REGULAR MEETING OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL MONDAY, MAY 4, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. VIRTUAL MEETING Art in Public Places Panel may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: Art in Public Places Panel: May Virtual Meeting | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Art in Public Places Manager Jaime Castillo at jaime.castillo@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-7852. CURRENT PANEL MEMBERS: Kristi-Anne Shaer, Chair Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison Bernardo Diaz Lindsey Millikan AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Andrew Danziger, Vice Chair Fatima Carbajal Camille Jobe The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular meeting on April 6, 2026 and Art in Public Places Special Meeting on April 15, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, AIPP Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discussion of Arts Commission Liaison Report on Action Items from April 20, 2026, Arts Commission Meeting. Presentation by Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for the Armadillo Water Tank Art in Public Places Project Final Design. Presentation by Bill Tavis, Art in Public Places Artist, and Bryana Iglesias, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for the AFD 53 / ATCEMS 42 Goodnight Ranch Art in Public Places Project Final Design. Presentation by Re:Site Studio, Art in Public Places Artist, and Lindsay Hutchens, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for the Airport Boulevard NWSE Art in Public Places Final Design. Presentation by Liza Fishbone, Art in Public Places Artist, and Frederico Forte, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin, Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Approve a recommendation to …
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION April 20, 2026, at 6:00 PM Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001. 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the ARTS COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn- live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than Noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Jesús Varela at jesus.varela@austintexas.gov or at 512-974-2444. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, VACANT - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Muna Hussaini, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on March 23, 2026 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on actions taken at the April 6th Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach 3. Update on actions taken at the April 15th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston 4. Update on the Downtown Austin Space Activation (DASA) Artist Residency Program, presentation by Cat Carter, DASA Artist Resident 5. Presentation on possible collaboration for expansion of the Latino Artist Access Program by Ivan Davila STAFF BRIEFINGS 6. Staff briefing on ACME-Long Center contract review by Morgan Messick, Assistant Director, ACME. 7. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 8. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 9. Staff briefing regarding an update on the AACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, AACME. 10. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 11. Conduct officer elections for Chair and Vice Chair. 12. Approve a recommendation for updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Arts Commission Recommendation Number: 20260420-12: Recommendation not to adopt the proposed changes to the Art in Public Places ordinance. Date of Approval: April 20, 2026 Recommendation Council does not adopt the proposed changes to the Art in Public Places (AIPP) ordinance, pending greater clarity on how redefining capital project costs will impact the AIPP budget. Rationale The Arts Commission unanimously voted to follow the Art in Public Places (AIPP) panel recommendation not to approve the proposed changes to the AIPP ordinance (included in attachment). Following AIPP panel, the Arts Commission is supportive of all the recommended revisions with a critical exception: we do not support the proposed change to the capital project cost definition and calculation. It has become clear that, in practice, sponsor departments and capital delivery services have not followed the definition of “construction cost” that is outlined in the current ordinance, currently defined as total project cost, minus five eligible deductions. Eric Bailey, Deputy Director of Austin Capital Delivery Services confirmed that the 2% calculation has in fact been based on “construction costs” interpreted as hard costs only--not including planning and design fees (20-30% of total budget). This is a major discrepancy. The definition of eligible costs is far more important than the term used to describe them. We know from what is written in the current AIPP ordinance (2002 update), from archival documentation of AIPP and Arts Commission meetings from 2002, and from confirmations with people who served on those bodies at that time, that the intent of the ordinance was to have a 2% for art program based on total capital project costs. Moreover, the benchmarking done by AIPP program staff confirm that 70% of the 13 peer cities studied have no allowable deductions in the public art calculations. Despite this industry standard, the current recommendations suggest adding more deductions to the cost calculation. We do not believe this was council’s intent when resolution 20250306-029 was created. The Arts Commission further recommends that the City Council affirm the intent for a true 2% for Art program in Austin by amending the Capital Project Cost Calculation to be defined and implemented as: the full cost of a project (hard and soft costs) to the City after deducting: (1) debt issuance cost; (2) demolition cost; (3) equipment cost; (4) permit and fee cost; and (5) real property acquisition cost. Motioned By: Commissioner Schmalbach Seconded …
Hotel Occupancy Tax Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | April 20, 2026 Hotel Occupancy Tax – March 2026 Approved Budget March Year-to-date H/MOT Penalties & Interest Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax Total Revenue $511,252 $166,777,013 $167,288,265 Transfer to Cultural Arts Fund $15,968,425 $123,045 $2,022,944 $2,145,989 $204,942 $560,590 $80,683,327 $81,243,917 $7,758,794 • Total HOT Collections March 2026 = $2,145,989 • 49% of FY26 Approved Budget of $167,288,265 • Cultural Arts Fund March 2026 = $204,942 2 Hotel Occupancy Collections – Significant Contributing Events • Austin Marathon and Half Marathon • San Antonio Spurs at Moody Center • The ATX Open AUS Passenger Totals: 1,482,483 (February 2026) 3 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – FY26 Progress Approved Budget $15,968,425 CAF Actuals $7,758,794 4 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – Quarterly Comparison $15.65 M $15.57 M $15.34 M $12.9 M 5 Questions? 6
Cultural Arts Funding Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | April 20, 2026 Agenda 1. Contracts & Payments 2. Grant Funded Activities 2 Contracts & Payments Contracts & Payments (as of 4/19/26) FY24 Elevate FY25 Nexus FY25-26 Thrive (Year 1) FY25-26 Thrive (Year 2) Total Contracts Signed & Processed Contracts Test payments issued & verified Payment 1 Issued Payment 2 Issued Payment 3 Issued 230 230 (100%) 230 (100%) 230 (100%) 229 (99%) 190 (83%) 104 103 (99%) 103 (99%) 103 (99%) 39 (38%) n/a 35 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 32 (91%) 23 (66%) See year 1 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 9 (26%) N/A N/A Total Dist. to date Total Allocation $9,056,250 (98%) $9,265,000 $483,000 (93 %) $520,000 $3,610,000 (94%) $886,500 (23%) $3,850,000 $3,850,000 4 Grant Funded Activities Cultural Funding Grantee Activities Austin Latinx New Play Festival April 23-25 Teatro Vivo (District 9) – Zach Theatre 2026 Rhythm Routes April 25 Dance Africa Fest (District 1) – Blue Moon Dance Co Origin Stories at Esquina Tango May 1 Beerthoven (District 9) – Esquina Tango 6 FY 24-25 Cultural Funding Grantee Activities Space May 2-3 SoCo Women’s Chorus (District 3) – First Austin Church Film in ATX: 4th Annual Film Festival May 3 The Gallery ATX (ETJ) – Hyperreal Film Club Ajanta May 9 Agni Foundation for the Arts (District 3) – East Side Performing Arts 7 Questions? 8
