Artists&CreativesThrive FlagshipSeriesCommunity EngagementReport
Preparedby
This public engagement project & research initiative for Downtown Austin Alliance’s cultural programs was designed by Future Front in collaboration with DAA’s Active Urbanism team to pre-emptively center the following core values: Hyperlocalism, Restorative Urbanism, Creative Community Equity, Cultural Environmentalism & Sustainability Emergent Design-Thinking and Intentional Cultural Diversity.
DowntownAustinhasalong& well-documentedcreativehistory. Asitgrows,centeringdiverse, independentcreativescancontinue todriveequity,economicgrowth &long-lastingcultureDowntown.
In response to this growth, Downtown Austin Alliance’s Active Urbanism team engaged with Future Front Texas to use the 501c3 arts and culture organization’s community design frameworks & public engagement approaches to identify impact metrics and alignments for DAA’s cultural programs and Artists & Creatives Thrive initiatives, while collectively exploring the possibility of a flagship event that centers creative communities and cultural development Downtown
ProjectGoals—Artists&CreativesThrive
FlagshipSeriesCommunityEngagement
IMPACT 01
Identify the desired impact of current DAA cultural programs, informed by community design and stakeholder feedback
02 03
FLAGSHIPVIBE
Inform flagship series opportunity that aligns with DAA's Active Urbanism goals for Artists & Creatives, including existing cultural programs like Writing on the Walls
Recommend planning, engagement and programming efforts that expand creative community partnership & involvement
ABOUTTHISPROJECT
CurrentActiveUrbanismCulturalPrograms*
*Thisisonlyasnapshotofculturalprogramsunder“ActiveUrbanism.” (MoreDAAprogramshere.)
As a cornerstone program for Downtown Austin’s cultural projects, Writing on the Walls celebrates art, diversity and public spaces in our city
Writing on the Walls, started in 2020 with an inaugural festival, has historically paid local artists to create public murals, as well as enhance downtown Austin’s vibe through art for all.
WRITINGONTHEWALLS
The Downtown Austin Alliance’s ARTBOX program creates large-impact murals on the smallest of urban canvases. Through an agreement with the City of Austin, Writing on the Walls‘ ARTBOX program provides a platform for local artists to showcase their talents and grow through painting utility box mini murals With over 800 boxes in downtown Austin, the ARTBOX program will continue to inspire and beautify for years to come
Presented by Downtown Austin in partnership with Ride Bikes Austin, Arts & Parks Tour is an annual bike ride through Downtown Austin, celebrating the art installations, murals, natural landscapes and public parks
The tour welcomes hundreds of bikers per year, accenting different stops and community partners
Writing On The Walls Program
ARTBOX
Writing On The Walls Program
Writing On The Walls Program
Whenartists&creativesthrivein downtownspaces,culturethrives there,too.So,whatshouldDowntown Austin’sapproachtonurturingculture —thevibe—looklike?Weasked independentcreatives,artistsand culturalproducersthemselves.
HowPublicEngagementOccurred
3 Downtown Field Trips with 50+ participants at DAA cultural programs & partner events
Feedback Sessions through 1x1 meetings & Gatherings 25+ Creative Community 1x1s
PublicEngagementTimeline
JULY— SEPT 2023
Future Front x Active Urbanism staff set discovery priorirites
SEPT— DEC 2023
Active Urbanism committee engaged, surveys begin
4 Active Urbanism
Committee Meetings & 12+ AU Staff Meetings
JAN— APR 2024
Field Trips conducted, first round of surveys concluded, draft of report feedbacked
AUSTINARCHIVIST
RRCULTURALDISTRICT
ARTCITYAUSTIN
OFCOLORCREATIVES
Alan Garcia, Cultural Producer
Nicole Klepadlo, Nonprofit Director
Jade Walker, Arts Leader
Marissa Rivera, Curator & Organizer MEXIC-ARTEMURALIST
Matthew Rodriguez, Indie Artist PEASEPARK
Luis Ortiz Colón, Programmer
Constance White, Arts Leader
Emily Bryn, Independent Creative
Taylor Davis, Arts Curator
WhatWeHeardFromArtists&Creatives
Alan Garcia, Cultural Producer
ONWHAT’SMISSINGDOWNTOWN
EXPERIENTIAL STORYTELLINGEVENTS
CREATIVECOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT& CURATORIALINPUT
“Public art experiences and creative activities that speak to the human experience, conviviality beyond art on the walls... opportunities that engage the muscle memory of physically moving through urban spaces with curiosity.”
