For the first time since 2017, a free outdoor concert series will once again be held on the Texas Capitol Mall in front of the Bullock Museum. Texas artists will perform at Music Under the Star in the new Capitol Mall Amphitheater starting at 6 p.m. on a handful of summer Fridays, with headliners playing at 7:30 p.m. Music Under the Star began in 2003 and took a hiatus for construction of the Texas Capitol Mall.

• June 14 – Kamica King opening and the Peterson Brothers headlining
• July 19 – Chayito Champion and Keli Rosa Cabunoc opening and Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs headlining
• Aug. 9 – The South Austin Moonlighters opening and Guy Forsyth headlining

Parking is available for $15 in the Bullock Museum’s underground garage. Parking is free for museum members with a Music Under the Star parking voucher. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at all Music Under the Star concerts. Guests can purchase band merchandise through the Bullock Museum Store at the events. Program sponsors KUTX 98.9 will also be on hand to support the event. For more about the artists and their musical styles, visit TheStoryofTexas.com/muts.

In an effort to ease its ongoing capacity crisis, Austin Animal Center is limiting intake hours to 11 a.m. through 1 p.m., starting today. A press release about the new policy makes exceptions for animals showing “extreme signs of distress or injury, such as heat stroke, young litters that would need to be bottle fed, and animals showing obvious signs of injury.” The press release also explains that the shelter has been boarding animals off-site because the shelter is over capacity and faces an ever-increasing demand for its services. “As AAC limits intake even further and continues working to increase outcomes, the goal is to re-open once all the dogs in boarding have returned to the shelter and animals are safely housed in permanent kennels,” states the release. In order to address capacity issues, the shelter has waived adoption fees, offered financial incentives for rescue organizations that can take larger dogs, and increased its outreach to get the word out about adoptions. Austinites are encouraged to adopt, foster or volunteer if they can.

In response to the severe storms and flooding in Houston and Hays County, Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) is on the ground providing real-time relief and support. The nonprofit network of about 200 Austin-area churches and trained volunteers is seeking additional volunteers as well as donations of money and supplies. People interested in supporting survivors and distributing supplies can join ADRN’s volunteer efforts by signing up here. In-kind donations can be made through this Amazon wish list or through donations to Hope Family Thrift Store. Financial contributions to sustain disaster relief operations can be made here and will cover things like clean-up buckets, hygiene kits and survivor care kits, which are critically low. The Austin-based nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing physical, emotional and spiritual care to disaster survivors.

Central Health is holding a conversation about its newest plans for serving the community today. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both in-person and online. The event is an opportunity to ask Central Health leadership questions and hear from Central Health Board Chair Ann Kitchen and CEO Dr. Pat Lee about newly launched programs centered on things like gastroenterology, pulmonology, nephrology and palliative medicine. Kitchen and Central Health Board members Shannon Jones, Amit Motwani and Cynthia Valadez will hold a listening session for attendees following the official presentation. Lunch, coffee, tea and snacks will be provided for all (in-person) attendees.

Tonight, the Central Texas Food Bank is holding the first gallery night for its Feed Creativity Youth Art Competition. The event will highlight the nearly 100 pieces submitted in the competition by students, as well as unveiling the grand prize winner, whose art will be displayed on a 26-foot distribution truck. In addition, the evening will highlight the work of the food bank, which will continue to provide 6,000 meals and snacks to students this summer when they are out of school. The gallery night is free and open to the public at the Central Texas Food Bank at 6500 Metropolis Drive, with check-in starting at 5:30 p.m. and programming at 6 p.m.

Austin Water is hosting open houses over the next few weeks as a way for customers to learn about their water and wastewater system, planned investments and how these investments may impact rates in the coming year. Rate increases for water and wastewater have been forecast in 2025, which Austin Water chalks up to costs of improving system resiliency and tracking a growing population. A cost-of-service rate study is being conducted now, with a goal of balancing affordability with maintaining critical utility infrastructure for extreme weather. Attendees can ask staff questions and share their feedback at the following times at these Austin Public Library locations and community centers:

• 4–7 p.m. Thursday, May 23: Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 South Fifth St.
• 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29: Howson Branch, 2500 Exposition Blvd.
• 4–7 p.m. Thursday, May 30: Hampton Branch, 5125 Convict Hill Road
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 1: Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Lane
• 4–7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4: Pleasant Hill Branch, 211 E. William Cannon Drive
• 4–7 p.m. Wednesday, June 5:  Spicewood Springs Branch, 8637 Spicewood Springs Road
• 8:30–11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 8: Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile St.
• 4–7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11: North Village Branch, 2505 Steck Ave.
• 6–7 p.m. Thursday, June 13: Virtual meeting on Zoom
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday, June 15: Menchaca Road Branch, 5500 Menchaca Road
• 10 a.m.–1 p.m.Saturday, June 22: Montopolis Recreation & Community Center, 1200 Montopolis

For in-person open houses: No formal presentation will be made. Customers can drop in at any time to view materials and speak with Austin Water officials. For the virtual open house: Austin Water officials will explain the need for the rate study and potential rate impacts. Attendees can ask questions and provide feedback. Click here for information about the meeting and a Zoom link to attend.

