ACME and You

New city office seeks ideas from Austin artists for 'creative reset'

The new Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) is getting its first community initiatives in motion.

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The City of Austin's new Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME ), which was formed in February, is getting started on a new community-led arts planning process. ACME is calling the first stage "The Creative Reset."

The resulting year-long, community-led initiative will shape Austin's creative future by setting priorities and determining where funding will go.

First up for consideration are the City's cultural funding programs. These are grants like Nexus, Thrive, and Elevate, as well as the Austin Live Music Fund, Creative Space Assistance Program, the Heritage Preservation Grant, and the Art in Public Spaces Program. All of these are Austin programs to help artists make their art.

The City of Austin is asking Austin creatives to help shape this program in a number of ways.

Austinites can now take a quick survey to help the city understand artists' priorities, experiences, and ideas for ACME's future. The survey is open through June 5.
Community members can also join a dedicated focus group or even host their own focus group with a free toolkit provided by the City.
Austinites are also invited to attend an upcoming "listening session" with ACME Director Angela Means in July. The exact date is to be determined.

According to a press release, any feedback collected during this initial phase of ACME's Creative Reset "will be used to develop new program guidelines rooted in accessibility, transparency, and community priorities." Folks will also have the ability to review how their input is being used in the program throughout the year with the upcoming launch of a public dashboard.

“This marks a pivotal moment in the City’s commitment to its cultural sector,” said Means in the release. “The Creative Reset isn’t just a single initiative — it’s a year-long process grounded in collaboration. It’s about bringing artists, musicians, historians, creatives, and community voices together to reimagine how Austin nurtures its creative spirit. We're building this brand-new Department together. We want every voice at the table."

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Pop Art

World-renowned interactive balloon art museum floats to Austin

"Hyperstellar" installation at the Balloon Museum

Photo courtesy of the Balloon Museum

"Hyperstellar" by Hyperstudio is one of nearly 20 featured exhibits. It won't be coming to Austin, but more work from Hyperstudio will.

Austinites who love a good psychedelic, interactive, and highlyInstagrammable art experience are in luck, because the world-renowned Balloon Museum is opening its doors in Austin on June 21.

This family-friendly art installation is not dissimilar to some other "museums" we've already have in town, like the Museum of Illusions, Museum of Ice Cream, and Wonderspaces; all more art installations than educational deep dives on their respective topics. As the name indicates, though, the Balloon Museum focuses particularly on inflatable and air-based art. So balloons, yes, but also aerial installations, interactive lighting displays, and more.

Balloon Museums are located across the globe and have various exhibits. Austin's Balloon Museum will showcase the Let's Fly— Art Has No Limits exhibit, which explores "the intersection of art, air, and creativity," according to a press release. This show was created by Italy-based Lux Entertainment, will feature large-scale installations, some of which span more than 65,000 square feet.

D.R.E.A.M.S. by Camilla Falsini is coming to Austin.Photo courtesy of the Balloon Museum

"Rooted in the concepts of flight, freedom and lightness, the exhibition explores air as both a physical element and a symbol of movement and limitless travel, within ourselves and beyond," says the press release.

More concretely, this exhibit will feature the following pieces:

“Fountain of Eternity and Kaleidoscope,” which blends sculpture and performance by Sasha Frolova
“Squeezed In,” an installation featuring oversized characters by Lucas Zanotto
“Her Joy,” a mirrored sphere that breathes and reflects light like a resonating body by Alex Schweder
“Crazy Love for Polygons," exploring geometric forms by Cyril Lancelin
“D.R.E.A.M.S.” showcasing a dreamlike city by Camilla Falsini
“Balloon Tree,” mimicking nature in an artificial way by Myeongbeom Kim
“Quadriga,” suspending grandiose "metaphysical" horses by Max Streicher
“Mariposa,” a luminous 26-foot and interactive butterfly by Christopher Schardt
“BB,” arranging hundreds of balloons for symmetry and reflection by Tadao Cern
“The Ginjos,” a group of fluorescent, huggable creatures by Rub Kandy
“Hyperlight- and Invisible Ballet,” moving balloons and light in a dance around the viewer by Hyperstudio
“ADA,” allowing viewers to affect the environment with a charcoal-drawing sphere by Karina Smigla-Bobinski
“Zeros,” arranging huge inner tube shapes in an oscillating wave by Spy
“Airscape,” a virtual reality experience within fantastical worlds by Sila Sveta
“AI Data Portal of Austin,” environmental data visualizations by Ouchhh
“A Quiet Storm,” combining smoke, bubbles, and light in a liminal space by Quiet Ensemble

The museum includes work by 19 artists from around the world.

Mariposa by Christopher Schardt "Mariposa" by Christopher Schardt made its debut at Burning Man and is now part of the Balloon Museum's Let's Fly exhibit. Photo courtesy of Balloon Museum

The Balloon Museum sees more than 7 million visitors annually, has been awarded multiple worldwide Best Event Awards in 2022 and 2023, and has even been featured in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Austin's opening will mark the museum's first location in Texas.

“Austin’s spirit of creativity and its reputation as a hub for innovation makes it the natural choice for Balloon Museum’s next chapter in the United States,” said founder of Lux Entertainment Roberto Fantauzzi in the release. “In a city where art and technology intertwine, we are excited to cultivate a space that celebrates imagination but also challenges the way people experience and interact with art.”

"Swing" by Motorefisico at Balloon Museum "Swing" by Motorefisico — part of a different international exhibition — shows scale as a child explores.Photo courtesy of the Balloon Museum

Austin's Balloon Museum will be located at 2930 W. Anderson Lane from June 21 through November 2. Tickets range from $34 to $50, depending on guest's age and time of day, and are available online now.

Hours of operation will be 2-8 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 11 am to 9 pm Fridays, 10 am to 9 pm Saturdays, and 10 am to 8 pm Sundays. The ticket counter will close one hour before the museum does.

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