Almost Real Things hoping to expand accessibility of art through Austin Studio Tour, ART Bus

Austin (KXAN) – Annual Austin studio tour Currently underway, more than 700 artists are showcasing, selling, and connecting with the community throughout the city.

The event began in 2003 as a “grassroots effort to connect neighbors through art,” according to its website. It was created and developed by Big Medium, a local non-profit organization that supported contemporary arts and artists in Texas until it closed earlier this year. Almost Real Things, an Austin-based magazine and event series, took over operations for the Austin Studio Tour this year.

The Austin studio tour is “the perfect showcase of what’s available in your area and in all these parts of the city,” said Natalie Earhart, co-founder of Almost Real Things.

It’s a free, self-guided tour of more than 300 sites in Austin, Earhart said.

“It’s for everyone. Everyone is welcome, it’s free,” she said. “We want free people who live in Austin to discover fun places to go and support the artists in the city. But we also want people from out of town to come here and support what we’re doing and keep Austin weird and exciting and fun and the place to be.”

Almost real stuffART, which is abbreviated as ART, is an Austin-based arts organization that started in 2015 as a free magazine where artists could promote themselves. Since its inception, ART has grown and begun organizing events and running art studios and exhibitions.

The organization has been involved with the Austin Studio Tour for the past eight years, and was selected as the tour’s lead organizer when Big Medium disbanded.

Art is about art, Earhart said. But more importantly, it expands access to art in Austin.

“One of our goals with Almost Real Things over the past 10 years has been to make it easier for artists to connect with opportunities that can help them advance their careers and meet people,” Earhart said. “And secondly, helping the broader community have easier access to artists, and arts events more easily, because there are always things happening in Austin, like music, or visual art, or performance.”

While people know Austin has a lot of creativity and art-based things to offer, people don’t always know about it and can’t find it, Earhart said. Expanding the base of art collectors in Austin is also a goal, she said.

“You don’t have to go to Target and buy art. You can buy art from a very talented local artist very easily,” she said. “There are creative people everywhere, and they sell for different prices too. You know, not every piece of art is going to be worth thousands of dollars. You can buy things for $10, and you can start collecting original art.”

“It’s about opening that channel for people to access the creative community that surrounds them all the time,” Earhart said.

One such open channel is the ART Bus Tour, which Almost Real Things added to its Austin Studio Tour a few years ago.

“We picked 5 or 6 locations for the route, and I tried to get a variety of locations,” Earhart said. “So maybe we go to a gallery and then a residence, then a museum and then a pop-up market, and you see different types of art. So we take people on a tour.”

The ART Bus Tour runs every day on the Austin Studio Tour from noon to 3 p.m., with Earhart serving as tour guide.

“You just have to come along and get some inside knowledge,” she said. “And you don’t have to think at all about where you’re going or where you’re stopping. We’re having drinks on the bus. We’re playing music. It’s just a really fun way to experience the Austin studio tour and also be around other people who are passionate about supporting artists.”

Although the Austin studio tour will take place in November, it continues throughout the year, Earhart said. The two studio tour weekends represent an economic opportunity for hundreds of artists, but they also gain popularity.

A complete list of artists, collectives, and locations can be found on the Austin Studio Tour Viewed online Or on the official tour guide.

The city-wide art celebration will be held from November 8 to 9 and November 15 to 16 from noon to 6 p.m. daily. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect over the two weekends:

• 723 artists, art groups and featured hosts
• 317 sites About Austin
• Attendance is free
• All ages welcome
• Art making activities
• Live shows
• Museum tours
• New exhibitions
• Live art shows
• Sensory friendly exhibits