Each year there seem to be more craft fairs and art bazaars offering their locally, handmade goodness as an alternative to the mall shopping scene. We're certainly not complaining - it's hard for us to find holiday joy in line at Wal-Mart on X-mas Eve. We'll be bringing you more details about upcoming holiday art fairs in the coming weeks - until then, check out our rundown of the crafty happenings taking place this weekend. more ›

It still feels very much like summer, but for area artists interested in participating in fall's bounty of art and craft events, it's time to throw production into high gear. Here's a rundown of upcoming deadlines and events that are now asking for applications: East Austin Studio Tour, or E.A.S.T., is going to take place over two weekends this year, from November 14th through November 22nd. Of course, this is great news for art voyeurs interested in a glimpse into the creative process, but it also means that participating studios must be willing to stay open to the public on both weekends. Applications are also being accepted for E.A.S.T. exhibition spaces (theaters, galleries, etc.), happenings (temporary art projects, performance pieces, etc.), and programs (workshops or lectures). Applications are due on Tuesday, September 1st by 6pm and need to be mailed to Big Medium. All the information, including forms, can be found online. more ›

This year's Blue Genie Art Bazaar is months away, but the event's organizers are accepting applications through Friday, September 4th. Prospective vendors can fill out an application packet online and selected artists will be notified on October 2nd. The bazaar will again be held at the Monarch Events Center and will run from December 2nd through Christmas eve. more ›

On Good Friday (that's tomorrow, for all you non-observant readers), two gods among mortals in the Austin art world, Michael Schliefke and Ian Shults, are curating a holy showing of art entitled Biblical Proportions. The exhibit will be split up between two East Side studios, Blue Genie and Bearded Lady, where the focus will be on art from the Old Testament and the New Testament, respectively. The over one hundred participating artists have been asked to create a piece of art based off of a story from the Bible. more ›

On November 22 and 23, artists and studios in East Austin will open their doors and welcome the community into their spaces to showcase a stunning degree of local talent. Now in its seventh year, the casual, homegrown event known as the East Austin Studio Tour includes over 200 individual artists (at 150 studios and galleries) working in a variety of mediums with an astonishing array of materials. The Austinist talked with one of the organizers and co-founders, Shea Little, about the history of EAST and this year's tour. Little co-founded and co-organizes the event with Jana Swec and Joseph Phillips. All of these talented individuals are also artists with Big Medium (formerly Bolm Studios). more ›

Flyer from Blue Genie 7th Annual Blue Genie Art BazaarDecember 5th through December 24thMonarch Event Center (6406 N. I-35 #3100)FreeSunday-Thursday: 10am-10pmFriday-Saturday: 10am-MidnightSunday, December 24th: 10am-6pm[info]Blue Genie Art Bazaar, Austin's annual holiday shopping destination for locally-made art and various one-of-a-kind gifts, returns tomorrow for its seventh run. This year, they've outgrown the Blue Genie space and are moving to the Monarch Events Center up north, in Lincoln Village. Running from tomorrow morning through Christmas Eve, the... more ›

The following article and interview is by guest contributor Lisa Kaselak, who will be curating a short film series at the Fuse Box Festival tomorrow evening. Check the IST list for details. -- Ed. Note I first met Ron Berry last year, after I finished a short documentary piece and some accompanying prints and was looking for a community space to house the whole exhibit – not necessarily an easy task since this work was... more ›

THURSDAY [22] music •Third Coast Festival Listening Room, hosted by David Brown (KUT) at Cactus Café (7pm) books •Melissa Kirsch presents The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything at BookPeople (7:00pm) music •The Charms, Gentlemen's Social Club, The Deadly Companions at Emo's music •Jack Rabid and the Slims, American Business Machines (Mass), Abby Birds, The Steed at Trophy's music •Weird Weeds, The Dead Science, The Parenthetical Science, Hello Lovers at The Mohawk film •Alejandro Jodorowsky's... more ›

AIDS Services of Austin (ASA), which provides critical services for some 1,500 local individuals with HIV each year, derives a significant portion of its operating income from its annual ArtErotica fundraising event. Unfortunately, last week's venue closures have rendered their former space, Blue Genie, no longer viable for the 700-person event. As such, ArtErotica 2007, originally scheduled for this Saturday evening, is now postponed. The Octopus Club, the volunteer arm of ASA that coordinates this... more ›

