Austin Emerging Arts Leaders

10/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Austin Emerging Arts Leaders Showcase! We loved celebrating our 2026 mentees and the creativity, care, and talent they bring to Austin’s arts community.

We’re grateful to Yapas Empanadas for keeping us fed, Double Heads for bringing the music and fun, and Jacob Weber for capturing our mentees with professional headshots. A special thank-you to our mentors for supporting this year’s cohort.

congratulations to our mentees and their mentors:

* Demian Chávez Galván, mentored by Andréa Ochoa
* Kalle Duncan, mentored by Sara Vanderbeek
* Lindsay Jow, mentored by Lindsey Millikan
* Lilly Wylde, mentored by Acia Gray
* Luya Moreno, mentored by Jane Hervey
* Tisha-Vonique, mentored by Tammie Rubin

Congratulations to all of you! We’re so proud of what you shared at the showcase and excited to see what comes next.

09/07/2026

Austin, come see what the next wave of creative leadership is making!

Get your tickets for VISIONARIES 2026 at the link in bio!

Join Emerging Arts Leaders Austin for a one-day showcase of work, process, movement, sound, and big ideas from our 2026 mentee cohort. Expect new art and installations, live performances, vinyl sets, free headshots, food, drinks, and more.

Sunday, September 13
12:00–4:00 PM
The Cathedral

Supported in part by an Elevate Grant from Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.

09/02/2026

Six artists. Six distinct creative visions. One unforgettable showcase. ✨

Meet the VISIONARIES 2026 cohort, a multidisciplinary group of artists bringing bold new work to The Cathedral:

🎭 Demian Chávez Galvan delivers a one-of-a-kind performance that puts an unexpected and imaginative twist on opera.

🧵 Kalle Duncan invites guests into her creative process through paintings, fashion, imagery, and storytelling.

📸 Lilly Wylde brings visual art to life through photography, and captivating dance performances.

🎨 Lindsay Jow presents original paintings alongside an interactive “What’s in Their Bag?” experience, inviting guests to engage with the artwork and explore the stories hidden inside each bag.

🎶 Luya Moreno, also known as Hierba Malita / LUYA., blends DJing, original music, live vocals, dance, and instrumentation for an electric performance.

🖼️ Tisha-Vonique transforms the gallery with original visual art and installations.

Come experience their work, enter their creative worlds, and celebrate the artists helping shape Austin’s cultural future.

📅 Sunday, September 13 | 12–4 PM
📍 The Cathedral | 2403 E. 16th St., Austin

🎟️ Secure your tickets through the link in our bio!

SupportLocalArtists AustinEvents TheCathedralATX

This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant from Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.

08/16/2026

Meet the artists shaping Austin’s creative future ✨🎨

VISIONARIES 2026 celebrates the creativity, growth, and distinct voices of this year’s Austin EAL mentees. Working across visual art, installations, dance, opera, music, and film, these six emerging artists are bringing bold ideas and fresh perspectives to Austin’s creative community:

⭐ Lindsay Jow
⭐ Lilly Wylde
⭐ Tisha-Vonique
⭐ Kalle Duncan
⭐ Demian Chávez Galvan
⭐ Luya Moreno

Join us to experience their newest work, learn about their creative journeys, and celebrate everything they’ve accomplished through the 2026 mentorship program.

Enjoy live vinyl sets from Double Heads, free professional headshots by Jacob Weber, delicious empanadas from Yapas Empanadas, mimosas, drinks, a raffle featuring local favorites, and more creative surprises.

📅 Sunday, September 13 | 12–4 PM
📍 The Cathedral | 2403 E. 16th St., Austin

We’ve got art. We’ve got music. We’ve got mimosas and empanadas. All we need is you.

🎟️ Secure your tickets through the link in our bio!

This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant from Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment.

08/03/2026

Join Emerging Arts Leaders Austin for an intimate night of expression, community, and creativity. 🎤✨

Whether you’re a seasoned performer or simply ready to be brave, this is your space to share what moves you.

