It’s been a long time coming for those who have helped make HOPE Outdoor Gallery such an icon, but the day for them to pack up and move is finally near.
Since its inception in 2010, what was originally supposed to be a temporary art exhibit became one of our city’s most recognizable stops, complete with bright, vivid paintings, political statements, and sweeping views of the downtown skyline.
A combination of cost, excessive strain on the neighborhood by visitors (sometimes reaching in excess of more than 1,000 visitors per day), and a space that isn’t particularly well suited to be an actual public park (no restrooms, lighting, etc) have prompted the inevitable move to lurch forward at a somewhat faster pace than in the past.
The need to move doesn’t come as any sort of shock, as Andi Scull Cheatham, Executive Director of the HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere) Campaign, as she’s been working for nearly two years to find a space for the outdoor gallery to move, with no luck. Now, Cheatham is asking for the community’s input on a survey that will help generate data regarding the art gallery’s potential move.
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The survey is super simple and allows you to sign up for their mailing list so that you can keep up with all things HOPE and contribute to the big move when it happens.
For more on the history of the gallery and two of its major supporters: property owner, Vic Ayad, who has worked to keep this local icon alive for so long, and Cheatham who has worked tirelessly to raise money and host events for the gallery to support local artists, the Austin American Statesman has a great, thorough piece.
