My intention for the Austin Hidden Gems series in 2012 is to explore Austin's collaborative community resources. When hard economic times hit Austin, our creative community came together to help each other weather the storm. Instead of competing against each other for audiences and funding, Austin’s creative sector found that by pooling talents, resources and creativity, it was possible not only to survive the economic downturn, but to turn it into an opportunity for positive change.
Austin Creative Alliance certainly meets the criteria of collaborative community resource. Formerly the Austin Circle of Theaters (established in 1974), the name and mission changed as an outflow of the community-led Create Austin Plan, where Austinites came together to participate in creating a master plan for our city. Giving new vigor to Austin’s “culture of creativity” is a key feature of the master plan, and the recommendation to establish ACA soon became a top priority through this process.
Austin Creative Alliance is now strengthening the region’s creative sector through advocacy and cultural policy, marketing, communication and membership services.
For those with an interest in the Austin Theater scene, the "Now Playing Austin" newsletter is sent directly to your email, offering a "one stop shop" for the wide variety of theatrical events in Austin. Once you have identified an event you want to attend, you can buy your tickets ahead of time through Austix, the online ticketing branch of Now Playing Austin.com.
Austin Creative Alliance provides direct services to emerging arts groups, member organizations and individuals across several disciplines. ACA partners with Fractured Atlas to bring affordable insurance to artists, and is working with Pew Charitable Trust to bring their Cultural Data Project to serve the artists, funders and arts organizations of Texas. Other member benefits include online discussion boards, audition and call to artist notifications, general auditions and free night productions. Austin Creative Alliance also offers events for artists to gather and share inspiration, ideas and information.
Members of the Austin creative sector don’t have to “go it alone”. In Austin, we are learning that when our creative ones thrive, we all thrive.
Austin Creative Alliance
701 Tillery St, Suite A-8 Austin, TX 78702-3739
(512) 247-2531
www.austincreativealliance.org/
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