Presented by Six Square, the District Cultural Arts Fest is an exciting celebration that honors the rich legacy and cultural contributions of Central Texas’ Black community. On September 1, 2018, join Six Square – Austin’s Black Cultural District as they continue creating a nexus of thriving Black arts and culture in East Austin.

From African drumming & dancing to engaging theatrical performances, across five sites, Six Square will reanimate and provide a new context to each location’s history as well as provide a curated menu of unlimited food and adult beverages provided by Wines of Dotson Cervantes, Tito’s Vodka and more.

Festivities will culminate at the sixth and final site, the historic Huston-Tillotson University, with musical performances from international, national and local acts inspired from Africa and the African Diaspora. Food and retail vendors are welcomed.

Tickets are now available. Details on each site’s events, logistics and registration information can be found below.

THE FESTIVAL’S EVENTS

TOURS — SIX SQUARE HEADQUARTERS (2:30 and 4:30 PM)
Guided bus tours, conducted by Harrison Eppright of Visit Austin, will begin at 2:30 and 4:30 PM. Join us on a Tour of numerous sites of national, regional, and local historic significance and celebrate African Americans and others who played important roles in creating the vibrancy of Austin and The District, while discovering the diversity of one of Austin’s most storied and exciting communities. Registration for bus tours can be found below in the “Get Tickets” section. Seats are limited.

INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS — SITES 1 THROUGH 5 (2 PM TO 5:30 PM)
Daytime events will be held at Sites 1 through 5. Site 6, Huston-Tillotson University, will be open to festival attendees from 5 PM to 10 PM. It can be attended in conjunction with Sites 1 through 5 or individually.

Site 1 — Six Square Headquarters
In addition to serving as the headquarters for festival registration and Six Square tours, the Six Square HQ will host spoken word performances and poets throughout the day. Enjoy a sneak peak of works by Emmy Award winning watercolorist, James Gayles. An array of satisfying soul food options provided by Desire Catering, paired with wines from Wines of Dotson Cervantes will be available. 

Site 2 — Doris Miller Auditorium
Doris Miller Auditorium will be transformed with performances of African dance and drumming from troupes across Central Texas. Join us for a showcase by Austin-based Afro-pop and Jazz group Zoumountchi, Houston-based Abubakr Sory Kouyate and Dallas-based drum troupe Bandan Koro. Vibe to the drumming while dining on Jamaican cuisines from Chef Michael Harris, accompanied by a sweet mix of pineapple juice & coconut rum.

 Site 3 — Oakwood Cemetery
Animated by Spectrum Theatre, Austin’s oldest city-owned cemetery will come to life for one day. Spectrum Theatre will tell the stories of Austin’s past by providing historical re-enacments of prominent persons buried at oakwood. Enjoy the show while indulging in specialty desserts as well as a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage.

Site 4 — Givens Park
Givens Park will feature “Ghost House,”  a temporary art in public places project from local artist and educator Nick Schnitzer. While primarily an homage to the rapidly disappearing two bedroom bungalow – a fixture of post-war American life nationwide – the project also looks at how the shifting macroeconomic climate has affected the housing market in East Austin. Along with the art installation there will be  a selection of refreshments from Juiceland and tender BBQ from Easley’s BBQ.

Site 5 — Secret Location
Do you remember the Catfish Station? The food? The entertainment? Join us for hometown favorites at this secret location including food and entertainment from the folks at The Catfish Station. Enjoy The District Drink, our favorite made possible from Tito’s Vodka. Be the first to take a virtual reality tour of Six Square’s latest project in The District which includes a new mural garden and cafe. Seats are limited at this secret location.

GRAND FINALE AND MUSIC SHOWCASE AT SITE 6 — HUSTON-TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY (5 PM to 10 PM)
Featuring a headlining set by national Grammy-nominated artist Mali Music and multi-genre performances by Sona Jobarteh, Tobe Nwigwe, Carolyn Blanchard and more, our daytime events will close with a music festival and exhibition of food and retail vendors at Huston-Tillotson University, Austin’s first college. Click here to apply to be a vendor.

FEATURED PERFORMERS AND EXHIBITORS

Mark your calendar and stay tuned at @sixsquareatx on Instagram, Facebook  and Twitter for updates.

MEET THE PRODUCERS

About Six Square – Austin’s Black Cultural District:  The District is six square miles of historic and culturally significant sites that we are preserving for future generations. We are creating an incubation space where art and culture can be celebrated and enjoyed and brought to the limelight, not just for the community who lives here, but for all of Austin and Austin’s visitors. Six Square is the nexus of thriving Black arts and culture in Central East Austin. We re-animate cultural spaces, connect community, and honor the past, present, and future of Austin’s Black Cultural District. We envision a vibrant future for the District that grows from the rich legacy and cultural contributions of Austin’s Black community. We preserve and celebrate the rich cultural legacy of African Americans with a specific focus on blacks of Central East Austin. We accomplish our work with relevant programming in Cultural Arts, Education, Economic Development and Preservation. Learn more at sixsquare.org