275 Authors in 2 Days

Book lovers rejoice! Texas Book Festival releases 2014 schedule

Texas Book Festival has released the 2014 schedule.

Courtesy photo

Last month, the Texas Book Festival revealed the largest lineup in its 19-year history, promising over 275 authors in two days at the Texas State Capitol grounds. Now that the official schedule has been announced (and is live on the TBF website as of this afternoon), we are happy to report that the weekend of October 25-26 is shaping up quite nicely for all you book nerds.

Beyond the jam-packed days of author panels and readings, there will be two days of live music, cooking demonstrations and kid-friendly activities, like a Storybook Character Fashion Show, which will be held Saturday, October 25, at 11 am in the Children’s Activity Tent. (“Come dressed as your favorite storybook character and walk the runway!”)

For all the headlining authors you’re excited to see, like chef Lidia Bastianich, Martin Amis and Joyce Carol Oates, now you know the exact time and place to catch them. (And you can start planning out just how early you will need to get in line.)

The schedule also fills us in on who will be chatting with who. Multiple author panels are a festival favorite of ours, and this year promises to be full of one-of-a-kind, thoughtful conversations between diverse authors. Colson Whitehead and Doug Swanson will be discussing the thrill of poker, Tiphanie Yanique and Jess Row will look at the intersection of race and identity, and brilliant debut author Mira Jacob (The Sleepwalkers Guide to Dancing) will chat with emerging authors Vanessa Manko and Malcolm Brooks.

Yup, it’s going to be a good weekend. And with a record-breaking amount of authors heading to town, it’s never too early to start poring over the schedule and plotting out how to catch as many of them as you can.

---

The 2014 festival is free and open to the public. Visit the Texas Book Festival website to view the full list of 2014 authors and schedule, as well as information about attending, volunteering and purchasing tickets for the gala.

unspecified

tune in

Interactive art space Meow Wolf broadcasts Texas opening, radio theme

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

Art-loving Texans will soon have a new venue to explore. Houston’s Meow Wolf has set its opening date and revealed the theme that governs its interactive installations.

Set to open on October 31, Houston’s Meow Wolf will be called Radio Tave — a riff on “radio wave.” Described in press materials as a radio station that’s been transported to another dimension, Meow Wolf visitors will be able to explore dozens of rooms filled with interactive elements such as hidden doors, paths, and portals.

For those unfamiliar, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based art collective that’s opening its fifth installation in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Think of it as a choose your own adventure contemporary art museum loaded with sculptures, murals, video, and light and sound artworks that each contribute a small piece of the overall theme.

Towards that end, Radio Tave will be stocked with a mix of characters — some created for the venue and others that nod to Meow Wolf’s installations in four other U.S. cities, including the Dallas suburb of Grapevine. That includes a radio station with the call letters ETNL and its own slogan, “Big Sounds From Little Thicket.” As seen in the photos above, the radio station already has a website with a placeholder page.

“Houston is a powerhouse of creativity, and our artists and collaborators have been channeling that electric energy into this exhibition for years,” Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa said in a statement. “They've taken it to the next level, capturing the city's vibrancy in every corner of the experience. We can't wait for you to step inside and explore it for yourself.”

As CultureMap has previously reported, a diverse ensemble of more than 50 contributing artists from Texas has collaborated with Meow Wolf’s in-house artist team to bring the facility to life. The list of local creative superstars included such well know artists as innovative theatrical set and puppet designer Afsaneh Aayani, art activist Kill Joy, and two longtime pillars of Houston’s installation and immersive art community in Dan Havel and Dean Ruck of Havel Ruck Projects.

"The visuals and soundscapes of Radio Tave are on another level,” senior creative producer Susie Cowan added. “Visitors will be immersed in a rich, multi-sensory experience that invites them to explore a world that feels both vast and deeply personal."

Meow Wolf Cowboix Hevvven jukebox Cowboix Hevvven's jukebox will feature 30 tracks recorded by Texas artists. Photo by Kate Russell

Meow Wolf will feature a venue space, a gift shop, and Cowboix Hevvven, a dive bar-inspired bar and restaurant that will offer “otherworldly Texan hospitality and comfort food.” Cole Bee Wilson, a fifth generation Texan and Meow Wolf’s lead artist, took the lead in creating Cowboix Hevvven. True to the venue’s theme, it will feature a jukebox with 30 songs created by Texas artists for Meow Wolf.

Annual season passes are currently on sale for $84. They include unlimited visits to the venue and perks such as a 10-percent discount at both the gift shop and Cowboix Hevvven.

Subscribers to Meow Wolf’s email list may purchase single-day passes beginning September 24. General tickets will go on sale October 1.

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

meow wolf openings visual-art