Arts + Culture Plan
Arts + Culture Plan
THE HEART OF THE ISSUE
Questions + Answers
The Trail Conservancy organized a talented team of art professionals, community engagement specialists, innovators, and a Brain Trust team of stakeholders from the Austin community to lead this exciting project. This is more than a visionary plan for art exhibits on the Trail. It’s a plan for the Trail and its users, a vital and complex place and community supporting arts and culture activities.
How can Arts + Cultural Strategies help?
Broadly serve Trail users and the surrounding communities.
Enhance the experience of users along the Trail.
Support the experience of the natural environment and resources.
Represent the character and diversity of Austin.
Align with other organizational and municipal plans and strategies that affect the Trail.
Increase diversity of Trail users through relevant art and cultural attractions — expanding on who is using the Trail and who feels welcome.
Assist The Trail Conservancy in meeting its broad goals as an organization.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
2019
- Nov. 20 – Artists and Creative Outreach Event
2021
- Jul. 26 – Community Brain Trust Meeting
- Jul. 28 – Community Brain Trust Meeting
- Oct. 25 – Community Brain Trust Meeting
- Nov. 13 – Pop-Up at Brave Fest Community Event
- Nov. 22 – Launched the “Share your Butler Trail & Lady Bird Lake Stories” campaign
- Dec. 4 – Pop-Up at Holly Trail Groundbreaking Community Event
2022
- Jan.- Feb. – Call for Artists, Designers, and Creatives
- Feb. 3- Jun. 1 – Online Survey: Storymap and Survey
- Spring/Summer – Trail & Community Intercept Surveys
- Mar. 6 – Community Workshop
- May 14 – Arts+Culture Community Celebration – Common Waters Installation
- Oct. 5 – MACC Advisory Board Briefing
- Oct. 8 – Arts+Culture Community Input Pop-Up at Fortlandia Opening
- Oct. 11 – Virtual Community Input Meeting
- Oct. 12 – Nov. 15 – Online Survey
- Oct. 19 – East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood C.T. Meeting Presentation (ECCNA)
2023
- May 20 – Arts + Culture Plan Open House
ARTS + CULTURE
TEAM AND COMMITTEE
Arts + Culture Plan Team Leads
Todd W. Bressi is one of the nation’s leading public art planners. He has worked throughout the U.S. and Texas on numerous public art plans, including plans for art on multi-use trails. He provides strategic, program, and project guidance to several urban arts organizations through ongoing consulting. Todd managed the project and led in developing public art strategies, policies, and procedures.
Stacy Levy is one of the nation’s leading environmental artists, with a practice that explores how natural processes and urban places are intertwined. She led discussions about the relationship between public art, ecology, and urban spaces, as well as in public engagement and formulating public art opportunities.
Ellen Ryan is a national leader in developing arts and cultural initiatives within organizations with parks, recreation, preservation, and environmental missions. She brings experience in initiating arts programming at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Fairmount Park Conservancy, foundation experience, and deep involvement in national networks with these topics. She collaborated on developing arts and culture strategies, policies, and guidelines.
Public City – Meredith Powell, Miriam Conner – is an Austin-based firm with a unique focus on art-based community engagement and experience supporting community-led plans for trails in Austin. Public City played a lead role in developing community engagement strategies and was our team’s on-the-ground liaison for planning and managing that aspect of the project.
Arts + Culture Plan Committee
Heidi Anderson (TTC)
Todd W. Bressi
Christine Chute Canul (PARD)
Jamie Castillo
Hanna Cofer (TTC)
Miriam Conner
Maya Curtis
Taylor Davis
Marjorie Flanagan (AIPP)
Reynaldo Hernandez (PARD)
Susan Lambe (AIPP)
Stacy Levy
Sharon Maidenberg
Meredith Powell
Ellen Ryan
Charlotte Tonsor (TTC)
Jessica Wilson (WPD)
Mary G. Yancy
Arts + Culture Plan Sponsors
Advocates ($25,000)
The Bill Wood Foundation
Susan Vaughan Foundation
Mary and Howard Yancy
Stewards ($10,000)
Art in Public Places
Still Water Foundation
Urban Land Institute
Donors
Anne Elizabeth Wynn
caitlin