MONDAY [19] film • Alejandro Jodorowsky's "El Topo" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • Melissa Ferrick, Coles Whalen at Stubb's film • "8-Bit": A film about art & video games at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown TUESDAY [20] books • O. Henry Prize Winning Short Story Adaptations at Harry Ransom Center (7:00pm) food • Central Market Cooking Class: Chef Justin Raiford - Flavors of Spring at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($50, 6:30-9pm) music... more ›

There’s always a group of youth, every three years or so, who is “on the cusp of DOING something!” Something amazing. Massive in potential scope! Probably artistic and important! Maybe even important on a national if not international scale! more ›

SATURDAY [23] music • Wintershow Benefit for SafePlace and Capital Area Food Bank with Bill Callahan (SMOG), Shearwater, Nick Hennies (Weird Weeds) and Brian Sookram at The Mohawk (Doors at 3pm, Music at 5pm) film • Sinus Show: Die Hard at Alamo Downtown (7 & 10pm, $12.50) music • Everyone Knows Everyone Winter Party, with music by Visitors, Rory + the Artificial Hearts, Pompeii, and Mars Wars; art by Carlos Rosales-Silva, Justin Cox, Jay... more ›

THURSDAY [21] fashion • Dirty Librarian Chains Trunk Show with DJ Chicken George and Daetron Vargas at FactoryPeople (5-8pm) film • The Christmas Pop! Sing-Along at Alamo Downtown (7pm, $10) film • La Femme Nikita at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • old Joy at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm) film • Terror Thursday: Blood Beach at Alamo Downtown (11:55pm, Free) music • Ugly Beats, Bellfuries, The Deadly Companions at Emo's music • "A Parish Christmas," featuring... more ›

WEDNESDAY [20] film • Super Happy Fun Monkey Bash 5 at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $5) film • Danielson: A Family Movie at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story at Beerland (7pm, Free) film • Delicatessen at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • Weird Wednesday: The Magic Christmas Tree at Alamo Downtown (11:55pm, Free) food • Austin Farmers Market at Whole Food Parking Lot, 525 N Lamar (4-7pm) music •... more ›

TUESDAY [19] film • AFS Essential: Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • Revolver at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm,Free) film • Cabbage Patch Kids: Vernon's Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Jack Frost at Spiderhouse (8pm, Free) film • Austin Air Guitar Championships at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm) music • Pocketful of Deng, The War Against Sleep, The Mike Truth All Stars, Cartright at Emo's music • Fire vs. Extinguisher, Follow... more ›

MONDAY [18] film • Capote at Café Mundi (8pm, Free) film • old Joy at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • Red at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • Bowling for Columbine at Austin Java (9pm, Free) film • Music Monday: I Swear I Was There at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $2) shopping • Blue Genie Art Bazaar at Blue Genie HQ shopping • Holiday Party with IV Thieves at Beauty Bar... more ›

FRIDAY [15] ballet • Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker at Bass Concert Hall (Check website for details) music • Baby Robots, Horse + Donkey, Foot Foot, DJ Blip at Emo's Lounge music • Moonlight Towers, The Fall Collection, Buttercup at Emo's music • Mice & Rifles CD Release, Texas Sapphires, Adam White (The Personals) at Stubb's music • Crawling with Kings, Ian Moore, Lossy Coils, Future Clouds in Radar at The Parish Room music • Papa... more ›

THURSDAY [14] art • Ethan Azarian's Art Show 2006: Alien Abduction series, Fruit in the City, Eight Foot Cows (First Night 05), and more at In House Gallery (2514 East 17th Street, 5-10pm) music • Shapes & Sizes, Weird Weeds, Lovely Sparrows, Benko at Emo's music • OHN, Lila's Medicine at Flamingo Cantina music • Ruthie Foster at Cactus Café music • Balmorhea, Low Line Caller, Sthil at The Mohawk music • White Ghost... more ›

WEDNESDAY [13] party • 3rd Annual Food Drive & Holiday Party at The Side Bar music • The Transgressors, Hello Lovers, The Dresses at Emo's music • Joanna Newsom & Her Orchestra, Bill Callahan at The Parish Room music • The Onlys, J Dimenna, Dolly Partners, Daughter at Beerland music • Pete Yorn, Sound Team, Starsailor at Antone's music • Tia Carrera, Flower to Hide, Damage Pants at Red's Scoot Inn film • Dinner... more ›

