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DASA Artist Residency and XOXO Photography Fellowship Programs Bring Love to Downtown Austin

Fellowship programs announce 2024-2025 participants

Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation launches New Program
2024 XOXO Photography Fellows and Mentors, Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation

The Downtown Austin Alliance’s mission is to create, preserve and enhance the vibe, vitality and value of downtown Austin for everyone. Two ways the organization does this is through its new Downtown Austin Space Activation (DASA) Artist Residency and XOXO Photography Fellowship programs. The DASA program is committed to enhancing the beauty of downtown Austin, and the XOXO Photography Fellowship program is focused on capturing it. Seems like the perfect pair.

The Downtown Austin Space Activation Artist Residency

The DASA Program invites artists to breathe new life into vacant or underutilized spaces downtown. In collaboration with property owners, local businesses, and community stakeholders, DASA aims to transform these spaces into dynamic hubs of artistic expression, foot traffic, and economic activity. The unique artist residency program offers an unparalleled opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in a supportive and inspiring environment.

Whether a painter, sculptor, photographer, or mixed-media artist, DASA provides the perfect space for individuals to focus on their creative practice, develop new work, and engage with a diverse community of artists and cultural enthusiasts. The inaugural program enhances the aesthetic appeal of Downtown Austin, while simultaneously nurturing entrepreneurship and creativity. Through the program, artists make their mark on the vibrant cultural landscape of the city.

By Malti B Lee
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“Garden of Golden Light”, Malti B Lee
“June as a Chandelier_ On a Zip Line”, Megan Hildebrandt
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“June as a Chandelier/ On a Zip Line”, Megan Hildebrandt
“Neon Reflection” polaroid emulsion transfer, Robin Winter
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“Neon Reflection” polaroid emulsion transfer, Robin Winter
“Pool”, Hailey Levin
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“Pool”, Hailey Levin
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Character Design, Dan Jimenez
Creative direction and curation for OFCOLOR, Chris Tobar Rodriguez
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Creative direction and curation for OFCOLOR, Chris Tobar Rodriguez
Look from Rhinestone Roots fashion show, Kiara Harris
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Look from Rhinestone Roots fashion show, Kiara Harris

Congratulations to the DASA Artist Residency Class of 2024-2025, whose first cohort will start at the end of October:

SHOP

Swipe
Coco Zentner
Serenade
Fairmont Spa Austin
The Beauty Way
Eliza Page
Milk + Honey
Creekhaven Inn & Spa
Season 2 Consign Austin
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  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • TRIBEZA's 2025 Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Cat Carter, CEO of SuperWoman Records 
Kiara Harris
Megan Hildebrandt
Dan Jimenez
Malti B Lee
Haley Levin
Chris Tobar Rodriguez
Robin Winter 

The XOXO Photography Fellowship

The Downtown Austin Alliance aims to bring and keep people downtown where everyone is welcomed because of the unique perspectives individuals bring to the city. The organization aims to create a sense of belonging and empower residents to build a vibrant, connected and authentic community in Downtown Austin. It plays its part by connecting people with opportunities to get involved. One of those efforts is the XOXO Downtown Austin campaign.

XOXO Downtown Austin is a campaign to reunite Austinites and the downtown neighborhood of the city. Through a series of six-week XOXO Photography Fellowships, which started at the end of September, local up-and-coming photographers receive mentorship and use their unique perspective and photography skills to capture iconic scenes around downtown. Then, their photos are used throughout the XOXO Downtown Austin campaign to showcase the best the city has to offer through its vibrant, beloved culture.

The XOXO Photography Fellowship 2024 participants are:

Ish Quintanilla
Naya Montufar (Naya Papaya) 
Isabelle Milford
Sabine Fletcher
Russel Crawford
Eric Duong

The 2024 XOXO Photography Fellowship Mentors include:

Chie Endo
Marina Oneill (Marina Wanders) 
Jay Ybarra (PhotoJay) 

Congratulations to all program participants. Learn more about the programs at downtownaustin.com.