We love that Austin is home to such a vibrant creative community! While our city might be best known for its live music scene and eagerness to embrace “the weird”, it is also a mecca for visual artists, dancers, actors, crafters and makers. With such a rich arts focus, Austin is a great place for kids to grow up with many creative opportunities — including programs offered by community partners such as Creative Action.
Creative Action is a local arts-based nonprofit that offers creative learning programs for youth — from afterschool programs to family workshops to summer camps. Whether students are scripting original films, painting murals, or performing plays, they use the creative arts to explore age-appropriate social issues, build appreciation for diversity and think about how to make positive differences in the world.
Together with Creative Action, we’re happy to present this list below of places to appreciate the arts as well as opportunities to get hands-on with artistic endeavors.
Where to Get Artsy in Austin:
–> Check out Museums & Galleries: For a big dose of inspiration, take a look at some of the amazing works of art on view at one of our local museums, galleries, or even less-conventional settings:
- Blanton Museum of Art
- Contemporary Austin – Jones Center & Laguna Gloria
- Mexic-Arte Museum
- Art on 5th
- Mondo Gallery
- HOPE Outdoor Gallery
- Instagrammable Street Art
- Cathedral of Junk
- Stickwork Sculpture in Pease Park
- Austin’s Tallest Mural
- Austin Art in Public Places
- Bee Cave Sculpture Park
–> Create Your Own Visual Art: When you want to get hands-on with your own art projects, of course you can start in your very own home (and we highly recommend Austin Creative Reuse for affordable, recycled supplies), but there’s no shortage of places to go create in a studio setting. From classes to camps, workshops, and drop-in art-making sessions, check out these places to go get artsy:
- Center for Creative Action
- Art School at Laguna Gloria
- Smudge Studios
- Austin Creative Art Center
- The Art Garage
- Cafe Monet
- Austin Tinkering School
- The Austin Artery
–> Enjoy Theatre & Dance: Appreciate the artistry that’s displayed through dance or theatrical productions. In Austin, you can always find a performance to attend, whether from a local company or a touring show. Check out the schedules at these venues:
- ZACH Theatre
- Austin Scottish Rite Theatre
- Ballet Austin
- Long Center
- Bass Concert Hall
- Paramount & Stateside Theatres
- One World Theatre
–> Special Annual Events: There’s quite a few art events that we look forward to every year. Be sure to keep these on your radar:
- Pecan Street Festival
- Art City Austin
- East Austin Studio Tour
- West Austin Studio Tour
- Zilker Summer Musical
–> More to Explore:
- Fun Classes for Kids in Austin
- 10 Places for Makers in Austin: Experiments, Tinkering & Other Science Fun
- Austin Summer Camp Guide
