Austin is a city known for its art and music. In the past, however, East Austin had always been the black sheep among Austin communities because the arts were not particularly prevalent. That has changed over the last decade thanks to the East Austin Studio Tour (EAST).

This year will mark the 11th EAST, which will be held Nov. 8-18. All the artists’ studios are open and free to the public, along with major events on the weekends of Nov. 10 and 11 and Nov. 17 and 18 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“It’s like the South By of visual tours,” Aaron Bir, a featured artist on the tour, said. “It’s really intimate, too, walking through an artist’s space like that.”

The tour is not exclusively studios, though. All sorts of other art-oriented happenings will take place this month, including pop-up shows, performance pieces, site-specific programs, art parties, creative programs, open exhibition spaces and more which will be all on the East side and all free.

“The tour is open to all artists working in all mediums who have studios, or are guest artists, or have events during the EAST dates within the EAST boundaries, which is the area east of I-35, west of Highway 183, south of Highway 290 and north of Ladybird Lake/Colorado River,” said Anastasia Colombo, one of the organizers of the event.

The tour is presented by Big Medium, an Austin-based non-profit organization that aims to promote and support the visual arts in Austin and throughout Texas. Big Medium is also responsible for presenting the West Austin Studio Tour and the Texas Biennial. The Big Medium Gallery and Project space also has exhibits year-round and prides itself on providing affordable studio space to artists in Austin.

Featured artists on the tour include Aaron Bir, Wendy Crone, Molly Mansfield and Laura Sturtz. Open studios include those of Jason Telepak, who does amazing woodwork at his Indio Arts Studio and Haven Meadows Studio, which specializes in bone sculptures.

“I’m from East Austin, and I think this tour is really great, especially for the East side,” Frank Bontello said on what the tour gives back the to the East Austin community. “It’s becoming so artsy, whereas before it wasn’t at all.” 

East Austin Studio Tour catalogs, which act as guides for the tour, are available now at all 22 branches of the Austin Public Library and offer more information on each artist, studio and events, along with pictures of what you can look forward to from the event. The EAST website also offers more information about the tour, including locations, event overviews and volunteer information.

“There is nothing else like it. This is a giant event in which nearly 500 artists are coming together to show work [and] visit with folks,” Colombo said.

If you are interested in the tour, pick up a catalog, visit eastaustinstudiotour.com and do not miss one of the largest, coolest art events this city has to offer.