Big Medium, a nonprofit organization in Austin, has announced that it is closing after more than two decades of supporting the local arts community.
The announcement comes on the heels of the January departures of Coka Treviño, Artistic and Creative Director, and Dr. Latasha Carter, Managing Director. At the time, Big Medium’s Board of Directors released a statement noting that they were assessing next steps regarding the organization’s needs.
In the most recent announcement, the Board stated that it is committed to finding a way for the Austin Studio Tour to continue in the future. Similarly, it noted that the 2024 Texas Biennial, which has ongoing programming through June, will continue “thanks to the generous support of our artists, curators, and partners.” The biennial has been a program of Big Medium’s since 2009, and the Board said they “remain hopeful in its future evolution under new leadership.”
Big Medium has also managed the annual Tito’s Prize, a $15,000 award to Austin artists; The LINE Residency, an artist-in-residence program in collaboration with The LINE hotel; and is home to artist studios and micro-galleries, leased to other nonprofit organizations. The announcement did not specifically address these programs and spaces. At the time of publishing this article, the Board had not responded to Glasstire’s inquiry about the other longstanding programs or the physical space of Big Medium, including the leased studios and galleries.
Big Medium
In their statement, the Board pointed to “insurmountable” financial hurdles. In October 2024, the organization hired Ms. Carter amid notable financial struggles. In August, the organization sent out a newsletter that outlined the issues, including “a costly move to a new location,” inability to retain staff, costly repairs needed following a fire in the newly built gallery, and the loss of key funding sources.
The Board’s statement ended with a please for support for the arts. “Austin’s cultural identity was shaped by artists, and as the city rapidly changes, we desperately need meaningful investment in artists and creative spaces to preserve that identity and the soul of our city.”
