$17.7 Million Funded: Austin Convention Center Selects 10 Local Artists for Permanent Installation
The city’s new facility will integrate monumental works into its architecture before opening in 2029, with selection driven by local cultural representation.
By Amit Chukwu ·
The Austin Convention Center has committed $17.7 million to a permanent art installation, funding ten local artists to create monumental works for the new facility. The project is financed entirely through Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues and Project Financing Zone funds. Construction on the building began in September 2025, and the center is scheduled to open in 2029.
Art in Public Places, the city’s public art program, managed the selection process. The final group of ten artists was chosen from more than 80 nominees recommended by local arts and culture leaders. Selection criteria focused on the artist’s ability to represent Austin’s culture and their willingness to collaborate with existing design and construction teams. The works will be architecturally integrated into the building rather than placed as standalone objects.
The selected artists include Alejandra Almuelle, a clay sculpture artist focusing on the human form. Rex Hamilton, a muralist known for works visible from I-35 and the North Lamar Boulevard underpass, is also part of the group. Tsz Kam, a surrealist pattern artist from Hong Kong, and Dave McClinton, a digital collage artist exploring Black identity, round out the visual artists. Aaron Michalovic, a wood and furniture artist, will contribute color and modern abstract shapes.
Diego Miró-Rivera, whose site-specific natural world pieces appear along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, is included in the Phase I commissions. Manik Raj Nakra, a muralist who painted jungle scenes at the Contemporary Austin, will also create work for the center. Dawn Okoro, a portraiture artist, and Carmen Rangel, a painted and mosaic muralist, complete the list of living artists. The group also includes the late artist Betelhem Makonnen (1972-2026), an Ethiopian-born multimedia artist and former Fusebox Festival curator whose team is continuing her work.
The design objective places these works in areas where visitors naturally move through the building. At least some of the installations will be visible from outside the structure. A second phase of construction is expected to begin in 2027, which will commission additional, smaller works.
Katy Zamesnik, the center's interim director, stated that the project aims to transform the facility from a temporary event space into a location that tells the story of Austin. She noted in a press release that the artists bring unique perspectives that will allow global travelers to experience the city’s creative culture up close while attending events.
The initiative ensures that the public art reflects the specific identity of Austin. The works will serve daily for residents and visitors alike, integrating the local creative scene into the physical infrastructure of the new convention center.
