Words by Tanya White

Discover Local Art in Unconventional Spaces

Opportunities for our local artists to showcase their work extend beyond the myriad of galleries in East Austin. Coffee shops, restaurants, and even gyms offer formal residencies and informal programs showcasing artwork from paintings to sculptures to body art. Bring your curiosity and settle in at one of these places.

Dear Diary Coffee
Community is a key element to everything at Dear Diary and showcasing local artists has been integral to their interior design since they opened on Chicon Street. Sip on a steaming mug of your favorite brew and take in the eclectic vibe. You may find paintings, digital works, mixed medium, and home goods all created by locals and curated as part of their annual program.
1212 Chicon St., #103 | deardiary.coffee

Austin Bouldering Project
A gym that supports the local art scene? Absolutely. The monthly residency has been part of this established rock-climbing gym for years now; in fact, all their locations curate local artwork. The program runs monthly, leaving visitors with something new to see and patronize regularly. There’s no need to be a member of the gym to view the artwork. Visitors can just drop in, sign a waiver, and wander around. Experience work from sculptors, painters, mixed media, and most recently, a tattoo artist. 979 Springdale Rd., #150 | boulderingproject.com/market/austin-texas 

Cherrywood Coffeehouse
Since 2009, this eclectic coffeehouse and restaurant has been curating unique menus and unique art. Featured artwork rotates regularly. Patrons may even find opportunities on their event calendar to participate in their own artwork creation, like the recent Carousel Painting class.
1400 E 38^th 1/2 St. | cherrywoodcoffeehouse.com

Zilker Brewing Company
The artist-in-residence program has been running at this tap room on East 6th for over a decade. Creating community through both the art scene and craft beer scene, Zilker regularly hosts events in support of both of their passions: brews and art. There’s a collaboration through the fall with the artist GRZ Monsters, which includes a limited edition merchandise and a limited release brew called Walk Hoppy Hazy IPA. 1701 E 6^th St. | zilkerbeer.com

Cafe Creme
Known for the cozy and welcoming decor, Cafe Creme’s art is curated to fit their vibe. You may find a featured artist, whose work covers an entire area of the space, or a number of artists represented throughout. Various works of art are proactively sourced and identified at local shows and brought into the restaurant to match their current aesthetic. 1834 E Oltorf St. | cafecremeaustin.com

Dark Horse Tattoo, Coffee & Barber Co.
Dark Horse describes itself as a “combination tattoo shop, coffee shop, barbershop, and art gallery.” It’s a bit of a mouthful but they deliver. The art program is actively curated, and shows are themed roughly every 60 days. Their recent focus was Hispanic Heritage Month and prior to that, it was all about color.  Sometimes dozens of artists from the central Texas region are showcased. All art is for sale and includes QR codes to make it easy to learn more about the artist and to buy their artwork.
1209 E Cesar Chavez St. | darkhorsetcb.com

Art Call:  Are you a local artist looking for exposure and an opportunity to connect with art enthusiasts? Contact any of the establishments to learn more about submitting your artwork for consideration, and follow them on social to stay on top of open artist calls.