TUESDAY [12] fashion/shopping • South Lamar shops host a big whoppin' holiday party/shopping soiree with catering by Sazon and Le Marseillaise, complimentary wine, martinis, and cofee, and various discounts from 10-25% at Birds Barbershop, Roost, Downstairs Apparel, 365 Ways - 365 Days and Legendary Beads (6-9pm) music • The Faint, Ratatat at La Zona Rosa music • Mayor Will Wynn introduces Guy Clark at Cactus Cafe (8pm) music • Zom Does Jazz Night at... more ›

MONDAY [11] film • Danielson: A Family Movie at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $2) film • Third Coast Night: Iraq in Fragments at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • "City of Men" at Spiderhouse (8pm, Free) film • White at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • Nacho Libre at Café Mundi (8pm, Free) film • The Life Aquatic at Austin Java (9pm, Free) shopping/art/holidays • Blue Genie Art Bazaar at Blue Genie HQ (10am-10pm/Midnight) music •... more ›

FRIDAY [8] music • Centro-Matic, Those Peabodys, Pink Nasty at Emo's (Inside) music • Anagen, Two Guy Trio at Stubb's music • The Midgetmen, The Boxing Lesson, Sounds Under Radio, Label Me This at Red Eyed Fly music • Fireside Creative Showcase with Shrapnel, Lone Star Porn Star, Nooner, Hundred Year Storm, Bayta Darell, and a chance to win a Gibson guitar autographed by (huh?) Chuck Norris at The Parish Room music • Rescue... more ›

THURSDAY [7] music • Chicken Ranch Records, Obsolete Industries, Hold Fast, and 086 Studio present their Third Annual Christmas Shindig with The Ugly Beats, Automusik at Longbranch Inn ($5 or bring a new toy for Blue Santa, 8pm) music • Atomic Bitchwax, Pearls & Brass, Dixie Witch, The Flood at Emo's music • The Big Fix, O:A, Hellapeno at Stubb's music • Earl Greyhound, The Early Tapes, The Paper South at The Mohawk music... more ›

The sixth annual Blue Genie Art Bazaar kicks off today at Blue Genie's eastside headquarters. The 18-day event, featuring a bevy of local and regional artisans and artists, is an excellent opportunity to find one-of-a-kind clothes, ceramics, original paintings, photographs, sculpture, accessories, and more. Participating artists include the Austin Craft Mafiosa (Tina Sparkles, Jennifer Perkins, Jesse Kelly-Landis), Obsolete Industries, the guy who wrote Manspace: A Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory, and local painter extraordinaire... more ›

[festival/music/art] First Night at Congress Avenue (All Ages, 2pm, Free/$10) [info] [tickets] [music] Nic Armstrong and the Thieves, Moonlight Towers and DJ Polecat at Club de Ville (21+, $5, Call 512-457-0900) [fabulous] Studio 54 Par-tay! at Rain (21+, Call 512-494-1150) [info] [music] White Ghost Shivers and The Small Stars at Blue Genie Art Industries (21+, 9pm, $37) [info] [tickets] [music] Flametrick Subs with Satan's Cheerleaders, Slick 57 and Basin Street at Emo's (All Ages,... more ›

M O N D A Y [12] [music] UT Ethnomusicology Dept Ensembles at Momo's (8pm) [music] David Newbould at Flipnotics (8pm) [music] Singer-Songwriter Night at Longbranch Inn [music] Elizabeth McQueen at Theadgill's (8pm) [music] Listening party for Ludacris' new album, Disturbing Tha Peace at Nasty's (8pm) [music/shopping] Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with the Eggmen at Austin Music Hall (Check website for dates/hours) [party] Friends of the Spade Christmas Party at Velvet Spade (11pm) [film/food] "Narnia"... more ›

One of our most favoritist of all Austin galleries, Blue Genie, is having their annual Art Bazaar (five years running). If you have never been to any of the Blue Genie events, then you have been missing out on one of the truly unique elements that make up the eccentric personality of Austin. With portraits like those of Felice House, kickasstastic belt buckles from Mark Joiner, porno latch-hookings (NSFW, we suppose, but whatever) from... more ›

Tomorrow (Saturday), Bolm Studio's Michael Schliefke and Blue Genie Art's Head Sculptor Ian Shults are hosting "the biggest Unicorn event Austin has ever seen!" And judging from the bold capitalization of those fabled paragons of virginity, we're expecting this is going to Blow Us Away. They're expanding the show beyond Bolm Studios' normal gallery space to include the original gallery bay, so that all of the art being exhibited has plenty of space to... more ›