This disrupts the idea that Downtown is only new buildings and challenges cost-prohibitive ways of interacting with culture.
STRONGLOCAL INVITATION&OUTREACH
FUTURE-THINKING, IMPACT-ORIENTED PROGRAMS
ACCESSTO THEBUILT ENVIRONMENT& DOWNTOWNSPACES
OPPORTUNITIESTHAT EXPANDNETWORKS& VISIBILITY
PAIDCREATIVE COMMISSIONS& SUSTAINED OPPORTUNITIES RECURRING ACTIVITIES& CULTURALEVENTS INTENTIONAL MULTICULTURALISM
MULTIDISCPLINARY ARTS&CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES CLEARGOALS,VALUES &OUTCOMES
THOUGHTFULCOMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPSTHATMAXIMIZE EXISTINGRESOURCES
PUBLICLYVISIBLEEVENTS THATPROMPTDISCOVERY
PRE-IDENTIFIED& COMMITTED BUDGETS
Ultimately,artists&creativeswantto seemodelsforsupportedcross-community collaboration&openinvitationstothepublic. Thevibemustbemorethanvisible—it mustbemodeled.Itmustbeexperienced.
PROJECTTAKEAWAYS
WhyAreCreativesImportantToTheCulture ofPublicSpaces,likeDowntownAustin?
LocalEconomy Supportsopportunitiesfor emergenceofsmallbusinesses
StrongBrand Encouragesmemory-building &organicstorytelling
Equity
Includesstakeholdersbeyond development&business
WhatKindofCreativesMakeCulture?
ARTISTS
Musicians, Muralists, Visual Artists, Performing Artists, Filmmakers & more
CREATIVES
Makers, Creative Small Businesses, Designers, Photographers, Creators
&HowCanHomegrownCultureGrow?
CULTURAL PRODUCERS
Curators, Venues, Art Spaces, Arts Organizations, Community-Builders
PEERRESEARCH
Beyondthisproject’spublicengagement,wealsoresearched globalpeers*foraflagshipexperiencethatnurturesculture &similarArtists&CreativesThriveinitiatives.
MURALURBANARTFEST
Founded in 2013, The Montreal Mural Festival is a true celebration of art and culture What started as a humble 3-day artistic event, has now morphed into a massive free 11-day iconic gathering attracting 500K+ festival goers annually with programming that revolves mainly around the live creation of murals, massive block parties with international musical acts, outdoor artisan shops & food offerings
This event is curated and produced for downtown Montreal by a team of contracted partner agencies and organizations.
World-class culinary collaborations & pop-ups, a series of events exploring what makes us human, and a free program of live music in Tumbalong Park, Vivid Sydney is an annual celebration of creativity, innovation, and technology that transforms Sydney for 23 days and nights With programming broken into four categories Light, Music, Ideas, and Food each annual event is united by one artistic direction. Vivid Sydney is managed and produced with partners by Destination NSW, Sydney’s governmental tourism & events agency.
Dallas Texas
Through the month-long, every other-year, AURORA Biennial exhibition and the year-round AURORA Expanded programming, the AURORA organization successfully engages with regional and international audiences, aiming to establish Dallas as a global cultural center for art and technology. It’s one of the largest, free public art experiences in North America
This event is produced by AURORA, a Dallas-based public arts organization, in collaboration with district associations and the City of Dallas.