Funding Programs Update Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment | April 20, 2026 Updated Awards ▪ 717 Awards (1,606 applications submitted) ▪ $24 million in grant awards ($67+ million in requests) Austin Live Music Fund Creative Space Assistance Program • 395 awards • $7.03 million • 22 awards • $1.32 million Elevate • 278 awards • $12.6 million Heritage Preservation Grant • 22 awards • $3 million 2 Awardee Status (as of noon on 4/20/26) Program Total Awardees Pre-Contract Phase I Pre-Contract Phase II Finance Form Phase Contracting Phase Ready for Payment Have already attended Pre- Contract Meeting/ received link to watch recording. Pre-Agreement Form not Submitted yet. Pre-Agreement Form submitted and needs COA review/approval; OR need updates from awardee; OR previous contract needs to be closed out. Approved to receive Finance Form; OR Waiting on awardee to verify Test Payment Ready to sign Agreement when available! ALMF Elevate CSAP HPG TOTAL 395 278 22 22 717 13 25 2 1 41 44 142 10 16 212 267 86 7 4 364 71 25 3 1 100 18% 9%2 14% 5% 14% 3 Appeals Process ▪ Funding Appeals Request Form Deadline: March 30th ▪ Only three reasons for an eligible appeal (Appendix C of Guidelines) ▪ Panel Administration error; Conflict of Interest; Reviewer or staff error ▪ 88 Appeals Submitted (4 in Spanish) ▪ Staff Role: ▪ Compiled information/ completed a preliminary analysis ▪ Sent analysis to Appeals Working Group ▪ 6 deemed Eligible to move forward to Appeals Working Group ▪ 1 Austin Live Music Fund; 1 Heritage Preservation Grant; 4 Elevate ▪ Appeals Working Group (2 Arts Commissioners, 2 Music Commissioners): ▪ Met on Friday, April 17th ▪ Action for approval: April 20th Arts Commission meeting 4 Nexus Program Updates ▪ Nexus Program ▪ Application: March 10th - April 16th ▪ 452 applications submitted (8 in Spanish) ▪ $500k available for 75 awards (17% of applications) ▪ $5k and $10k level ▪ Outreach: ~20,242 people reached through multi-lingual postcards, newsletters, community events, and radio placements ▪ 84 people received direct Application Assistance: ▪ 166.5 staff hours of assistance through workshops, office hours, and 1:1 meetings ▪ Next steps: ▪ 15 reviews will be trained next week. Assignments begin May 4th. No panel meeting – it is an independent review of at least 2 reviewers per application, and scores are averaged. ▪ Award announcements mid-June! 5 Next Steps: Process Improvements …
Art in Public Places Resolution No. 20250306-29 Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | April 2026 Resolution No. 20250306-029 Directives Policy Updates Include 2% Public-Private Partnerships Encourage 2% Other Private Developments Allow flexible use of funds for artwork care, relocation, and re-installation Art Placement Flexibility Curatorial Services for major projects Programmatic Updates Communication Updates Address obstacles to local participation Clearly explain rights & responsibilities to artists Support for artists on private property Engage stakeholders (artwork removal) Chapter 7-2 review and associated program 2 Stakeholder Engagement External Engagement AIPP Panel Working Group + Arts Commission • Community advisory committee of the Arts Commission • Austin community arts professionals in design/architecture and visual arts fields Targeted focus groups and 1-1 conversations • Artists who experienced deaccessions, removals, and relocation of artworks • Curators, fabricators, and developers working in public art Internal Engagement Cross-Departmental Working Group • 17 departments reviewed recommended changes City Council Offices + CMO • Mayor Watson, Mayor Pro Tem Vela, Council Members Alter, Qadri, and Ellis Improve program clarity and communications Key Takeaways • • Clarity around the AIPP program • Define roles and responsibilities • Where to find resources • Simplified visual flowcharts • Information sessions 3 Public-Private Partnership (P3s) Directive: Include public-private partnership capital projects (P3), while exempting affordable housing costs, where applicable, and providing a process for alternative compliance that meets or exceeds City standards • AFS explained what city council referred to as a P3 project is more accurately described as an alternate delivery model that utilizes a Public Facilities Corporation. • Ordinance update requiring capital projects utilizing alternate delivery models (including the use of a Public Facilities Corporation); allocate 2% of project cost (affordable housing exempt) • Policy updates to incorporate clear definitions (Public Facilities Corporation) • Allow alternate delivery models to utilize AIPP’s prequalified artist pool for faster delivery method • Develop a decision tree to collaborate with AFS Redevelopment team for AIPP inclusion Big Chiller Buses by Ann Adame; Austin Convention Center 4 Private Developments Directive: Include a review of public art requirements in other private development regulations and programs, including but not limited to planned unit developments, density bonus programs, and Cultural Districts Alternate compliance fees (donation to public art fund) collected can be utilized for maintenance of the AIPP collection • Ordinance update encouraging private developments to incorporate public art, providing an option to incorporate public art …
City of Austin File ID: xx-xxxx Council Meeting Backup: Date ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 7-2 RELATING TO THE CITY’S ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: PART 1. City Code Section 7-2-1 (Definitions) is amended to alphabetize the list, revise existing definitions, and add new definitions to read: In this chapter: (1) ART means a unique work of art or an artistically designed art feature that enhances the aesthetics of a building, bridge, streetscape, park, or other project for which funds are appropriated as described in this chapter and includes a mural, sculpture, garden, water feature, or other feature that appeals to the senses or the intellect. (2) [CONSTRUCTION] CAPITAL PROJECT COST means the cost of a project to the City as determined in accordance with Section 7-2-6 ([Construction] Capital Project Cost Calculation). (3) CULTURAL DISTRICTS means districts primarily focused on preserving, promoting, or celebrating the cultural heritage, arts, and creative expression of a community. (4) DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM means a program that provides modifications to Title 25 (Land Development) and other regulatory-related benefits in exchange for community benefits. (5) GUIDELINES means the established process for how the City implements the Art in Public Places program, including but not limited to the selection, purchase, commission, placement, maintenance, and repairs of works of art generated. (6) (7) PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD) means a development that combines two or more zoning uses on a property. PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT means land or property development or redevelopment undertaken on private property. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 4/20/2026 9:55 AM Page 1 of 10 COA Law Department 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 City of Austin File ID: xx-xxxx Council Meeting Backup: Date (8) PRIVATE PROPERTY means property or assets owned by individuals, businesses, or organizations that are not controlled by a governmental or public entity. (9) PROGRAM MANAGER means the individual designated in Section 7-2-2 (Art In Public Places Program Manager). (10) PROJECT means a capital project funded in whole or in part by the City: (a) to construct or remodel a building, …
The AIPP Panel unanimously voted not to approve the proposed changes to the AIPP ordinance at this time, pending greater clarity on how redefining capital project costs will impact the AIPP budget. We appreciate the extensive work that has gone into this process over the past year in response to the City Council’s directive. This effort was intended to strengthen the program, bring greater transparency to elements of the public art commissioning process, and better support artists. We are aligned with the proposed ordinance updates, with one exception: the redefinition of capital project costs. The Panel’s priority is to ensure that the AIPP program is funded at a true 2% level in a manner that is transparent, consistent, and aligned with national best practices. The AIPP program was originally established by ordinance in 1985, born from the dedicated advocacy of local artists, institutional leaders, and community supporters who wanted to see the creativity of Austin reflected in our shared built environment. In 2002, the ordinance was revised, again through local advocacy, to increase the allocation from 1 to 2% and to remove certain deductions included in the original framework. We can see this intent not only in the language of the 2002 ordinance but in archival records of past AIPP and arts commission meetings. This intent has been confirmed by community members who served on these bodies at that time. As currently proposed, however, the revised definition of capital project costs may result in a net reduction in funding for AIPP. The Panel has requested transparent accounting of how sponsoring departments have calculated AIPP allocations over the past two decades, but this data has not yet been provided. Based on our current understanding, departments have largely calculated AIPP contributions based on hard construction costs, despite the ordinance outlining allowable deductions from total project cost. If so, the effective percentage allocated to AIPP has been meaningfully below 2%. Moving forward without clarification risks codifying a system that continues to underfund the program. For the Panel, the central question is: What percentage of total capital project spending has historically been allocated to AIPP, and what percentage would be allocated under the proposed framework? Without this information, it is not possible to determine whether these changes advance or undermine the ordinance’s original intent. This is not solely a technical matter; it is a matter of public trust, transparency, and alignment with voter and …
