Planting a Public Arts Project in Austin

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Carrie Brown

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Next City isn’t just a news website, we are a nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire social, economic and environmental change in cities. Part of how we do that is by connecting our readers to urban changemakers and holding an annual Vanguard conference bringing together 40 top young urban leaders.

Name: Carrie Brown

Current Occupation: Art in Public Places Project Manager, City of Austin

Hometown: Lombard, Illinois

Current City: Austin

I drink: Coffee and tea

I am an: Introvert

I get to work by: Car or bus

The area I grew up in is: Suburbs

What do you do when you are not working? Going on adventures with my dog, watching movies at the Alamo Drafthouse, eating tacos with friends, perfecting my two-step, catching an artist lecture or gallery opening, or planning my next vacation.

Did you always want to work in public art? No! I really stumbled into this career and I feel lucky to have done so. A job posting at the university led me to Valley Metro’s Public Art Program in Phoenix and I’ve never looked back. Public art is the perfect combination of art and civics, two of my biggest passions.

What is the coolest project you worked on? The North Austin Community Garden, Austin’s first artist-designed community garden, is definitely a feather in my cap. The project was a partnership with the YMCA of Austin and the City’s Sustainable Urban Agriculture Program. When the garden officially opened, all 48 plots were rented within four hours. Now, a little over a year after the opening, the gardeners and the YMCA are working together to expand the garden using the artist’s master plan for the site.

North Austin Community Garden, 2014 (Design: Thoughtbarn)

What are the hard parts about your job? Navigating the politics of public art and not always knowing the path forward.

What is the biggest challenge facing cities today? Here in Austin, I would say one of our biggest challenges is affordable housing. As the city continues to grow, it is imperative that we maintain a diverse housing stock that is well integrated into the urban core so that mid- to low-income families are not pushed out to the suburbs. I think many cities are facing a similar challenge.

“Hello Lamp Post: Austin” art project in 2015, by PAN Studio

What’s your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)? Someday I want to buy land near a body of water where I will build two tiny houses (one for me and one for guests) with plenty of outdoor space for my dog and my newly adopted goat/lawnmower.

What career advice would you give an emerging urban leader? Got for it, you can do it! Remember that each mistake (perceived or real) is a learning opportunity for you, both personally and professionally. Try not to focus on precisely how you are going to get somewhere, instead enjoy the ride, keep going, and tackle one thing at a time. One day you’ll look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come.

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