails” with mixologist Caer Maiko Ferguson of The Roosevelt Room & The Eleanor.

Several artists and art experts will take on a series of talks including Art + Artisans founder Jennifer Seay speaking on “Building Engagement and Community with Art.” Hunter Inman, founder of lauded immersive art experience Hopscotch, and contemporary visual artist David McClinton will join a panel of culturally focused artists to discuss the power art has to affect deep and lasting social change. Other thought-provoking topics include “The Power of the Collective,” “Art from the Streets,” and “Creating an Art City,” a discussion on what city and community leaders are doing to fuel the Austin art scene.

Outside of Republic Square, Art City Austin will offer festival guests access to a curated collection of complimentary city-wide guided art walks, gallery tours, artist talks and extra perks around our “Art City” during the festival weekend. Created in partnership with local galleries, studios, and collectives such as The Blanton Museum of Art, The Contemporary Austin, Landmarks UT, Mexic-Arte Museum, The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum, and others, Art City Austin ticket holders may join one or several tours featuring Austin’s street art, various corporate art spaces, and exclusive art tours and talks.

Selected tours include a City of Austin Art in Public Places (AIPP) walking tour, a Landmarks UT tour of public art across The University of Texas at Austin campus, and a tour of the artwork inside several corporate companies including Firmspace, Charles Schwab and Jackson Walker. Plus guests can show their GA or VIP festival ticket or wristband at The Contemporary Austin and receive half-price admission all weekend, April 13-14. Art Tour registration opens for festival ticket holders to RSVP on March 27. More tours are still being added and full details are available at artcityaustin.org/art-tours.

Organizers noted that every artist involved will gather inspiration from one another’s work —from the fine art and food to the music and drinks — but none will see the other’s finished product until the night of April 13th. Limited tickets to this unreplicable evening are available now at https://artcityaustin.org/gallery-35. Valet parking is included with a Gallery 35 ticket purchase along with complimentary VIP Art City Austin Festival access on April 13 and 14.

Weekend festival details and ticket pricing

Dates/Times & Location:

• The Art City Austin “United In Color” preview party takes place Friday, April 12 from 6 to 9 p.m at Republic Square.
• Art City Austin Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 2-days, the weekend of April 13-14 at Republic Square.
• Gallery 35 is on Saturday, April 13 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery.
• Art Tours vary in location and times over the weekend.

Ticket details

• Art City Austin Festival tickets are $15 for 2-day general admission access (children 12 and under are free) and $50 for 2-day VIP wristbands (children 6 and under are free). VIP festival guests receive access to a private lounge featuring light bites from local restaurants like Torchy’s Tacos and Z Tejas, tasting samples from Ruta Maya Coffee, Z Wines and Kimo Sabe Mezcal, two complimentary drinks per day, a private bar, private bathrooms, and comfortable seating. VIP guests also receive access to additional city-wide curated guided gallery tours & artist talks during the weekend.
• Tickets for the “United In Color” PREVIEW PARTY start at $80 with a 2-pack available for $150. Both include 2-day admission to the April 13 and 14 festival. VIP upgrade packages allow entry into the Preview Party as well as 2-day VIP festival access on April 13 and 14. Preview Party VIP packages are available for $115 and $220 for a 2-pack.
• Gallery 35 tickets are $300 per person and offer access to this exclusive evening with valet parking included. Gallery 35 ticket purchasers will also receive complimentary VIP Art City Austin Festival access on April 13 and 14.
• All tickets are available for purchase at artcityaustin.org.

About Art Alliance Austin

Art City Austin is the anchor event for Art Alliance Austin, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose long history and dedication to the visual arts has ensured that art and creativity have a place at the core of Austin. Art Alliance Austin supports and contributes to the growth, prominence, and sustainability of Austin’s art scene – ultimately contributing to Austin’s creative culture. They work collaboratively with artists, museums, curators, and galleries to create a diverse and powerful series of programming throughout the year highlighting Austin as a visual arts capital including Art City Austin, Art Bash, Austin Art Breaks, PechaKucha Nights, and publications Austin Art Weekly and Art Austin Gallery Guide. For more information about Art Alliance Austin, please visit artallianceaustin.org.