Austin Art News

ATX Free Art Fridays transform the city into a creative treasure hunt

ATX Free Art Friday rewards art lovers and artists alike.

Courtesy of KLRU

Editor's note: CultureMap is proud to present the latest installment in our partnership with KLRU's documentary series Arts in Context. This unique series celebrates stories about the arts in Austin and the people who make this such a vibrant and creative city.

Every Friday night, there’s a hunt across Austin for hidden pieces of art, and you can be a part of it. Started by local street art collective SprATX, ATX Free Art Friday has grown exponentially, with artists — and aspiring artists — donating their pieces each week to whoever can find them.

The free art ranges from sculptures and drawings to spray can artworks and paintings. After hiding a piece, the artist posts a photo of its clandestine location on Instagram with the hashtag #ATXFreeArtFriday and @SprATX. The @SprATX team then re-posts the photo, and the hunt is on.

Art enthusiasts jump at the chance to discover these new works. So, if you plan on trying to score some art, act fast. Some pieces are found within minutes!

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KLRU-TV, Austin PBS is dedicated to telling stories that entertain, inspire and change our lives. KLRU highlights what makes Austin unique – whether music, arts or public issues – by creating and distributing award-winning original content. KLRU produces several series including Austin City Limits, Arts In Context, Central Texas Gardener, Civic Summit and Overheard with Evan Smith. As a nonprofit educational organization, KLRU also prepares children to succeed in school and creates lifelong learning opportunities for all. Find out more at klru.org.

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Make A Wish

Austin holiday bazaar with toys and home decor returns for 24th season

Photo courtesy of Blue Genie Art Bazaar

This approachable art market has finds fitting many preferences.

When the sometimes dreaded task of holiday shopping rolls around again, Austinites have a huge advantage. This city is full of artisan fairs, and that increases in the late fall with the arrival of markets like Blue Genie Art Bazaar, returning for its 24th year November 15 to December 24.

The local shopping market is virtually split between this and the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar, with the latter market focusing more on fine art and live music, while the former takes a wider, more utilitarian approach. This year there are more than 200 regional vendors, many of whose catalogs feature items that nod to their Texas heritage, cute and funny knickknacks, and unique home goods.

A website organizes the vendors into 15 categories for easy browsing, including by material (wood, glass, ceramics), modality (photography, fine art, folk art), use (home decor, body care), and more. A legitimately well-balanced mix of products during past years means this is a good place to stop for multiple receivers on a shopper's list

Another edge this market has over the plethora of others popping up is an online store — which, attention Halloween-lovers, is active year-round. Customers can pick up online orders at the store or get them shipped around the United States.

It's still worth it to go in person; aside from enhanced browsing, there will also be a bar and snacks. And in addition to supporting local artists, a portion of sales each Monday also supports Make-a-Wish of Central & South Texas.

Blue Genie Art Bazaar coasters This mix-and-match coasters depict Austin landmarks that only locals know, including some that have closed.Photo courtesy of Blue Genie Art Bazaar

“We’re excited to welcome even more artists and artisans to this year’s Bazaar, making it a truly one-stop shopping destination for the holidays,” said BGAB co-owner Dana Younger in a press release.

The Blue Genie Art Bazaar is located at 6100 Airport Boulevard, and open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, except Christmas Eve (December 24) when it closes at 6 pm. More information is available at bluegenieartbazaar.shop.

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