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport West Gate Expansion Sculptural Seating AIPP Project Final Design Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | April 20 WGE Sculptural Seating (formerly Playscape) Project Phase Designing (Final) Artist(s) Name Reinaldo Correa Art Commission $445,820 Funding Type CIP Sponsor Dept Austin Aviation (AUS) Managing Dept Austin Aviation (AUS) Council District 2 Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719 2 WGE Sculptural Seating Overview Project Overview: • Originally scoped as a Playscape for people of all ages in the Austin- Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) West Gate Expansion (WGE) • When Austin Aviation expressed the need for the WGE to have a play area specifically for children during Concept Design review, the artwork design was reconceived as a playful sculptural seating element in the hold room adjacent to the original play area site Project Goals: • Advance the power of connection by engaging and entertaining young travelers and those who are young at heart • Hands-on infrastructure • Interactive elements with design flexibility and the ability to add new components • Accessible for users of all abilities Eligibility: • Local | Texas | National AUS WGE – Artwork Location 3 WGE Sculptural Seating – Scope of Work Revised Scope of Work: • Primary artwork use is seating, minimum 12 seats • Maintain modularity of artwork design as well as whimsical, artistic elements • Modules loose from floor, movable by 2 people • Materials = comfortable, durable, easily maintained Revised Timeline: • 2024 – Contract Executed + Community Engagement • 2025 – Concept Design Review + Revised Concept Design Review • March-April 2026 – Final Design Review • May-August 2026 – Fabrication • September 2026 – WGE Site Fully Opened + Artwork Installed AUS WGE – Artwork Site 4 WGE Sculptural Seating – Artist Introduction Artwork Examples (if applicable) Reinaldo Correa, Artist Prarie Revival, 2017 5 Community Engagement Community engagement sticker activity at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, November 2024 Community-designed stickers During our on-site engagement, each participant was invited to draw their Austin story using custom stickers, creating spontaneous compositions that captured personal memories, landmarks, music, food, nature, and moments of connection unique to their experience of the city. These layered sticker drawings became a powerful visual archive of Austin as seen through many lenses. This collected imagery is now translated into a dynamic graphic language that are integrated via vinyl expressions applied to the top …
Eligible Appeals – Working Group Report Executive Summary Overview A total of 88 appeals were submitted across ACME funding programs (84 in English, 4 in Spanish). This report covers only those 6 Appeals identified as eligible based on ACME’s formal appeal requirements outlined in Appendix C: Appeals Process of the Funding Guidelines. Under Appendix C, an appeal may proceed only when it clearly demonstrates: 1. Panel Administration Error 2. Conflict of Interest 3. Reviewer or Staff Error involving information that was correctly submitted but overlooked or misrepresented Appeals cannot proceed when they are based on reviewer disagreement, funding thresholds, applicant mistakes, guideline disagreement, or submission of new information after the deadline. Process Context All appeal requests were submitted through the official ACME Appeals Form. Per ACME procedure: 1. ACME Staff First-Level Review a. Staff screens each appeal to determine whether it meets one or more of the qualifying grounds under Appendix C. b. Appeals lacking specificity, evidence, or qualifying grounds do not advance. 2. Appeals Working Group Review – April 17 (Friday) a. For appeals that pass staff screening, the Working Group will review cases and staff recommendations. b. The Working Group consists of two Arts Commissioners and two Music Commissioners. c. The group will confirm, modify, or overturn staff’s eligibility determinations, and issue formal recommendations. 3. Report Out to Full Arts Commission – April 20 (Monday) a. The Working Group’s recommendations are presented to the full Arts Commission for a vote. b. Final determinations are then communicated to applicants. This report provides cleaned, standardized language for the Working Group’s review and documentation. Funding impact • ALMF – Scott D. McIntosh: Staff identifies a valid +3 point correction based on documented evidence of artist development; revised score exceeds the award threshold. o Recommend: approve appeal & award $20,000. • Elevate – Artly World; Alyssa Taylor Wendt; Ben Randall; David Pope (Script School): Each shows a qualifying reviewer/staff oversight (e.g., overlooked evidence or materials); however, even with corrections, final scores remain below funding thresholds. o Recommend: approve appeal; outcome unchanged (no award). • Heritage – Esther’s Follies: Written reviewer comments contained a copy paste error (from another program), but verbal remarks and numerical scoring were correct; the adjusted average ‑ still falls below the threshold. o Recommend: approve appeal; outcome unchanged (no award). Case Write Ups 1) Artly World ‑ Program: Elevate Eligible Ground(s): Reviewer error — possible overlook of outreach …
INELIGIBLE APPEALS – WORKING GROUP REPORT Executive Summary Overview A total of 88 appeals were submitted across ACME funding programs (84 in English, 4 in Spanish). This report covers only those appeals identified as ineligible based on ACME’s formal appeal requirements outlined in Appendix C: Appeals Process of the Funding Guidelines. Under Appendix C, an appeal may proceed only when it clearly demonstrates: 1. Panel Administration Error 2. Conflict of Interest 3. Reviewer or Staff Error involving information that was correctly submitted but overlooked or misrepresented Appeals cannot proceed when they are based on reviewer disagreement, funding thresholds, applicant mistakes, guideline disagreement, or submission of new information after the deadline. Process Context All appeal requests were submitted through the official ACME Appeals Form. Per ACME procedure: 1. ACME Staff First-Level Review a. Staff screens each appeal to determine whether it meets one or more of the qualifying grounds under Appendix C. b. Appeals lacking specificity, evidence, or qualifying grounds do not advance. 2. Appeals Working Group Review – April 17 (Friday) a. For appeals that pass staff screening, the Working Group will review cases and staff recommendations. b. The Working Group consists of two Arts Commissioners and two Music Commissioners. c. The group will confirm, modify, or overturn staff’s eligibility determinations, and issue formal recommendations. 3. Report Out to Full Arts Commission – April 20 (Monday) a. The Working Group’s recommendations are presented to the full Arts Commission for a vote. b. Final determinations are then communicated to applicants. This report provides cleaned, standardized language for the Working Group’s review and documentation. Key Findings Across All Ineligible Appeals • Most appeals challenged reviewer opinions or eligibility outcomes — not appealable under Appendix C. • Many applicants misunderstood funding thresholds, program requirements, or their own responsibility to provide sufficient evidence. • Several appeals lacked specific identification of error, cited incomplete or corrupted uploads, or attempted to introduce new information. • No ineligible appeal, if granted, would have resulted in an award because scoring gaps remained too large. Funding Impact Only one case involved a potential scoring correction, but even after considering the adjustment, the applicant would not reach the relevant funding threshold. Thus, none of the ineligible appeals would have resulted in a different funding decision. AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND (ALMF) – INELIGIBLE APPEALS Across ALMF, the majority of appeals did not meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Appendix C of …
Appeals Working Group – Appeals Recommendations Report Overview The Appeals Working Group met on Friday, April 17, 2026, with the following in attendance: • Arts Commissioner Sharron Anderson • Arts Commissioner Muna Hussaini • Music Commissioner Clarissa Cardenas • Music Commissioner Clayton England Recommendations The Appeals Working Group made the following recommendations: • ALMF – Scott D. McIntosh: o Approve appeal o Approve award of $20,000. • Elevate – Artly World; Alyssa Taylor Wendt; Ben Randall: o Approve appeal o Funding outcome unchanged (no award). • Elevate –David Pope (Script School): o Approve appeal o Funding outcome unchanged (no award). o Further recommendation for staff to investigate if Reviewer bias affected other Reviewer scores • Heritage – Esther’s Follies: o Approve appeal o Funding outcome unchanged (no award).