For more in-depth conversations, Austin Water is seeking 30 customers to attend two focus groups – up to 15 at each session – on Thursday evening, May 30, or Friday morning, May 31. For language interpretation assistance, contact Austin Water at AWPublicInformation@austintexas.gov. A summary of all feedback will be made available at Austin Water’s website and to customers upon request.

After receiving a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the city of Austin has announced its intention to fund a local artist (or artist group) as the “Our Future 35 Artist in Residence.” The city will match that money to fund the position. Our Future 35 is an initiative that will attempt to mitigate the impact of the expansion of Interstate 35 downtown with public spaces over the highway. According to a press release from the city, “The Artist in Residence will work closely with the Our Future 35 planning team over the course of two years, producing and integrating art into public engagement events and culminating with a capstone or showcase event. The artist will also potentially generate temporary installations or activations along construction corridors, pending the program’s status in Spring 2026.” Updates to the artist in residence program will be available online here.

UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum will unveil its Historic Preservation, Expansion and Unification Plan on Wednesday, May 29. What’s a Historic Preservation, Expansion and Unification Plan, you ask? According to a press release from the parks department, “The plan is the vital first step for the Austin art institution to improve access and expand use of the 5.86-acre sculpture garden, museum and grounds, while preserving and incorporating the adjacent 1.93-acre site that includes the historic home of Angeline and Charles Umlauf, their private sculpture garden, and the artist’s studio.” Specifically, the plan recommends strategies for preservation and more public access and programming in addition to finding a way to display more of the museum’s collection. The presentation of the plan will take place at the museum at 5:30 p.m.. The event is free and open to the public, who can RSVP to the event here.

With the added enticements of maps, coffee, snacks and group rides, commuting by bicycle is encouraged this Friday, May 17, for Bike to Work Day. Austin Transportation and Public Works (TPW) and partner organizations Get There ATX, Ghisallo Cycling Initiative, Movability and MetroBike will offer bike trips, educational information and a morning at Austin City Hall. Looking for high-comfort bike routes? The live, interactive Austin Bike Map can be found online here. Don’t have a bike? You can rent a MetroBike for free using promo code B2WD2024. Ghisallo offers free consultations to help riders find a safe route – just email kari.kuwamura@ghisallo.org. Cyclists can find fueling stations featuring coffee, snacks and more or join a group ride from locations throughout the city. An 8 a.m. National Bike to Work Day celebration at Austin City Hall will feature free coffee and tacos, swag giveaways and booths from community partners focusing on mobility. And at the end of the day, the official Bike to Work Day After Party will be at Central Machine Works (4824 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78702) from 6 to 8 p.m.

On Bike to Work Day, and every other day, the best way drivers can support bicyclists is giving them the space they need on the road – at least 3 feet of space when passing. Drivers can keep themselves and bicyclists safe by taking extra time to check for bicyclists in intersections or dark conditions. In morning or late evening hours, cyclists can be safe by wearing reflective clothing and using a white front and a red rear light.

This piece has been updated with the correct promo code.

In celebration of famed 19th century artist Elisabet Ney as well as today’s women enriching Austin’s arts, sciences and diverse communities, the 10th annual Ney Day is set for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25, on the grounds of the Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 E. 44th St. The free afternoon celebration presented by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department will feature artist-led activities, interactive demonstrations, games and attractions, plus music by Gina Chavez, the Latin Grammy-nominated artist and 12-time Austin Music Award winner. There will be booths presented by KUTX, ATX Gals, the Refugee Collective, Lady Cans, Girls Empowerment Network and the Austin History Center, and Ney Day is free and open to all ages. RSVP to the Ney Day celebration.

The city has embarked upon a historic resource survey of Downtown Austin and is looking for help to complete the “comprehensive snapshot” of the area, which will document the history and heritage of the neighborhood through documentation, research and oral histories. On Monday, May 13, the city’s Historic Preservation Office will host a virtual meeting to share information about the survey. Those wanting to participate can also take part in an online questionnaire that will close on Sunday, June 16. Those wanting to attend Monday’s meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m., can register here.

The city has released its budget survey tool to help prepare for the upcoming budget season. The tool is pretty simple, asking residents to pick their top three priorities out of a list of departments like Austin Public Library, Forensic Science and Housing. “Our residents are at the heart of everything we do, and their input is invaluable in shaping the priorities of our city,” new Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax said in a statement to the press. “We encourage all residents to take advantage of this opportunity to share their perspectives and help shape the future of Austin.” The survey will be online and available through May. Those who would like to participate on a more robust level can check out the upcoming timeline, which has the proposed budget presentation on July 12, with opportunities for public comment on July 24 and Aug. 1 prior to a budget adoption process that begins on Aug. 5. More information on the budget process can be found here.