A New Contemporary Art Gallery Is Opening in Clarksville This February
Connelly Martin Gallery brings emerging and mid-career artists to Austin and Sun Valley
Opening Feb. 13 in Austin’s Clarksville neighborhood, a contemporary art gallery founded by Bailey Connelly and Lily Martin is taking over the former Austin location of Dimmitt Contemporary Art Gallery.
Located in a bungalow-style space, Connelly Martin Gallery will present five exhibitions per year in each location, showcasing emerging and midcareer artists working across multiple mediums, with a parallel program also operating in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Connelly and Martin both began their careers in New York, working in contemporary art spaces before relocating to Austin. Though they worked in the same field and lived in the same city, their paths did not cross until fall 2024, when Martin joined Dimitt Contemporary Art Gallery, where Connelly was director.
After a year of collaboration, the pair decided to launch a gallery of their own, building on a shared approach shaped by years of gallery experience and personal collecting.
A dual-city vision
“It’s easy to say, ‘This is crazy. What are you doing?’” Martin said. “But there’s never a right time to do the big jump, to kind of take a risk. If you wait forever for that perfect timing, you’ll miss it every time.”
The gallery currently represents 13 artists from the United States and abroad, including artists based in the United Kingdom, New York, Budapest and Los Angeles. While both locations will represent the same roster, exhibitions will be curated independently in Austin and Sun Valley.
Connelly said the gallery’s program is rooted in work the founders would collect themselves, with an emphasis on painting alongside other mediums.
“We’re convinced by their work and want to bring these voices to our respective communities and beyond,” she said.
The co-founders were drawn to Austin’s growth and magnetism, which have created many opportunities at every level and have allowed artists to settle in the city. Martin notes that for years, many artists who loved Austin ultimately felt forced to leave, unable to sustain their work locally. “To see that changing and to be able to play a role in that, is really exciting and meaningful to us,” she said.
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Sustaining art in a changing city
Yet, Martin acknowledges the flipside of rapid growth, especially for long-term residents and artists who have seen the city’s character shift. “That’s further reason for us to really support the arts from an authentic, genuine point of view, so that Austin can retain that potency that I think it’s so beloved for,” said Martin.
To address that, Connelly and Martin offer a wide range of prices, allowing visitors to start collecting in a way that feels meaningful and approachable. This commitment also extends beyond the gallery walls through outposts — traveling exhibitions during slower seasons in Austin or Sun Valley. Designed as an alternative to the traditional art fairs, the gallery will temporarily settle in new cities and markets for a month at a time.
The gallery opens Feb. 13 at 1406 W. Sixth St. with an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Connelly Martin Gallery will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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