club consciousness

Creative collective in Austin organizes artsy summer activity clubs

Future Front Texas is bringing Texans together over shared interests like gardening and improv this summer.

Photo by Jinni J

Between work and other life responsibilities, it’s not always easy for adults to find time for creative activities — let alone connect with others in the community. Whether you’re looking for a creative outlet or seeking a community to participate in for the remainder of the summer, Future Front Texas (FFTX) is helping to solve this conundrum with the release of its seasonal community clubs.

Returning for the third year, these community clubs are designed to cultivate creativity and community among local creatives. There are a total of 23 clubs in the lineup, all of which are open to the public and organized by Future Front members. The clubs have various start and end dates, but most of them run from July through September.

While the club topics vary — from "Quilt Camp" to "Slow Gardening Club” — they follow one of three themes: creative growth, creative practice, or creative connection. These themes are present in all of the Future Front’s events, from the Front Festival to the Front Market, plus all of the organization’s creative workshops, events, and conferences in between.

Formerly known as Boss Babes ATX, Future Front is an arts and culture nonprofit that produces events, shows, spaces, and resources for women and LGBTQ+ creatives in Texas.

Here’s a preview of some of the community clubs in store this summer:

Making Minimalism: Hosted by a professional organizer and minimalism coach, this club helps members create a minimalist life practice. The club starts July 16, and there’s a one-time fee of $20 to sign up.
Career Club: If you’re figuring out your next creative career move, this is the club to join. Career Club will focus on equipping members with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the challenging job market. It starts July 30, and it's free to sign up.
Journaling in Nature Club: There’s nothing like a long walk or a journaling session to gain clarity, and this club combines both. Members will go on nature walks together, observe and reflect through journaling, and share their experiences with the group. This club starts in July (sign up or reach out to the host for an exact start date), and it's free to sign up.
Improv For Life Club: Looking to break out of your shell? This four-part series will help members apply improv comedy principles to life, work, and community. The club starts August 4, and it's free to sign up.
Literary Supper Club: Book clubs meet dinner parties at this bi-monthly gathering. Each month, members discuss a chosen novel, followed by a potluck dinner. The club starts July 17, and it's free to sign up.
Cards in Bars Club: If you want to start a card or letter-writing practice, this is the perfect club to join. Members will meet at bars and coffee shops to make cards (card-making supplies included) and connect. This club meets once a month starting July 21 and running through November 17, and it's free to sign up.

Most of the clubs will meet at The Future Front House, the nonprofit’s community space, but some will meet in other public areas, such as a nature trail or coffee shop; It’s up to the club's host.

Sign-up instructions and club start dates are unique to each club. Meeting frequency also varies by club, with some meeting monthly and others offering a set number of sessions. Although the clubs are open to the public, some will have limited capacity, so signing up is the best way to secure a spot. Club details and sign-up links can be found here.

For more details on Future Front Texas and its year-round programming, visit futurefronttexas.org.

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New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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