Art in Public Places Panel Staff Briefings Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places Panel | April 6, 2026 AIPP Exhibition Open Calls austintexas.gov/AIPP People’s Gallery at City Hall 301 W. 2nd St. Austin, TX 78701 Exhibition will run October 2026 – May 2028 Changing Exhibits at AUS airport 3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719 12 galleries Exhibition will run October 2026 – August 2027 No submission fees. Applications close May 31, 2026 acme@austintexas.gov AIPP Coordinators – Jieun Beth Kim & Brittany Heinchon 2 Item # 2 Staff Briefings April 6, 2026 Blossom Gazes, Yuliya Lanina Beverly Sheffield Pool Shimmer by artist Sun McColgin Pool Grand Re-opening and Artwork unveiling Thursday, April 30, 2026 2:30pm 7000 Ardath St. Austin, TX 78757 AIPP Coordinator – Lindsay Hutchens 4 Dove Springs Health Facility Educate, Motivate, Inspire by artist Amado Castillo III Paloma Pavilion by artist Mai Gutierrez Artwork Celebration! Wednesday, May 6, 2026 4:00pm – 5:30pm 58111 Palo Blanco Ln Austin TX 78744 AIPP Coordinator – Frederico Forte 5 AIPP Resolution No. 20250306-029 6
superwoman records presents superwoman records presents Our mission is simple but urgent: We’re reclaiming the space that split this city in two. We’re highlighting the culture that survived the concrete. And we’re turning everyday residents into archivists of sound, rhythm, and identity. From music and oral histories to live performance and visual art — this project is about giving people the mic, the lens, and the light. Because the stories of East Austin aren’t gone — they’ve just been waiting to be heard. 01 WHAT ISCANDYCOATED 35?This pThis project is a cultural storytelling campaign rooted inroject is a cultural storytelling campaign rooted inrhythm, memory, and reclaiming space.rhythm, memory, and reclaiming space.This project is a cultural storytelling campaign rooted inrhythm, memory, and reclaiming space. 02 KICK OFFKICK OFF@KAZI@KAZI88.788.7KICK OFF@KAZI88.7 03 22 STOP STOP NDND@RICHES ART GALLERY@RICHES ART GALLERY AUSTIN’S ONLY BLACKAUSTIN’S ONLY BLACKOWNED GALLERYOWNED GALLERY2 STOP ND@RICHES ART GALLERY AUSTIN’S ONLY BLACKOWNED GALLERY 04 WATERLOO GREENWAYWATERLOO GREENWAY TAKEOVERTAKEOVERWATERLOO GREENWAY TAKEOVER
Review of Grant Administration Processes and Options Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment Current State 1: Where We Are A look at ACME Grant Administration 1: Where We Are • Past issue with Grants Administration • Relief & Recovery Funding • Call for a 3rd Party • How we work with The Long Center • How we work internally 2: What We Learned 3: Where We Go • Roles for Contract Management at ACME • Tools we used, City of Austin Best Practices, Departments we consulted, and process followed • Findings • Recommendations for improvement on the contract, amendments • What options do we see for how to move forward? • Maintain & Improve • Maintain & External Audit • New 3rd Party Procurement • Fully Outsource Program Management • Fully Bring Program Management in house 3 Past Issues for Cultural Funding Team Volume of Contracts (100+ per staff member) Final Reports + New Contracts at the same time (October) Required Pre-Contract Materials for COA Waiting on DO#s Up to 30 days for Invoice Processing (+ checks only) Bulk of time spent as "enforcers" vs Subject Matter Experts 4 Reviewing Materials takes a lot of time 80 Days Pre-Contract Materials Receive d to first Invoice submitted 40 Days Final Report received to Final Report closed out/ invoice submitted 5 Relief & Recovery: What grants could be. • Working with a Third-Party Administrator sped everything up. • Council directive to program design to funds distributed = Less than 6 Months COA Responsibility Third Party Responsibility • Provide application Questions (simplified) • Weekly meeting for oversight • Pay the administrative fee + grant fee • Create Press Release of Awardees • Create Dashboard for the website • Present to Commissions/ Council • Create Application within Submittable system • Provide all Technical Support • Score all applications & document process • Provide City with a Final List of Awardees • Notify awardees • Collect Award Acceptance/ Financial information • Cut and Send payments to Awardees • Submit a Final Report to the City • Time Spent • Total Applicants/ Awardees • Hours of Support provided • Cost was a flat 5-9% Admin Fee 6 Call for a Third-Party High expectations New HOT- funded grants • LMF & HPG • Elevate, Thrive, Nexus Limited Staffing Procurement Process led by Purchasing Department 7 How ACME works with TLC Create Application Submittable build- out Testing Create all …
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2026, AT 4:30 P.M. BEN WHITE OFFICES, SUITE 400 5202 EAST BEN WHITE BOULEVARD AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Art in Public Places Panel may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: Art in Public Places Panel: Special Meeting April 2026 Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Art in Public Places Manager Jaime Castillo at jaime.castillo@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-7852. CURRENT PANEL MEMBERS: Kristi-Anne Shaer, Chair Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison Bernardo Diaz Lindsey Millikan AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Andrew Danziger, Vice Chair Fatima Carbajal Camille Jobe The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular meeting on April 6, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding history of Art in Public Places Program. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion and Action of Art in Public Places Panel Bylaws. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. 4. 5. Discussion and Action of Art in Public Places programmatic and communications updates per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for recommended updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306- 029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than …
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL Special Meeting Minutes The Art in Public Places Panel convened a special meeting on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in-person special meeting. Chari Kristi-Anne Shaer called the meeting to order at 4:44 PM. Panel Members in Attendance: Kristi-Anne Shaer – Chair, Vice Chair – Andrew Danziger, Heidi Schmalbach – Arts Commission Liaison, Fatima Carbajal, Camille Jobe, and Lindsey Millikan. Bernardo Diaz was absent. Staff in Attendance: AIPP Manager: Jaime Castillo and AIPP Coordinator Senior: Rebecca Rende. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Division Manager: Melissa Alvarado PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. The minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular Meeting on April 6, 2026. Chair Shaer made a motion to move approval of the minutes from Art in Public Places Regular Panel Meeting on Monday, April 6, 2026 to the May Art in Public Places meeting, Commissioner Schmalbach seconded. Motion passes 6-0. Chair Shaer made a motion to suspend Robert’s Rules. Camille Jobe seconded. Motion passes 6-0. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion and Action of Art in Public Places Panel Bylaws. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. 4. Discussion and Action of Art in Public Places programmatic and communications updates per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Commissioner Schmalbach made a motion to form a AIPP Eligibility Working Group including Commission Schmalbach and Lindsey Millikan. Camille Jobe seconded. Motion passes 6-0. 5. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for recommended updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Commissioner Schmalbach made a motion to the Arts Commission to not approve the proposed changes to the Art in Public Places Ordinance Chapter 7-2 pending greater clarity on how redefining capital project costs will impact the Art in Public Places budget(s). Specifically, requesting to see the budget impacts in advance of the Arts Commission and request to formalize their request in a letter as backup for the Arts Commission meeting on April 20, …
REGULAR MEETING OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. BEN WHITE OFFICES, SUITE 400 5202 EAST BEN WHITE BOULEVARD AUSTIN, TEXAS Art in Public Places Panel members may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: Art in Public Places Panel: April Virtual Meeting | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Art in Public Places Manager Jaime Castillo at jaime.castillo@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-7852. CURRENT PANEL MEMBERS: Kristi-Anne Shaer, Chair Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison Bernardo Diaz Lindsey Millikan AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Andrew Danziger, Vice Chair Fatima Carbajal Camille Jobe The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular meeting on March 2, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. Discussion of Arts Commission Liaison Report on Action Items from March 16, 2026, Arts Commission Meeting. Presentation by Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison. Discussion of the Art in Public Places Panel retreat in 2026. 5. Discussion of the AFD 54 / ATCEMS 43 Canyon Creek Art in Public Places Project Concept Design. Presentation by Rudy Herrera, Art in Public Places Artist, and Lindsay Hutchens, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. 7. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport West Gate Expansion Sculptural Seating (formerly Playscape) Art in Public Places Project Final Design. Presentation by Reinaldo Correa, Art in Public Places Artist, and Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for recommended updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306- …
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL Regular Meeting Minutes The Art in Public Places Panel convened a regular meeting on Monday, April 6, 2026, virtual regular meeting. Chair Kristi-Anne Shaer called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM. Panel Members in Attendance: Kristi-Anne Shaer – Chair, Vice Chair – Andrew Danziger, Heidi Schmalbach – Arts Commission Liaison, Fatima Carbajal, Bernardo Diaz, Camille Jobe, and Lindsey Millikan. Staff in Attendance: AIPP Coordinator Senior: Frederico Forte, AIPP Coordinators: Lindsay Hutchens. AIPP Manager: Jaime Castillo. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. The minutes from Art in Public Places Regular Panel Meeting on Monday, March 2, 2026, were approved on the motion of Bernardo Diaz ; Lindsey Milikan seconded. Motion passes 7-0. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, AIPP Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discussion of Arts Commission Liaison Report on Action Items from March 16, 2026, Arts Commissions Meeting by Arts Commission Liaison. Heidi Schmalbach reported approval of all agenda items. 4. 5. Discussion of the Art in Public Places Panel retreat in 2026. Discussion of the AFD 54 / ATCEMS 43 Canyon Creek Art in Public Places Project Concept Design. Presentation by Rudy Herrera, Art in Public Places Artist, and Lindsay Hutchens, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport West Gate Expansion Sculptural Seating (formerly Playscape) Art in Public Places Project Final Design. Presentation by Reinaldo Correa, Art in Public Places Artist, and Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Final design was approved on the motion of Heidi Schmalbach; Camille Jobe seconded. Motion passes 7-0. 7. Approve a recommendation to Arts Commission for recommended updates to the Art in Public Places Ordinance, Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Discussion ensued. Item will be put up back for discussion during the AIPP panel retreat meeting. Chair Kristi-Anne Shaer call the meeting to an end the meeting at 8:21 PM. The minutes were approved at the May 4, 2026 meeting on Panel Member Camille Jobe’s motion, Panel Member Commissioner Schmalbach second on a 7-0 vote.
