Free Austin Arts Block Party to Celebrate Vibrant Local Scene

Get to know your artsy neighbors in a new, unprecedented Austin event: Austin Arts Block Party! Mark your calendars for August 23, 2015 and get ready to celebrate the vibrant performing arts scene in our city. Did I mention the event is completely free? 

We’re All Invited

Along Riverside Drive, The Long Center and Zach Theatre stand out as recognizable creative neighbors. This August, they’re celebrating with eight other organizations to give Austinites a peek into the performing arts world of Austin.

The Austin Opera, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin Shakespeare, Ballet Austin, Conspirare, Tapestry Dance Company, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum and Pollyanna Theatre Company are joining forces to put on a free event where visitors can check out music, dance and theater performances, and participate in family activities.

Guests are encouraged to watch live performances taking place throughout the day in the Rollins Studio Theatre and Michael & Susan Dell Hall, join in a backstage tour of The Long Center and meet members from all the organizations who can answer questions and book tickets. Everyone should also enter the Grand Prize Giveaway (worth over $15,000), which includes two tickets to nearly every single performance from every participating organization throughout this coming season!

Following the event, visitors are welcome to catch the free Hartman Foundation Concert in the Park presented by Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Entertainment for Children and Adults

The Pollyanna Theatre Company specializes in children’s plays. During Austin Arts Block Party, they will be in the Kid Zone providing arts and crafts, and a station where kids can dress up in costume pieces and take photos. They will also showcase memorable short scenes from their previous season of performances in the Rollins Studio. Families can enjoy the montage and look forward to completely new productions coming up in the 2015/2016 season.

Since its beginnings in 2000, the Pollyanna Theatre Company continues their original mission “to serve young people through the creation of new dramatic literature that speaks to their imaginations and needs.” According to Artistic Director Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, they have an exciting year ahead. “We currently have five different new plays in development and are preparing to launch our fall season with a remounting of our production Liberty! Equality! And Fireworks! by Gregory Perrin, which is an exploration of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s which we will present at The LBJ Library.”

In addition to the Kid Zone, another notable niche during the event will be Zach Theatre’s Z-Lounge in the Topfer Theatre. They will host live music from 1-2:30 PM before the final performance of Sophisticated Ladies begins. The play is a ticketed event (purchase here), but refreshments and pre-show entertainment are free.

Zach Theatre used to consist of only one small building, but now they maintain a three-stage campus with an impressive reputation to back it up. As Zach’s Wynton Thomason told me, “It’s a place where characters are welcome, but also a very down to earth place to be. Everybody seems to be all in, from the actors and directors all the way to the set designers and ticket sales associates. Everybody here cares so much about what we do and putting on an exciting show for the people who come to see them.”

Don’t Miss Out!

Austin Arts Block Party takes place on Sunday, August 23, 2015 from 1-6 PM at The Long Center, located at 701 W Riverside Dr. A full schedule will be available on their website soon. Admission is free, and food and beverages will be available for purchase.

They expect nearly 5,000 attendees this year! You can find the registration page here, where you can enter into the Grand Prize Giveaway.  Registration for the backstage tour will open soon.

These ten organizations are a vital part of Austin’s cultural fingerprint, and the arts sector attracts visitors to our city and creates thousands of jobs. Come be a part of this event, which will bring together artists and the people who appreciate them most.

 

@MadameKLM asks:

Which Austin arts organization is your personal favorite?