Big Medium, the local arts organization behind the Austin Studio Tour, will close after more than 20 years because of financial difficulties.
“Major sponsors, including the City of Austin, have redirected their funding priorities, leaving significant gaps in our budget,” Big Medium’s board of directors said in a statement Friday. “Despite our best efforts to secure alternative funding and sustain operations, the financial hurdles have become insurmountable.”
Big Medium supported local artists by providing direct funding, residencies, exhibition space at its gallery in South Austin and community art events such as the Austin Studio Tour.
The studio tour is a free, citywide series of art exhibitions that takes place over two weekends. The event draws 60,000 people each year and includes more than 500 artists, according to the organization’s website. The tour started as an East Austin-focused event in 2003 before expanding to the rest of the city.
Big Medium said it will stop programming and close its gallery space, but that the Austin Studio Tour “will continue in some form or fashion.”
“We are committed to exploring every avenue possible to continue this Austin tradition, which is a critically important economic driver for artists,” the statement read.
The organization’s Texas Biennial, a statewide art program, will continue until its scheduled completion in June. After that, Big Medium said it is "hopeful" the program will keep going under new leadership.