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION March 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 Some members of the ARTS COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn- live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than Noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Jesús Varela at jesus.varela@austintexas.gov or at 512-974-2444. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, VACANT - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Muna Hussaini, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on February 23, 2026. 1 of 3 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on actions taken at the March 2, 2026 Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach. 3. Update on actions taken at the March 11, 2026 Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston. 4. Discussion of the TEMPO on the Trail 2025-2026 Artist Final Designs Presentation by Mandi Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, The Trail Conservancy. 5. Report from Mayor’s Public Places Task Force by Commissioner Garza. 6. Update on meeting with Acting Director of Austin Convention Center, Katy Zamesnik, by Commissioner Anderson. 7. Discussion on creating technical workshops at Cultural Centers. 8. Discussion on The Long Center contract review. 9. Discussion of the Arts in Public Places ordinance update. STAFF BRIEFINGS 10. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 11. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 12. Staff briefing regarding an update on the ACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, ACME. 13. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 14. Discussion and approval on the 2027 Budget …
ARTS + CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 11, 2026 “Conversation Stones” by Diego Miro-Rivera THE TIMELINE TEMPO ON THE TRAIL TIMELINE: • Oct. 20, 2025: Committee Selection • Oct. 29: Artists Notified • Nov. 14: Final Designs Due • Dec. 11: TAG Meeting • January: Fabrication • Feb. 27, 2026: Installations Began 113 32 AIPP UPDATES: • Nov. 3, 2025: AIPP Panel Briefing – Artist Selection • Nov. 17, 2025: Art Commission Briefing • March 2, 2026: AIPP Panel Briefing – Final Designs “Meet Me In The Park” Johnny Walker “Sun Poem” Ani Bradberry TEMPO ON THE TRAIL 2025-2026 Jasna Boudard - Sculpture at Seaholm Park enFOLD Collective - Sculpture at Pfluger Circle Jamal Hussain - New Media at Odom Pavilion Victoria Marquez - Mural under Lamar Bridge Vy Ngo - Sculpture at Auditorium Shores Priscilla Lustig & Steef Crombach - Sculpture at Lakeshore Seth Prestwood - Mural under Drake Bridge J.C. King - Sculpture at Holly Shores Overlook Thomas Lemanski - Sculpture at Holly Fishing Pier Priscilla Lustig & Steef Crombach - Sculpture at Lakeshore Seth Prestwood - Passages enFOLD Collective - Sunclipse Jasna Boudard - Wing Trace TJ Lemanski - Cenotaphs Victoria Marquez – Reverie UnderArch J.C. King – Ghost Harps Vy Ngo – All Boats Bloom Jamal Hussain - New Light Priscilla Lustig & Steef Crombach - Cazimi UPCOMING A+C ON THE TRAIL 113 32 • Saturday, April 11 – 9:00am – 11:00am • Seaholm Waterfront (Intake) Building • Meet the Artist • Visual Trail tour • Media Interviews • Bike Tours • Walking Tours “Meet Me In The Park” Johnny Walker UPCOMING A+C ON THE TRAIL 113 32 “Meet Me In The Park” Johnny Walker
Hotel Occupancy Tax Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | March 23, 2026 Hotel Occupancy Tax – February 2026 H/MOT Penalties & Interest Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax Total Revenue Approved Budget $511,252 $166,777,013 $167,288,265 Transfer to Cultural Arts Fund $15,968,425 January $126,055 $14,502,127 $14,628,182 $1,396,991 Year-to-date $437,545 $78,660,383 $79,097,928 $7,553,852 • Total HOT Collections February 2026 = $14,628,182 • 47% of FY26 Approved Budget of $167,288,265 • Cultural Arts Fund February 2026 = $1,396,991 2 Hotel Occupancy Collections – Significant Contributing Events • Austin Free Week • STOMP • FronteraFest • Spurs Austin International Half Marathon • Time Travel Half Marathon • Mark Morris Dance Group • The Best of Steve Martin & Martin Short • Jo's Annual Chili Cookoff AUS Passenger Totals: 1,888,492 (December 2025) 3 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – FY26 Progress Approved Budget $15,968,425 CAF Actuals $7,553,852 4 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – Quarterly Comparison $15.65 M $15.57 M $15.34 M $12.9 M 5 Questions? 6
Cultural Arts Funding Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | March 23, 2026 Agenda 1. Contracts & Payments 2. Grant Funded Activities 2 Contracts & Payments Contracts & Payments (as of 3/22/26) FY24 Elevate FY25 Nexus FY25-26 Thrive (Year 1) FY25-26 Thrive (Year 2) Total Contracts Signed & Processed Contracts Test payments issued & verified Payment 1 Issued Payment 2 Issued Payment 3 Issued 230 230 (100%) 230 (100%) 230 (100%) 225 (98%) 177 (77%) 104 101 (97%) 101 (97%) 99 (95%) 34 (33%) n/a 35 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 32 (91%) 23 (66%) See year 1 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 9 (26%) N/A N/A Total Dist. to date Total Allocation $9,004,500 (97%) $9,265,000 $462,500 (89 %) $520,000 $3,610,000 (94%) $886,500 (23%) $3,850,000 $3,850,000 4 Grant Funded Activities Cultural Funding Grantee Activities Pamela Hart Sings the Devine Sarah Vaughn March 25 Women in Jazz (District 1) – Parker Jazz Club Trans Day of Visibility March 28 Gender Unbound (District 7) – Grassroots Leadership The ROAM Presents: Ruben Esquivel Through March 28 Really Small Museum (District 1) – Red Bluff Nature Preserve 6 FY 24-25 Cultural Funding Grantee Activities "Estamos Unidos" (We Are United) Mural Through April 1 Forty4 Design (MSA) – Café Hornitos Enduring Presence: Migration, Memory, and Becoming Through April 18 Sandra C. Fernandez (District 2) – Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking Fusebox Festival April 13 – 19 Fuse Box Austin (District 3) – Various Locations 7 Questions? 8
Funding Programs Update Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment | March 23, 2026 Award Announcements! ▪ 731 Awards announced on March 16th (1,606 applications submitted) ▪ $24+ million in grant awards ($67+ million in requests) Austin Live Music Fund Creative Space Assistance Program • 399 awards • $7.14 million • 22 awards • $1.32 million Elevate • 288 awards • $12.8 million Heritage Preservation Grant • 22 awards • $3 million 2 Award Notification ▪ Notification Letter (scores, minimum score required per program) ▪ Austin Live Music Fund (Musician/Promoter at $20k)– 47 ▪ Austin Live Music Fund (Musician/Promoter at $5k)– 17 ▪ Austin Live Music Fund Live Music Venue – 64 ▪ Creative Space Assistance Program – 75 ▪ Elevate Nonprofits – 88.00 ▪ Elevate Arts Groups – 92.00 ▪ Elevate Individual Artists – 93.33 ▪ Heritage Preservation Grant: Capital Projects – 36.67 ▪ Heritage Preservation Grant: Heritage Events – 54.67 ▪ Custom Report of Scores/ Panel Comments ▪ Link to Panel Meeting Recordings (Elevate) ▪ Awardee List posted to website (+new website) 3 Applicant Demographics Race ▪ 952 White (41%) ▪ 433 Hispanic (19%) ▪ 361 Black (16%) ▪ 120 Asian (5%) Gender ▪ 892 Women (39%) ▪ 1126 Men (49%) ▪ 138 Nonbinary (6%) ▪ 158 Prefer not to say (7%) ▪ 19 Middle Eastern, North African, Arab (1%) ▪ 19 Native American (1%) LGBTQ: 604 (26%) ▪ Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (0.2%) Disability Community: 289 (12%) ▪ 172 Multiracial (7%) Veteran: 45 (2%) ▪ 234 Prefer not to say/ not listed (10%) 4 Awardee Demographics Race ▪ 322 White (46.3%) ▪ 129 Hispanic (18.5%) ▪ 86 Black (12.4%) ▪ 43 Asian (6.2%) Gender ▪ 296 Women (42.5%) ▪ 302 Men (43.4%) ▪ 44 Nonbinary (6.3%) ▪ 54 Prefer not to say (7.8%) ▪ 9 Middle Eastern, North African, Arab (1.3%) ▪ 5 Native American (0.7%) ▪ 46 Multiracial (6.6%) LGBTQ: 185 (26.6%) Disability Community: 77 (11.1%) ▪ 56 Prefer not to say/ not listed (8%) Veteran: 7 (1%) 5 District Applicants & Awardees District # Applicants # Awardees Amount Requested Award Amount District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 District 10 ETJ Metropolitan Statistical Area 222 136 220 104 191 66 119 84 220 107 60 140 106 $ 9,220,256 $3,814,158.00 54 $ 5,220,000 $1,236,308.00 112 $ 8,419,292 $4,083,931.00 49 $ 79 $ 19 $ 49 $ …
