Arts in Context
Austin artists paint vivid picture of challenges facing female creatives

Editor's note: CultureMap is proud to present the latest installment in our partnership with KLRU's documentary series Arts In Context. The series explores the process of creation and what it's like to be a working artist in the Austin area. You can watch more stories at klru.org/artsincontext.
As part of their experience as women of color in the arts, these eight local creatives open up about the struggles, the secrets, and the successes that can accompany "checking two boxes."
"Sometimes I can feel a certain silent judgment," says Christine Hoang, an Austin-based playwright, on the misperceptions of other creatives. "It's kind of like a double whammy being a woman and a woman of color, because people can see you fit two slots, and you're only there because you hit that double whammy of marginalized groups ... Not because you deserve it, but because your categories led you to that place."
Along with Hoang, Austin artists, filmmakers, and dancers share similar stories of the challenges of being a woman in Austin's sometimes insular creative community.
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, Decibel, 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.