ArtPace gives life to Houston Street with 14th annual Chalk It Up event.

Artpace–located within the downtown San Antonio area–is one of the many destinations within the city where contemporary art is flourishing.

The organization is devoted to audience engagement and the communal art experience; Artpace has implemented many methods to support this devotion: community events, exhibitions and educational programs. 

One community art event that Artpace hosts annually is Chalk It Up. The 14th annual event turns downtown Houston Street into a chalk canvas on Saturday, Oct. 14.

Chalk It Up showcased the works of emerging artist and local organizations (such as schools, local businesses, universities and non-profits).

The artists featured at the event were chosen from a wide array of talented San Antonio locals.

Trained artists, however, were not the only ones allowed to transform Houston Street into a chalk laden path.

The Freestyle Zone was available to the public so that anyone could create their own world made of chalk. Buckets of chalk were provided throughout the event, along with free water furnished by the San Antonio Water System.

Kids made use of the two creating chalk “paint” that ran messy along the brick of Houston Street.

Sidewalk drawing was not the only activity at the event; other activities included screen printing, chalk spirographs, chalk piano playing and more.

Kids were invited to dance at the DJ booth where they were taught how to spin records.

Alternative entertainment included live music from local musicians, which took place on the Artpace Chalk It Up stage across from the Majestic Theatre.   

The Chalk It Up event might be over, but Artpace is still encouraging the creation of contemporary art in their main exhibition galleries.

LIFT: an exhibition of kites is the current art display housed in Artpace’s Hudson Showroom.

The exhibition runs from Sept. 21 to Dec. 31, so there is still enough time to soar into this transformative display of the humble kite.     

LIFT focuses on the kite as an artistic vehicle.

The exhibition includes the work of 28 artists from around the world, including 12 San Antonio artists.

The range of different artists creates a diverse display of an object that is mostly thought of as a children’s toy.

The kite, as a medium, creates an idea that artworks cannot be confined to just galleries but should transcend the confines of conventional art areas; this idea embodies the mission statement of Artpace. 

For more information about Artpace’s contemporary art exhibitions and events, visit artpace.org to learn more.