Arts Commission Regular Meeting of the Arts Commission - This meeting will be held with some members attending IN PERSON and others ATTENDING REMOTELY.
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 …