Art in Public Places Resolution No. 20250306-29 Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | March 2026 Art in Public Places Background Established in 1985 by Ordinance 861009-A to direct the inclusion of works of art in capital projects. Initiated by arts community members, including Annette Carlozzi, modeled after Seattle • • Establishes the Art In Public Places Panel to review projects for recommendations to Arts Commission • 1% of construction project, AIPP allocation not to exceed $200,000 • Excludes architectural, engineering, administrative costs, costs for fees and permits, and indirect cost, such as interest during construction, advertising and legal fees Updated in 2002 by Ordinance 201031-25 to direct the: Response to inflation, increase in CIP projects in the 1998 bond, increase in staff costs due to market salary adjustments, and growing AIPP collection • Initiated by arts community members, including the AIPP Panel and Arts Commission and support from Margo Sawyer, John Yancey, Ann Graham, Dana Friis-Hansen, Anne Elizabeth Wynn, among many others • REPLACED: Increase to 2% of cost of a project to the city and REMOVED cap • CLARIFIED: Excludes debt issuance cost, demolition cost, equipment cost, permit and fee cost, and real property acquisition excluding parkland. 2 Art in Public Places Additional Background 2023 Arts Commission Recommendation 20230123-10: • Application of City Ordinance Chapter 7-2 (AIPP 2% for Art) to Public Private Partnerships (P3) projects. March 6, 2025 Resolution 20250306-029: • Council initiated • Review Chapter 7-2 and present recommended changes The Gathering Place, Samara Barks 3 Austin is a leader in the field of public art Art in Public Places By the numbers • 40-year-old program • Oldest % for Art program in Texas • 400+ artworks in the AIPP Collection • $20,000,000+ investment • Municipal-owned assets • Arts Commission & AIPP Panel advisory boards Tau Ceti by Josef Kristofoletti; Austin Convention Center 4 How’d we get here? Fall 2024 Interest from AIPP Panel to review Guidelines January 13, 2025 AIPP Panel approves Airport Phase I Artist Selections January 14, 2025 Panel Retreat Establish Guidelines Working Group January 30, 2025 City Council approved Convention Center Deaccessions February 2025 Austin Airport Artist Selections RCA pulled from Council agenda February 4, 2025 Past Matters starts Collection Survey February 24, 2025 Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment created March 6, 2025 City Council Resolution to assess the AIPP Ordinance & Guidelines March 2025 ACME leadership, City Manager, …
Asian American Resource Center Art Call – Item #7 Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places Panel | March 2, 2026 Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Project Phase Scoping: Art Call (delayed from May 2025, formatting and eligibility edits) Artist(s) Name TBD Budget $90,000 Commission Funding Type Capital Improvement Project Sponsor Dept Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME) Managing Dept AIPP, AACME Council District 1 2 AARC – Project Overview Call Summary / Site History: • One artist or artist-led team • Outdoors, 2D or 3D • Centers around development of a multipurpose pavilion integrated with existing great lawn • Envisioned as a flexible, year-round venue designed to host a variety of small to medium-sized programs and events Artwork Goals: • AIPP standard programmatic goals + • Speaks to and represents the Asian American experience in Austin, Texas, including • Diaspora, migration • Belonging, setting roots • Identity making, Asian American History, and/or local community building Timeline: • Call Open Spring 2026 • Artist Contracted Fall 2026 3 AARC – Art Call Requirements: • CV/Resume • 10-images of completed relevant artworks with descriptions • 4 short response questions • 3 professional references Eligibility: • Austin-based • Mid-career (newly defined) • Public artists are recognized in their fields and have a track record of exhibits, engaging communities, and completed projects in the public art realm. Minimum of five relevant completed projects with budgets up to $100,000. • Artists who have three or more permanent commissions represented in the AIPP public art collection; artists who are currently under an active contract for a permanent AIPP project; and artists who have completed a permanent AIPP project within the past year are not eligible to apply. 4 AARC – Artist Selection Process Selection Criteria: • Artistic merit, creative capacity, technical expertise of past work (30%) • Enthusiasm and ability in creating site-specific public artwork and working with local communities (40%) • Demonstrated experience in the field of public art (30%) Selection Process: • 3 visual arts professionals voting panelists • Additional community and City staff advise by providing their respective knowledge and expertise about the site, the community, the neighborhood, and the sponsor project • 1 round; score offline for short list, live discussion and vote 5 Next Steps Timeline: • AIPP Panel (Art Call) • Arts Commission (Art Call) March 2, 2026 March 23, 2026 Action needed: A motion to …
Shared Streets Art Call Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | March 2, 2026 Item #10 Art Call March 2, 2026 The Gathering Place, Samara Barks Project Name Project Phase Scoping: Art Call Artist(s) Name TBD – 3 artists Art Commission $170,000 / each Funding Type Sponsor Dept Bond ATPW Managing Dept n/a Council District City-wide 3 Shared Streets Project Overview Project Overview: • Pilot projects within ATPW • Shared streets are environments where people walk, bike and drive sharing the same space. • Accommodate all travel modes, ages, abilities, while prioritizing comfort and safety for pedestrians Project Goals: • Goal is to prioritize safety and comfort of pedestrians while allowing for bicycles and motor vehicles • Connect urban trails to our sidewalks/shared street, and bicycle networks • Build safe and comfortable way to walk and bike Timeline: • Vary by project 4 Shared Streets – Art Call Scope of Work: • Commission three artists or artist teams to create permanent artworks • Four locations identified by ATPW • Collaborate with stakeholders and surrounding communities • Design, fabricate, and install artworks within the right-of-way Considerations: (if applicable) • Pilot project for ATPW • Longterm maintenance • Right-of-way requirements Eligibility: • Local mid-career public artist Mid-career: public artists are recognized in their field and have a track record of exhibits, engaging communities, and completed projects in the public realm. Minimum of five relevant completed projects with budgets up to $100,000. 5 Shared Streets – Art Call Location 1: Avenue G and H and 55th St Artwork Opportunity: • Retrofit artwork into design plans: traffic circles, pedestrian crossing islands, bulb outs, chicanes Project Goal: • Converting pilot shared street to permanent project, including two Healthy Streets Project Timeline: • Project Design complete: spring 2026 • Construction starts: • Construction complete: fall/winter 2026 early 2027 Location 1: Avenues G and H and 55th St Project Area 6 Shared Streets – Art Call Location 2: Neils Thompson and Longhorn Blvd Artwork Opportunity: • Retrofit artwork into design plans: shared use path for both pedestrian and bicyclists Project Goal: • Converting pilot shared street to permanent project, including two Healthy Streets Location 2: Neils Thompson Drive and Longhorn Blvd Project Area & Schematic Design Project Timeline: • Construction starts: • Construction complete: under construction spring 2026 7 Shared Streets – Art Call Location 3: Davis Lane and Latta Drive Artwork Opportunity: • …
