There’s no denying Austin’s growth. In the last two decades, the skyline has changed from one that looked not all that different in 2021 than it did in 1975 to a beautiful, crowded, modern silhouette cast in a burnt orange glow when the sun sets over the paddleboarders on Town Lake. With that architectural evolution has come a population that has doubled in two decades. Our musicians, artists, students and state employees have been joined by countless workers in the tech and finance sectors, and a welcome wave of transplants from California to New York and every place in between.
But there is still something essentially “Austin” about our city. You’ll see it when you pass by Daniel Johnston’s “Hi, How Are You” character on the Drag. You’ll feel Austin when you pick up tacos and coffee and enjoy a morning trek around the hike and bike trail. And you’ll hear Austin when an up-and-coming local band chases their big break with a showcase gig at The Mohawk on Red River.
Bringing downtown Austin to life, and capturing the things that keep our city’s beauty above the waterline amongst the crashing waves of change, is what makes the Downtown Austin Alliance’s XOXO Photography Fellowship exciting and inspiring.
As a part of this program, six local photography fellows will work with veteran photographer mentors to explore their own perspectives and highlight the art, parks, food, museums, and music that make downtown Austin unique.
Of the program, Mentor Jay Ybarra told us, “working with the XOXO fellowship was a great experience. I found it exciting to see the perspective of different photographers, both seeing how they would shoot within different boundaries and their own unique take on each theme. (I’m) looking forward to where each fellow will continue to go from here.”
For her part, participant photographer Isabelle Milford summed up her experience a “love letter” to downtown:
“Dear Downtown Austin, I remember the first time I stepped foot in you. My eyes were bewildered with the colors dazzling the buildings. Personality oozed off of every street corner. I dragged my mom up and down the construction-ridden roads, pointing at every little interesting thing that you would never see in the suburbs. I stood there with my little camera, staring, only stopping for the second that my shutter went off. I remember stumbling upon a yellow bathtub sitting in someone’s front yard—that was when I fell in love. When I came back for school, that’s when I got to truly feel your energy. I got to meet those around you that make you who you are. We grew a connection, you and I. You helped me feel more at home inside myself than I ever felt back in the suburbs of Dallas. Your quirks matched mine. Thank you for allowing me to explore you, photograph you, and be in your presence. You have helped me open up to the sides of myself I’ve always wanted to, but never quite could. You have changed me in ways I will forever be grateful for. Thank you, Downtown Austin, for being who you are. Love, Isabelle.”
You can learn more about the DAA’s 2024-2025 XOXO Photography Fellows here. Or by attending the opening reception of “Moments in Motion: Downtown’s Changing Canvas” on Jan. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 506 Congress in Austin. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for the things that make Austin beautiful — they’re everywhere you look.