Montreal Canada
VIVIDSYDNEY
Sydney Australia
WhatcouldthismeanforDowntown AustinAlliance’sArtists&Creatives Thriveyear-roundgoals,alongsidea potentialflagshipprogram?
Downtown Austin Alliance has a unique opportunity to develop Active Urbanism events that are committed to a creative-led vibe
These programs can be designed to highlight and support economic activity within Downtown Austin’s unique geography & spaces, increase viable opportunities and commitments to “Artists & Creatives Thrive” under Active Urbanism, while also telling meaningful stories that connect what Austin has been to what it is now or will be.
Moreover, DAA has the opportunity to contribute to models and case studies on creating culture Downtown.
3-YearRecommendationsforArtists&CreativesThrive:
IdentifyArtists&CreativesThriveimpactmetrics. Introducingmetricsallowforinternalandexternalclarityonsharedgoals&values.
# of independent artists, creatives and/or cultural producers supported
Record engaged creatives’ demographics
# of exhibition opportunities
# of visitors engaged around creatives’ work
$$$ commissions distributed
Include creative voices in surveying & introducing new metrics for impact to “Artists & Creatives Thrive” events with partners under Active Urbanism; continue including a consistent and committed group of stakeholders as decision-makers through AU Committee & the board
Develop impact-only programs (like DASA & MAS). Identify, collect & publish impact metrics across all DAA cultural programs (see right for samples)
Digital engagement #s in stories told about artists, creatives & cultural work downtown
Applicant #s for open opportunities in DAA programs
PROJECTTAKEAWAYS
IncludeCommunityVoiceincontinueddecision-making. Introducingmetricsallowforinternalandexternalclarityonsharedgoals&values.
INTRODUCE OPENCALLS& GRANT-MAKING PROCESS.
Introduce an annual open call with community partners around all available opportunities & develop a grant-making process that requires community voice.
ALIGN& REORGANIZE CULTURAL PROGRAM MAPS.
Create a program map that aligns all pre-existing DAA programs, Artists & Creatives Thrive Initiatives and “Writing On The Walls” under Active Urbanism.
SPOTLIGHT DOWNTOWN’S CREATIVE& CULTURAL VOICES YEAR-ROUND.
Formalize DAA’s “spotlights” on cultural areas Downtown as a series. Increase storytelling & weave spotlights into an annual flagship program.
Experimentwithanannualexperientialflagshipprogram,likea“Vibe Day”orseries,thattellsthestoriesofdowntownAustinthroughAustin musicians,makers,muralists,artists,culturalproducers&creatives. Asanannualgathering&momentofvisibility,thisprogramshouldbringDAA’screativeinitiatives& partnerstogether,whileinvitingthepublictoexploreDowntownspacesthroughonestory/sharedvision. Atanyscale,thisflagshipprogramshould:
INVITE EXPERIENTIAL EXPLORATION OFDOWNTOWN NATURE& CREATIVE SPACE.
Like suggested events in this project’s peer research, use the design of the event to encourage physical exploration of Downtown, encouraging visitors to move through different spaces & get familiar with Downtown’s new built environment & walkable/bike-able spaces
USETHE ANNUAL EVENTTO CREATE/ UPDATEA YEAR-ROUND DOWNTOWN MAP.
AMPLIFY “THEVIBE” DOWNTOWN.
Use event to prioritize partnership to highlight a range of creative voices & experiences that represent Austin creatives & culture
BEAUTIFY& ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES DOWNTOWN.
ALIGN PROGRAM WITHPUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, COREVALUES, OPENCALLS& GRANTMAKING.
Use the flagship event to support shared story of DAA’s year-round programs, model values for Downtown’s “vibe” & inspire community collaboration.
Use the flagship event to beautify underutilized spaces, tell the stories of those spaces (past & present) & invite the public to return to those spaces
REQUIRE MOMENTS FORSOCIAL IMPACT& ACTIVE URBANISM TENETS.