Northeast Service Center Suspended Artwork Art Call Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | March 2, 2026 Item #11 Art Call March 2, 2026 Two Live by Star, Angel Alcala NESC Suspended Artwork (Admin Building) Project Phase Selecting: Artist Selection Artist(s) Name TBD Art Commission $300,000 Funding Type CIP/Bond Sponsor Dept Austin Resource Recovery Austin Fleet Mobility Services Managing Dept Austin Financial Services Council District 1 NESC location: 8301 Johnny Morris Rd 3 Project Overview Project Overview: • First AIPP project within P3 delivery model • $3 million in Art Commissions • AIPP developed opportunities & budgets Project Goals: • New campus will consolidate services to one location • ARR: trash collection, recycling, composting, large brush collection and bulk items • AFMS: vehicle maintenance needs for City of Austin Timeline: • Phased approach: suspended artwork is the second project, additional opportunities in fall 2026 • Construction began fall 2025 • Campus opening fall 2027 North Campus: Austin Resource Recovery 4 Project Overview North Campus: Austin Resource Recovery South Campus: Austin Fleet Mobility Services Garage Façade Interior Suspended Artwork $1,800,000 $ 300,000 Cistern Murals x 2 Sculptures x 5 Total AIPP Opportunities $ 300,000 $ 600,000 $3,000,000 5 NESC Suspended Artwork – Art Call Scope of Work: • Site-specific permanent artwork • Suspended 3D artwork on the grand staircase • Encouraged use of recycled materials • Engage stakeholders and community • Artwork integrated into building design, including coordination with project team • Artist(s) that can meet installation timeline Considerations: • Users and visitors of the site (administrative building is open to the public) • Longterm maintenance, building is open 24/7 Eligibility: • Texas-based mid-career public artist Administrative Building Lobby, Grand Staircase Mid-career: public artists are recognized in their fields and have a track record of exhibits, engaging communities, and completed projects in the public art realm. Minimum of five relevant completed projects with budgets up to $100,000. 6 NESC Suspended Artwork – Art Call Artwork location on grand staircase in administrative building lobby 7 NESC Suspended Artwork (Admin Building) Artist Selection Process Selection Criteria: • Artistic merit, creative capacity, and technical expertise of past work (30%) • Enthusiasm and ability in creating site-specific public artwork and working with local communities (40%) • Demonstrated experience in the field of public art (30%) Artist Selection Panel: • Identify artist selection panelists (3 visual professionals) • Project advisors • Review applications …
Corridor William Cannon Final Design Item #5 Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Art in Public Places | 2/19/26 Corridor William Cannon Project Phase Designing (Final) Artist(s) Name Brent Baggett Art Commission $104,000 Funding Type CIP Sponsor Dept TPW Managing Dept CDS Council District 2 5600 E William Cannon Dr, Austin, TX 78744 2 Corridor William Cannon Artist Introduction Brent Baggett “Winging it” Snohomish County Park, Everett, WA 2010 “Pioneer” El Centro Community College, Dallas, TX 2015 3 Community Engagement 4 "Relay" Final Design: Inspiration 5 Final Design: Visuals 6 Final Design: Site Plan 7 Final Design: Materials and Fabrication 8 Final Design: Installation 9 Artwork Budget Line Item Design (up to 20%) Artist Research | Community Engagement Concept Design Final Design Engineering & Construction Documents Design subtotal Fabrication / Install (minimum 80%) Materials Labor Shipping and installation Site Work Fabrication / Install subtotal Contingency 10% Total Amount $2,500 $6,000 $7,000 $2,500 $18,000 $30,000 $25,000 $5000 $10,000 $72,000 $10,000 % 2.5% 6% 7% 2.5% 18% 30% 25% 5% 10% 72% 10% $100,000 100% 10 Next Steps Timeline: • AIPP Panel • Arts Commission • Fabrication | Installation 3/2/26 3/23/26 Spring | Summer 2026 Action needed: A motion to approve the final design for the Corridor William Cannon Art in Public Places Project to the Arts Commission. 11
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Arts Commission Recommendation Number: 20260323-14: Arts Commission FY26 Budget Recommendations Date of Approval: March 23, 2026 RECOMMENDATION: 1. Fully fund AACME for all necessary Full-Time Employees to ensure full capacity for the Division and build a solid foundation for growth. City of Austin General Fund 2. All AACME staffing expenses and administrative fees to be sourced from the General Fund (or any other appropriate source) and NOT from limited Hotel Occupancy Taxes designated for Arts. (FY25-26 amount was approx. $548,000) / City of Austin General Fund 3. Fiscal support for Community Navigators to better support applicants during the cultural funding program application process, in particular for translation service providers. $1 Million / City of Austin General Fund 4. The addition of a Marketing Representative and a Community Engagement Specialist for each cultural facility: Asian American Resource Center, George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, Mexican American Culture Center, and the Dougherty Arts Center. JUSTIFICATIONS REC. 1. The new Division must be fully staffed in order to provide services to the Arts/Culture Community and the City. REC. 2. Hotel Occupancy Taxes (HOT) are limited in their scope and should be used primarily for direct support of arts organizations, artists, and cultural programming rather than administrative expenses. Moving AACME funding to the General Fund ensures Long-Term Sustainability: Reliance on HOT for administrative costs creates funding instability, as these revenues fluctuate based on tourism trends. Shifting these costs to the General Fund ensures consistent support. This move aligns with Best Practices: Other cities with thriving arts ecosystems, such as San Francisco and Seattle, allocate administrative costs separately to ensure the majority of HOT revenues directly benefit arts organizations and creative workers. Rec. 3. Improves Equity and Accessibility – Many artists and cultural organizations, particularly those from underrepresented communities, face language and administrative barriers when applying for funding. Providing translation services ensures that all applicants, regardless of language proficiency, have an equal opportunity to access funding. Community Navigators will help to strengthen Grant Success Rates – Many small and emerging arts organizations lack administrative capacity to 1 of 2 navigate complex grant applications. Admin support for grant applications helps ensure more organizations successfully receive funding, leading to a more diverse and inclusive arts ecosystem. Supports Artists’ Well-Being – Many artists lack access to affordable healthcare, impacting their ability to sustain creative work. Community support for health services—such as mental health resources …
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION March 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 The ARTS COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR meeting on March 23, 2026 at Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 Commissioner Houston called the ARTS COMMISSION Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Houston, Hussaini, Medicharla, Garza Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Pownall, Schmalbach, Maldonado, Kracheni, Keys, Anderson Board Members Absent: Banskota CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, VACANT - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Muna Hussaini, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla MEETING MINUTES CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL • Maggie Meador from Summer Break Theatre spoke on their concerns with the Elevate grant application process. It was concerning that they were not given the rubric in advance so that they could craft their application. It’s hard to answer questions successfully if they don’t know what to aim for in the rubric. One of the panelists were harsh. It was hurtful that their comments weren’t in full sentences and had typos and they wished the reviewer gave them more thoughtful comments. They were concerned that this particular panelist may have a negative effect on other people’s 1 of 5 • scores. They would like the process of staff providing feedback on drafts would be returned. It was a value recourse that was available for free to everyone, but it was a very valuable resource. Joel Laviolette from Rattletree school marimba spoke on that provides free cultural. They want to bring forward an administrative error in their application. They were awarded as an arts groups instead of a non-profit organization. They are asking for the application be re considered as a non-profit • Laura Esparza from A3 Austin invited the Ats Commission to their upcoming event “The Big We”. It will be a creative congress to ask how they could work together greater than their differences. They want to thank ACME, the Elevate Grant, and the Asian American Resource Center for helping to make the event happen. • Maria Luisa Guitierez from Casa Costura. They are here because they feel it’s very unfair they were left ouf of the Elevate funding cycle event though it was their highest score to date. They feel that the …
