Texas Tribune Festival Expands Focus on Arts and Culture

On September 5-7, the 14th annual Texas Tribune Festival returns to Downtown Austin, featuring over 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers, including U.S. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, MSNBC host Jen Psaki, and Grammy Award-winning musician Lyle Lovett.

The programming, curated by The Texas Tribune’s award-winning journalists, will address key issues such as education, the economy, Texas and national politics, criminal justice, the border, the upcoming 2024 elections and more. Alongside these central topics, this year’s festival will also include a selection of arts and culture programming, offering attendees a diverse mix of panels and creative experiences.

Sonal Shah, CEO of The Texas Tribune, explained that the inclusion of more arts and culture programming reflects the organization’s commitment to community engagement. “It’s what creates community everywhere you go,” said Shah. “Having Arts and Cultures is really a part of community, so as we were thinking about this festival this year, that was for us to make sure we’re incorporating what is important to our community, both in across Texas, but also in Austin. I know we’ve done one panel here or there, across the Texas Tribune festival, but this year, we wanted to take a much more deeper approach to it.” 

Arts and culture programming at Texas Tribune Festival

One of the highlights of the arts and culture programming is the “Hit Men” panel on September 7, which features filmmakers Richard Linklater, Noah Hawley and Sterlin Harjo. The panel will discuss storytelling in America, moderated by The New York Times’ Maya Phillips.

Hawley, known for creating “Fargo”, “Legion” and FX’s upcoming “Alien: Earth” series, noted the importance of storytelling in today’s cultural landscape. “What matters the most in our country is hearing points of view from people who don’t share our experience, so that we can build empathy and understanding.” Hawley has lived in Austin for over 15 years with his wife Kyle—owner of Letterpress PLAY, a zero-waste letterpress boutique on South Congress—and operates his Austin-based production company, 26 Keys.

In addition to the “Hit Men” panel, the festival will feature a screening of “Bill Bradley: Rolling Along” on Sept. 6 at Austin PBS, followed by a Q&A with the former U.S. senator and basketball Hall of Famer. Also that evening, The Texas Tribune will host its Trivia Night at Scholz Garten from 6 to 9 p.m., where teams can compete for prizes in an event led by Austin radio personality Andy Langer.

Open Congress showcases Texas culture, music and more

A highlight of this year’s festival is Open Congress, a free public event on Saturday, September 7, located along Congress Avenue between 7th and 11th streets, that showcases the intersection of arts, culture, and politics. The event will offer interactive experiences, interviews, and panels exploring various aspects of Texas culture.

“We the Texans: More Than Music” kicks off at 9:30 a.m., where a panel will explore how mariachis tell the story of everyday Texas. Following the session, attendees can join author Jonny Garza Villa for a book signing in the Festival Bookstore.

In the afternoon, the panel “Texas Monthly Presents: Home With the Armadillo,” celebrates fifty years of Austin City Limits with insights from Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett, Austin City Limits Executive Producer Terry Lickona, and Austin City Limits Radio host Andy Langer.

Later in the day, at 5:30 p.m., Texas Monthly will host a taco happy hour, bringing together James Beard Award-winning chefs and food experts for a lively discussion on the art of tacos, featuring Iliana De La Vega, Ana Liz Pulido, José Ralat, and Kimya Kavehkar.

Keynote speakers and essential tips for attendees

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will kick off the Texas Tribune Festival as the opening keynote speaker on September 5, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will close it on September 7, both taking the TribFest stage at Austin’s iconic Paramount Theatre.

The Texas Tribune Festival, running from September 5-7, offers tickets starting at $350, with discounted rates for students and educators ($75 for educators and $50 for students). For more information, visit the festival’s website.

Shah advises, “Some of the bigger sessions, if you don’t go to them, will also be recorded… Pace yourself, because there’s a lot going on. It’s always hot, so I encourage everyone to always have water and to dress appropriately for the day.”