🎶 Sing a song
📖 Read a poem
🎨 Show your art
💭 Tell the story that inspired you to create

📅 Wednesday, August 12, 2026
📍 Stargazer Bar
979 Springdale Road, Suite 130
Austin, TX 78702

Each artist will receive 10 minutes to shine. Sign up in advance to guarantee your spot, then come early, grab a drink, and soak in the energy of Austin’s emerging creative community.

✨ RSVP to attend through Eventbrite and complete the performer sign-up form using the links in our bio.

Performer spots are limited, so secure yours now! Walk-up sign-ups will also be available on the day of the event if space allows. All performers must arrive by 7:00 PM.

💫 Whether you’re sharing your work or simply soaking it all in, you’re invited.

AustinEvents CreativeCommunity

06/03/2026

Back by popular demand! 🎉

One of our most requested workshops from last year is returning: How to Write About Yourself: Tips to Write About Yourself and Your Art.

Whether you're updating your website, applying for grants, preparing for exhibitions, or just struggling to put your creative practice into words, this hands-on workshop will help you craft a stronger artist bio and statement.

Led by EAL board member and Almost Real Things founder Natalie Earhart, attendees will participate in guided writing exercises, receive feedback, and leave with a solid start on materials they can use right away.

📅 June 16, 2026
⏰ 6:30–8:00 PM
📍 Dougherty Arts Center
🎟️ Free and open to the public

Registration encouraged. Link in bio.

Thank you to the Dougherty Arts Center for hosting us!

This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant from the City of Austin Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment Department.

05/01/2026

We’re excited to announce our team of experts ✶

Real Talk: The Business of Being an Artist
Speaker Roundtables
May 14

We’re bringing together a group of local experts for small group conversations around the realities of building a creative practice.

You’ll rotate between tables and talk directly with experts about contracts, funding, marketing, financials, and building a path that works for you. Ask your questions and get the answers no one teaches you about being an artist.

Marguerite Zamora | Legal + Contracts
Associate attorney working with creatives, helping break down IP, contracts, and how to protect your work.

Bryana Iglesias | Public Art + Funding
Public art project manager sharing how funding, contracts, and city opportunities actually work in practice.

Zuzu | Building Your Art Business + Earning from Your Work
Muralist and creative entrepreneur sharing how to build a sustainable path aligned with your vision and values.

Zach Zulch | Marketing Your Work
Co founder of Almost Real Things, focused on building visibility, audience, and creative ecosystems.

Vincent Tomasino | Financials + Taxes
Enrolled Agent helping artists navigate taxes and build stronger financial foundations.

More speaker spotlights coming this week.

Free to attend
RSVP in bio

Building a creative practice is one thing. Building a sustainable career is another.

03/12/2026

✨ Highlighting an artist from the 2026 EAL Mentorship Program!

Kalle Duncan is an Austin-based curator, muralist, and multidisciplinary artist originally from San Antonio. A recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, her work explores themes of grief, spirituality, and matriarchy through both studio practice and large-scale murals.

Kalle has exhibited across Texas and painted multiple murals throughout Austin as both an independent artist and member of Chroma Collective.

We’re excited to support Kalle’s continued creative work through this year’s mentorship program!

03/11/2026

✨ Introducing one of our 2026 EAL Mentorship Program artists!

Demian Chavez Galvan is a theatremaker whose work uplifts the cultures, history, and voices of the U.S.–Mexico border.

They are the Artistic Director of Teatro Sin Fronteras, a multilingual theatre company based in the Borderlands.
As a playwright, director, dramaturg, and educator, Demian creates work that bridges languages and communities through storytelling and performance.

We’re thrilled to welcome Demian to the 2026 cohort and look forward to supporting their work in Austin’s creative community!

01/24/2026

A warm welcome to Lindsay, joining the Austin EAL Board!

Lindsay brings two decades of experience as an artist and arts administrator dedicated to visual art production, dissemination, and education. She is a Project Manager for the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places Program, where she commissions artists across all media to create site-specific public art that reflects the history and values of Austin’s communities.

Having managed more than 20 public art projects with budgets totaling over $6 million, Lindsay’s work bridges artists, institutions, and communities nationwide. Her deep expertise and thoughtful approach to public art make her an invaluable addition to the Austin EAL Board.

Head to the link in bio to explore the website and subscribe to our newsletter for future happy hours, workshops, and opportunities to meet the team.