This afternoon at a press conference in KLRU's historic Austin City Limits studio and through a press release to the media, Austin Music People announced their newly-formed non-profit, known as AMP. more ›

The Long Center for the Performing Arts has surpassed its fundraising goal for the fiscal year. The goal was just under $1.6 million and that number had increased about 3% from the previous fiscal year's contributed income. 64% of their operating budget comes from ticket sales and rental revenue. They also announced that Sheila Berry will be stepping into the role of Annual Members Liaison, working closely with Director of Development Jennifer Houlihan. The Long Center hosts symphony, opera and ballet companies as well as numerous local small and emerging arts organizations. more ›

Our favorite downtown, non-profit, Texas-focused, contemporary art center, Arthouse, has been closed since October while they undergo expansions and reservations at their Jones Center location. The gallery is expected to open again in October of this year, but instead of bowing out of Austin's art scene for the duration of construction, the dedicated folks at Arthouse have been busy bringing in speakers (Gary Carrion-Murayari, the co-curator of the 2010 Whitney Biennial, will be in town in April), hosting workshops and teen programs, and even co-producing a series for the much anticipated upcoming Fusebox Festival. For the month of February, Arthouse has launched a micro-giving campaign, I Heart Arthouse, with the goal of receiving 2,000 $5 gifts. The combined effort would raise $10,000 dollars for the museum's exhibitions and educational programing and prove that everyone can be a philanthropist and patron of the arts. All donations can be made online. more ›

This coming weekend, whether you have Monday off or not, consider spending some time serving the community in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. This year, the United Way Capital Area's volunteer action program, Hands On Central Texas, has coordinated with local non-profits, parks, and schools to provide service opportunities for Saturday, January 16th. Prospective do-gooders can review and select projects from a list that includes park beautification projects, school garden clean ups, landscape restoration at the French Legation Museum, and remodeling a garage at Out Youth to transform it into a library space. Nationwide volunteer opportunities can be found at MLKDay.gov and include Central Texas projects taking place on Saturday and Monday. Volunteers who need a more flexible schedule, or better yet, are looking for longer-term opportunities can learn about area non-profits at I Live Here I Give Here and browse ongoing projects from Hand On Central Texas. more ›

Remembering our time in the central Texas school system, we can tell you that while our public school teachers do a pretty darn good job of coaxing some interesting writing out of their students, sometimes they are expected to teach kiddos how to write to pass an exam, not necessarily to express themselves. The Austin Bat Cave hopes to augment their efforts through free after-school tutoring programs, in-school programs, book groups and special workshops that include music and songwriting. If anyone could get behind fostering expressive and creative writing in our youth, it would have been Van Zandt, who believed that achieving greatness required constant practice, that you had to continually try to achieve your best. more ›

This weekend Austin will play host to the first ever film festival for non-profit and cause-driven organizations. Lights. Camera. Help. received submissions from over 140 groups and selected nineteen finalist to be screened this Friday and Saturday. Of these films, one will win the Lights. Camera. Help. Judge's Prize which comprises all the proceeds from ticket sales and donations collected during the festival. Lights. Camera. Help. co-founder Aaron Bramely answered some questions for us about non-profit organizations, new technology, and this weekend's festival. more ›

Austin's People's Community Clinic was founded in 1970 and is one of the longest running independent primary care clinics in the country. Their innovative programs include a Primary Care Clinic for Teens and Young Adults which is located downtown at the American YouthWorks charter school. Tonight, the clinic is hosting an open house and art show which will feature health and wellness themed photography shot by area teens. The event is open to the public and PCC staff will be on hand to discuss services at their young adult clinic. more ›

House Dems spent the weekend "chubbing" various bills to put off the vote on the Voter ID bill. State Rep. Raymond shares why he is doing his part to block the Voter ID Bill. McLeroy, Perry's pick for Chair of State Board of Education, may not make it through Senate confirmation. Texans react to Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. KXAN: "Naked man bites cop, shot with Taser." NAACP meeting tonight will focus on community involvement and the shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders. Does Austin have too many non-profit organizations? more ›

Boys who wish they could have taken a boy to prom and girls who wish they could have taken a girl now have the chance to relive that night. Hell, even girls who took gay boys to prom hoping to at last be disrespected have one more chance to get it right—local nonprofit Out Youth will be hosting an Alternative Adult Prom this Saturday night at Adora Hall. This prom gives GLBT adults (as well as straight supporters) the opportunity to travel back in time for the ultimate high school dance. more ›