Weekend festival to fill Austin with arts; Visual, musical and culinary disciplines laid out at ArtWorks
Published 8:33 am Friday, August 25, 2017
The sixth annual Austin ArtWorks Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday in downtown Austin, with Austin native Tom Hormel as this year’s featured artist.
An artist, composer and conservationist who resides in Florida, Hormel has given 25 of his original prints to be displayed in the Paramount Annex (the former Parks and Recreation building) during the festival. Austin Area Commission for the Arts Executive Director Laura Helle said the prints are signed and available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Austin Area Commission for the Arts.
Th Spam Museum will also honor Hormel with a “canstruction” version of Hormel’s work “Hootenanny to Shoot Crickets” composed entirely of Spam cans in front of the museum.
The Dick Schindler Celebration Concert, featuring the interactive art and speed-painting act “Artrageous,” will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Paramount Theatre. The show is sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health Systems – Albert Lea/Austin. Advance tickets cost $14 for adults and $7 for students 12 and under. Tickets purchased the night of the event are $19 for adults and $12 for students 12 and under. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/5983594/artrageous-austin-historic-paramount-theatre.
This free event will also feature 55 exhibiting artists, 15 music acts on three stages, free family arts activities, nine authors and 10 demonstrating artists.
Helle listed several new events going on at this year’s event:
• Artists aged 10 and up can design their own skateboard deck with artist Mark Rivard. Rivard, a member of the Sharpie Squad, creates custom art on skateboard decks for display and for use by skaters. Details and registration requirements are available at www.austinareaarts.org;
• An authors stage will be at Sweet Reads Books and Candy;
• Chicks on Sticks
Stilt Walkers will visit on Saturday.
• Relaxation station, developed with input from the Hormel Historic Home’s Autism Friendly Austin initiative, will be available to those in need of a sensory break.
• Two stages featuring acoustic music will be available, up from one in previous years.
The festival events will be held rain or shine.
After the events on Saturday, the Salvation Army will host its second annual Baked Potato Bar and Silent Auction. For $7, visitors can get up to two baked potatoes with choice of toppings, a drink and dessert. The auction will feature items such as gift certificates and theme baskets donated by local businesses. All proceeds will go to World Services.
For more information on the Austin ArtWorks Festival, call 507-434-0934 or visit www.austinareaarts.org.