New plan will bring more art to hike-and-bike trail

Visitors to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail may soon have the opportunity to enjoy more art along Lady Bird Lake, thanks to a new plan that lifts an almost decadelong moratorium on new public art. 

Monday’s regular meeting of the Arts Commission included a presentation by the Trail Conservancy (TTC) regarding the creation of an “arts and culture plan” that is now in place thanks to the conservancy’s partnership with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the city of Austin Art in Public Places program. 

Charlotte Tonsor, representing TTC, provided background on the history of the plan, starting with a 2014 moratorium on public art on the trail until such a plan was created. Now, having approved and signed a park operations and maintenance agreement last June, the conservancy is officially able to take over day-to-day operations of the trail, with a much stronger partnership with the city.  

“It took four years of work to get this agreement in place,” Tonsor said. “It was a lot of research, a lot of conversation.”

Tonsor introduced the new Arts and Culture plan for the Butler Trail, presenting the overall vision as focusing on creating a welcoming presence, challenging perceptions of art and recognizing the trail’s history and the changing environments surrounding it. 

“This vision really came to fruition through all of our community engagement,” Tonsor said. “Pop-ups on the trail, at community events, surveys, workshops …. Our pilot demonstration project was Common Waters, which was a huge success.”

Tonsor touched on conversations held with community members regarding artistic and community goals for the trail. While the artistic goals focus mostly on experiences, sense of place and consciousness of the environment, the community goals emphasize using the trail to make connections.

The presentation highlighted that one community goal is to acknowledge the history of racial disparity in access to public spaces, such as the trail.

“There are people who don’t go to the trail because they don’t feel welcome, don’t see people who are like them, and don’t experience activities that they are culturally connected to,” Tonsor said.

Commissioner Amy Mok suggested an idea for a floating performance on the water, and Tonsor responded that there will be an open call period each year where people can submit ideas to TTC that are aimed at expanding the diversity of exhibitions and artists.

With the new city partnership, it also will be much easier for TTC to host temporary art exhibitions. such as the annual Fortlandia, where dozens of artistic renditions of forts are installed at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. 

The trail’s location makes it a uniquely important public space for the city of Austin, with its natural beauty and proximity to the lake and downtown. Over the years, the trail  has become a highly personal and beloved space to its users, and TTC said its aim is to leverage the unique ecosystem to integrate art and culture into the Austin community. 

The commission unanimously approved its support of TTC’s Arts and Culture Plan, enabling it to move forward to the Parks and Recreation Board and then City Council in the coming month. 

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