Touch the ART!
We are proud to present our 3rd annual interactive art experience—where touching the art is allowed and encouraged! Visit our fully transformed ART HQ to interact with installations and touchable pieces from 50+ artists, plus collaborators from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Prepare to be fully immersed in an experience built for ALL OF YOUR SENSES!
THE EXPERIENCE
+ Venue: ART HQ, 820 Shelby Ln. #103
+ All-ages welcome
+ Immersive installations
+ Themed cocktails & mocktails
+ Artwork for sale
+ Limited edition tactile merchandise
+ Accessible to wheelchairs
+ Accessible to people with low vision or blindness
+ Braille descriptions
+ As seen on TV!
IMMERSIVE LINEUP
Installation Artists
Charissa Hearon + Dil Jones + Elena Cortez-Neavel + Lisa B. Woods + Mesmerize + Natalie Earhart + Swathi Konduri + Art Students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired + Zach Zulch
Exhibiting Artists
Angela Wolf + ANGRY CLOUD + Bailey Forman + Brushwood + Chido Machine + Chitram Arts + Cindy Hoang + Cowboy Rocky + Daniel Wood Adams + Diane Sung + Ellen Crofts + Hannah Busekrus + Hannia Caballero + Inne Aguilar + Kitteh Noir + Mateo Gutierrez + Mouf + Nikki Jo + Richesart + Rockywood Studios + Sarah Risko + Sicedstudios + Spinster Studios + The Balloon Collective + Unboredroom in collaboration with TWC’s Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center & VISTA + Veeny Revilla + Yevgenia Davidoff + MORE!
GET TICKETS!
Experience
Touch the Art!
Thu–Sun: April 13–May 27
Thursday: 5pm–9pm
Friday: 5pm–10pm
Saturday: 11am–10pm
Sunday: 11am–5pm
Visit ART HQ for an intimate walkthrough with the art, installations and bar. Each ticket comes with one themed drink, cocktail or mocktail and a special edition tactile sticker.
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Sale!
Touch the Art Experience Ticket
$12 – $20 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
ADD-ON EXPERIENCES COMING SOON
We’re planning up all sorts of other events that will use our completely transformed ART HQ to the fullest!
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Touch the Art Experience Gift Card
$12 – $20 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Know before you go
Part venue, part gallery, part studio, part magical dance party dreamland. ART HQ is your home for all things creative in Austin, Texas. Since 2021, ART HQ has been the main headquarters for Almost Real Things and provided affordable rental and studio space for creators in Austin.
Of course! However, please touch respectfully and we ask that you do not pick up any artwork or remove it from where it is placed.
Yes, all are welcome! If you are visiting with children, please guide them in touching the art respectfully.
Sorry, no pets aside from service animals.
When you arrive, you will give your name to our front desk in the lobby after walking through the front door. Our guide will verbally describe how to navigate through the space and where to find descriptions of the artwork. We will also have a written (print and braille) guide onsite that you can use, as well as an audio description of the experience. This will be posted on this website ASAP so that you can reference it beforehand.
Yes! Simply purchase 4 or more tickets at the same time and use the coupon code ARTGROUP for a 15% discount.
Parking is free at ART HQ: 820 Shelby Ln. For our Grand Opening Party on April 12th, we highly encourage ride share and carpooling because parking will be very limited.
OUR MISSION
We founded Touch the Art in 2022 to make art accessible and engaging.
It was born in response to signs saying “Don’t touch the art”, to challenge the status quo and often inaccessible nature of most gallery exhibitions.
Our mission is to amplify the voices of marginalized and visually impaired & blind individuals who are often left out of fine art spaces. Through Touch the Art, we’re highlighting their stories and talents to foster a deeper appreciation for their artistic contributions. Touch the Art engages all senses—all art can be touched.
After a visit to the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) in 2019, we were inspired to create a show that lets attendees break rules and touch art.
We partnered with TSBVI for our first show in 2023. We included 8 professional artists and 20 student artists (ages 14-19). Our first year of Touch the Art focused on education, career development, networking and creating art for display and sale during our exhibition, with proceeds going to the artists and students.
In 2024, we expanded the program to include 51 artists. We started with a paid 6-week mentorship program for 5 professional artists to lead 16 TSBVI students (ages 14-19) and collaborate on installations. We were trained by TSBVI staff on incidental learning, equitable accessibility and non-verbal communication. The artwork created was exhibited and sold alongside art from 30 additional artists in an immersive month-long show with music, activities and a documentary.
Attendees were fully immersed in an experience that evoked all of the senses.
TOUCH THE ART IN THE NEWS
Partners
We’re touched by their support
This project is supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
PAST SHOWS
The seeds for Touch the Art were planted in early 2019 during our first ever ART Bus Tour.
Through an open call we selected 8 professional artists to create touchable artworks. Each artist was invited to attend art classes at TSBVI, learning alongside 20 high-school-aged students, with a focus on education, career development, and networking.
Over 700 guests attended the exhibition to see and feel the 74 works created for display and sale, with proceeds going to the artists, including $2,208 to TSBVI students.
ANGRY CLOUD + Christina Smith + DeLoné Osby + Hannah Busekrus + J Muzacz + Liza Fishbone + Natalie Earhart + Tabria Williford + The Art Students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
SENSORY INSTALLATIONS BY
Mesmerize + TVHeadATX + Dogbotic + Tori Christensen
MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT
Queer Vinyl Collective + hubbledvision presents Thereheis & jeanhorus
We started with a paid 6-week mentorship program for 5 professional artists who led 16 TSBVI students to collaborate on installations for the experience.
TSBVI staff trained artists on incidental learning, equitable accessibility and non-verbal communication.
The artwork created was exhibited and sold alongside art from 30 more artists in an immersive month-long show with music, activities and a documentary.
Allison Lash + Brandon Dudley + Dil Jones + Jill Hudson + Mesmerize + Natalie Earhart + The Art Students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired + Veronica Ceci + Zachary Zulch
EXHIBITING ARTISTS
ANGRY CLOUD + Beili Liu + BoPHo + Casey Alfstad + Charissa Hearon + Christina Smith + Corey Robbins Design + Cyd Precious + Dylan Y Quinn + FEEBEE + Hannah & Nemo + Hannah Matthia + Hartzeeb + ilikeu + Innerloop Glass + J Muzacz + Jmoo + Karmita + Lara Heine + Lindsay Laser Smith + Litzy + Liza Fishbone + Mateo Gutierrez + Melissa Lynn Art + Montrel Beverly + NikkiJo + Ohnoohyah + Paola Sire + Quest + Rigo Ortiz + Roxolana The Artist + Sky Khan + SLOP + Stellar Roz + Tammie Rubin + The Bead Bitch + The Happy Hooker + The Puzzled Co.
MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT
Trupica & B-MONEY of TSBVI + Henry Invisible