REGULAR MEETING OF THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. VIRTUAL MEETING Art in Public Places Panel may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams. Public comment will be allowed remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To in Public Places Manager Jaime Castillo at register jaime.castillo@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-7852. to speak remotely, contact Art CURRENT PANEL MEMBERS: Kristi-Anne Shaer, Chair Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison Bernardo Diaz Lindsey Millikan AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Andrew Danziger, Vice Chair Fatima Carbajal Camille Jobe The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular meeting on February 2, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. Discussion of Arts Commission Liaison Report on Action Items from February 23, 2026, Arts Commission Meeting. Presentation by Heidi Schmalbach, Arts Commission Liaison. Discussion of the TEMPO 2025-2026 Artist Final Designs. Presentation by Mandi Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, The Trail Conservancy and Rebecca Rende, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. 5. 6. 7. 8. Discussion of the Armadillo Water Tank Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Bill Tavis, Art in Public Places Artist and Bryana Iglesias, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Discussion of the Austin Convention Center Redevelopment (Phase 1) Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Manik Nakra, Art in Public Places Artist and Ileana Yordan-Cuevas, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Discussion of the Austin Convention Center Redevelopment (Phase 1) Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Betelhem Makonnen / SB Gaya Inc, Art in Public Places Artist and Ileana Yordan-Cuevas, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Discussion of the Art in Public Places Panel retreat …
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PANEL Regular Meeting Minutes The Art in Public Places Panel convened a regular meeting on Monday, March 2, 2026, virtual regular meeting. Chari Kristi-Anne Shaer called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM. Panel Members in Attendance: Kristi-Anne Shaer – Chair, Vice Chair – Andrew Danziger, Heidi Schmalbach – Arts Commission Liaison, Fatima Carbajal, Bernardo Diaz, Camille Jobe, and Lindsey Millikan. Staff in Attendance: AIPP Coordinator Senior: Rebecca Rende, AIPP Coordinators: Lindsay Hutchens and Bryana Iglesias, AIPP Manager: Jaime Castillo, and Division Manager: Melissa Alvarado. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. The minutes of the Art in Public Places Panel Regular Meeting on February 2, 2026. The minutes from Art in Public Places Regular Panel Meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026, were approved on the motion of Camille Jobe, Bernardo Diaz seconded. Motion passes 5-0. Heidi Schmalbach and Fatima Carbajal abstained. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Art in Public Places Program, including Conservation, Current Projects and Milestones. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, AIPP Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discussion of Arts Commission Liaison Report on Action Items from February 23, 2026, Arts Commissions Meeting by Arts Commission Liaison. Heidi Schmalbach reported approval of all agenda items. 4. 5. 6. 7. Discussion of the TEMPO 2025-2026 Artist Final Designs. Presentation by Mandi Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, The Trail Conservancy and Rebecca Rende, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Discussion of the Armadillo Water Tank Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Bill Tavis, Art in Public Places Artist and Bryana Iglesias, AIPP Coordinator, Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment. Discussion of the Austin Convention Center Redevelopment (Phase 1) Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Manik Nakra, Art in Public Places Artist and Ileana Yordan-Cuevas, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Discussion of the Austin Convention Center Redevelopment (Phase 1) Art in Public Places Project Mid-Design. Presentation by Betelhem Makonnen / SB Gaya Inc, Art in Public Places Artist and Ileana Yordan-Cuevas, AIPP Coordinator Senior, Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment. Chair Kristi-Anne Shaer made a request to move “Item 8 Discussion of the Art in Public Places Panel retreat in 2026” to the end of the meeting. Lindsey Millikan made a motion to move Item 8 to the end of the agenda. Commissioner Schmalbach seconded. Motion passes 7-0. Panel took a …
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION February 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 Some members of the ARTS COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn- live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than Noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Jesús Varela at jesus.varela@austintexas.gov or at 512-974-2444. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, VACANT - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Muna Hussaini, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on December 15, 2025 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on actions taken at the March 2nd Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach 3. Update on actions taken at the February 18th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston 4. Report from Mayor’s Public Places Task Force by Commissioner Garza. STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 6. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 7. Staff briefing regarding an update on the AACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, AACME. 8. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. 9. Staff briefing regarding the Austin Convention Center and Creative Economy Benefits to Austin by Acting Director of Austin Convention Center, Katy Zamesnik and Assistant Director, AACME, Morgan Messick DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 10. Approve a recommendation for one new member to the Art in Public Places Panel. 11. Approve a recommendation for the Colony Park Pool Art in Public Places Project Final Design - Chirs Tobar and Celica Ledesma. 12. Approve a recommendation for the Faulk History Center Art in Public …
Hotel Occupancy Tax Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | February 23, 2026 Hotel Occupancy Tax – January 2025 H/MOT Penalties & Interest Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax Total Revenue Approved Budget $511,252 $166,777,013 $167,288,265 Transfer to Cultural Arts Fund $15,968,425 January $119,064 $29,152,858 $29,271,921 $2,975,478 Year-to-date $311,490 $64,158,256 $64,469,746 $6,156,861 • Total HOT Collections January 2025 = $29,271,921 • 39% of FY26 Approved Budget of $167,288,265 • Cultural Arts Fund January 2025 = $2,975,478 2 Hotel Occupancy Collections – Significant Contributing Events • Austin Trail of Lights • Armadillo Christmas Bazaar • Ballet Austin's The Nutcracker • Austin's New Year AUS Passenger Totals: 1,888,492 (December 2025) 3 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – FY26 Progress Approved Budget $15,968,425 CAF Actuals $6,156,860 4 HOT Cultural Arts Fund – Quarterly Comparison $15.65 M $15.57 M $15.34 M $12.9 M 5 Questions? 6
