Programs and Events
Upcoming Events
Storytelling for Creatives
Presented by Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
6:30-8 p.m.
RSVP for Storytelling for Creatives on Eventbrite
How you talk about your work matters just as much as the work itself. Whether you're applying for opportunities, speaking about a project, or introducing yourself to someone new, having a clear sense of your story helps people connect with what you create, and why you create it.
This workshop is about finding the language for your practice. Learn how to shape your artist’s story without forcing it into a brand, and how thoughtful storytelling can become a practical PR tool. Guest Speaker Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz will discuss how to put together a compelling narrative, write an artist bio and statement, build a simple press kit, and share your work in ways that feel authentic rather than performative.
This is less about selling and more about telling the story only you can tell, while giving people a way in.
Image Credit left to right: Cristina Velásquez, Photography, Quentin Pace, I’m not okay but I’m gone be alright, Yamin Li, Chaos & Order.
Artist Talk: Somos Animales Poéticos, On and On and On , and Out of Place
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
7–9 p.m.
Hear from artists Cristina Velásquez, Quentin Pace, and Yamin Li as they discuss the concepts, materials, and personal experiences behind their exhibitions currently on view at the Julia C. Butridge Gallery. Cristina Velásquez will share how photography, text, and archival intervention explore memory, identity, and personal mythology. Quentin Pace will discuss his use of abstraction, color, and symbolism to explore emotion, memory, and the shared threads that connect us. Yamin Li will reflect on how her paintings examine identity, belonging, and the experience of navigating between cultures and places.
Learn more about these exhibits at the Julia C. Butridge Gallery webpage.
This event is free and open to the public.
Image credits left to right: Minnie Rodgers, Nathan Anthony, Gargi Sharma, Stefania Garcia, Victoria Zhuk, Faith Chonko, Bella Cheng
Artist Reception: Outlet Within, Errant Obsession, and Regular and Precious
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
7-9 p.m.
Celebrate the opening of three new exhibitions at the Julia C. Butridge Gallery: Errant Obsession by Faith Chonko, Outlet Within by the Dougherty Arts Center’s 2026 Ceramic Resident Artists, and Regular & Precious by Bella Cheng. Enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and community while exploring the exhibitions and the way each artist transforms observations, experiences, and materials into art.
This event is free and open to the public.
Learn more about these exhibits on the Julia C. Butridge Gallery webpage.
Art in Cahoots
Friday, October 16, 2026
10-11 a.m.
RSVP for Art in Cahoots on Eventbrite
Art in Cahoots is a free one-hour event designed for prekindergarten-age students with an accompanying adult caregiver. Each will include sensory, multi-disciplinary, process-based arts activities for children and caregivers to experience together. Children can build social-emotional skills, familiarize themselves with a classroom setting, and learn while still under the wing of a trusted caregiver.
Pop-ups are scheduled on set dates and times. Event dates, times, and capacity are determined by location. Spots are limited. Registration on Eventbrite is recommended in advance to reserve your space. Drop-ins may be accepted at time of the event if vacancies are available. Children must be 2½ years of age (30 months) to attend. Planned activities will change monthly.
Cyclical Interplay, multiple artists, 2014, Art in Public Places Collection. Photo by City of Austin Staff Phillip Rogers.
Public Art Walking Tour
Saturday, Octobter 17, 2026
11 a.m.- 1 p.m.
RSVP for the Public Art Walking Tour on Eventbrite
Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month with a public art walking tour! Did you know that the City of Austin has a collection of over 400 public artworks displayed throughout the city? Learn more about some of the pieces located around the Dougherty Arts Center (DAC) on a walking tour guided by staff from Austin’s Art in Public Places program (AIPP).
Participants will meet at the DAC before heading out to explore nearby public artworks to learn more about the artists, ideas, and stories behind them. Complimentary breakfast tacos and coffee will be provided while supplies last!
Explore more of Austin’s public art through AIPP’s digital collection map: https://explore.publicartarchive.org/austinaipp/
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required.
From Vision to Invention: A Road Map for Creating a Live Show
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Presented by Stephanie Patrick and Early Era Collective
RSVP for From Vision to Invention on Eventbrite
You have an idea for a show! Now you need to make it happen. This workshop will go through the ins and outs of building a live production from the ground up – from budget creation and rehearsal coordination, to contract management, shaping your team, and marketing. This workshop applies to all performance art forms, and consists of lecture-style information, practical elements, and a Q&A. At the end you’ll have practical tools to plan your next live show.
Presented as part of the Dougherty Arts Center’s Artist Professional Development program and Early Era Collective’s Embolden Workshops series.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Fantastic Faces: Mask Making with Minnie Rogers
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Build a custom ceramic mask in this hands-on workshop with Dougherty Arts Center resident and exhibiting ceramics artist Minnie Rogers. Learn how to transform simplified clay shapes into detailed facial features and create your very own quasi-realistic style mask! You’ll leave this free workshop with essential hand-building skills, such as structural shaping, smoothing and blending. Masks will be fired, glazed, and ready for you to return and pick up in a couple weeks!
This workshop is Free, but registration is required.
Kintsugi Inspired Sidewalk Repair
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
4:30-7:30 p.m.
RSVP for Kintsugi Inspired Sidewalk Repair on Eventbrite
Help transform the sidewalk at the Dougherty Arts Center using a kintsugi inspired technique!
Inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese tradition of repairing broken ceramics with gold and lacquer, visitors are invited to help fill cracks with gold epoxy on the DAC front porch, creating a collaborative artwork that celebrates repair, renewal, and the beauty of imperfection.
During the event, artist Chance Ramirez will demonstrate a modern approach to kintsugi through a clay repair technique using epoxy and mica powder, all while sharing more about the traditional process and artists working with the practice today.
This event is free and open to the public, registration is encouraged but not required.
Reverie Underarch, Victoria Marquez, 2026, Tempo on the Trail. Photo by David Aguilar.
Public Art Walking Tour
Monday, October 26, 2026
6:30-8:30 p.m.
RSVP for the Public Art Walking Tour on Eventbrite
Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month with a public art walking tour!
You may have seen this artwork along the Hike and Bike trail, but do you know who created it, or the story behind it? This piece is called “Reverie Underarch” by artist Victoria Marquez and was commissioned by the Trail Conservancy’s TEMPO on the Trail in partnership with Austin’s Art in Public Places (AIPP).
Join AIPP staff for a guided walking tour of select public artworks, including “Reverie Underarch”, in the area surrounding the DAC. Participants will meet at the DAC for snacks and refreshments before heading out to explore the artwork and learn more about the artists, ideas, and stories behind them.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Taking Root
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
7-9 p.m.
Celebrate the annual Austin’s Roots & Wings Festival by making art at the Dougherty Arts Center! Build collage trees created from recycled and organic materials. Take home your own sapling and wildflowers to watch grow, while learning about trees and more from guest organizations!
Need to spend some time among the trees? Marcia Beckford of Bug Safari will be hosting Trees in Harmony Walk at 6:30pm before the event. (Meet at the front of the Dougherty Arts Center building.)
This event is free! Registration is encouraged but not required. A limited supply of trees will be available for participants, so arrive early to collect yours!
For more information about this event, email DACInfo@austintexas.gov
Digital Programming
The DAC is proud to offer free digital programming for the public.
- Video Art Lessons
Instructor-led video lessons in various different mediums of ceramics, drawing & painting, and digital arts.
- Artist Professional Development
The Artist Resource Center is pleased to host free monthly professional development workshops for artists. Covering a different topic each month, our workshops give artists the tools to develop and advance their careers in the arts.
- Paper Pandemonium