Fun Art Activities In Austin!

Austin has a thriving creative community! The city is a destination for creative artists and is best renowned for its music scene and willingness to keep Austin weird. Austin is a wonderful place to create art and display artwork with its numerous art galleries/museums. 

Here are the best places to get artsy in Austin! You will be able to make and buy items from these amazing arts & crafts locations:

CRAFT

Located less than 10 minutes from downtown, CRAFT can seat 40 crafters and accommodate up to 200 standing guests. This adults-only studio provides all the tools and materials needed to create and even cleans up after you.

Open crafting hours cost $10 an hour, or a monthly membership is $40, allowing for unlimited open crafting. The studio also hosts a coworking space, offering Wi-Fi, coffee, snacks and crafting materials when you just need something to break the creativity block. 

The studio features an open concept design that encourages creativity and provides easy access to an extensive library of DIY tools and supplies. For larger events, tables and shelves can be rearranged to create plenty of room to mix and mingle.

The story of Craft:

After years of storing craft supplies under her bed and making last minute trips to the art store for a pinch of some specific shade of green glitter, Eli Winkelman realized what Austin needed:

A place where anyone–from crafting hoarders to rookies–could make a mess and create. “Why not make a lovely space,” she thought, “like a gym, but for making stuff. Instead of treadmills, we’ll have paint, glue guns, googly eyes, and wood scraps. People can show up and work on any project they want. It will be Austin’s craft room.”

And that’s exactly what she did. Since opening in 2013, CRAFT has become Austin’s creative hub for DIY crafting, workshops, and events.

Location: 4704 E. Cesar Chavez

Upstairs Circus

Upstairs Circus is a DIY workshop-meets-bar concept where people can gather together to create unique leatherworking, woodworking, jewelry making, art & design DIY projects while enjoying craft cocktails, beer & wine.

Upstairs Circus gives its patrons the time, supplies, tutorials and assistance to make something amazing- they simply need to add their own twist of Circus to make their projects one-of-a-kind and truly spectacular. 

"Our goal at Upstairs Circus, beyond all else, is to inspire and empower creativity."

Location: 234 W. Second St.

The Paper + Craft Pantry

The Paper + Craft Pantry is Austin's first and only locally-owned retail paper shop and full-service workshop studio with a goal of providing the community with quality art. 

Classes range from D.I.Y.s to lettering, small business focused classes to painting! Paper + Craft Pantry choose to co-host classes with instructors who own their own small businesses- every single one of the instructors have more than just skills with what they teach, they have passion.

Listen to what the owner of The Paper + Craft Pantry has to say about the place

"My goal for this small business has always been simple: Provide our retail guests with the very best independently designed stationery and paper goods. And to host weekly creative workshops where our community can gather and learn from knowledgable instructors."

Location: 2511 E. Sixth St.

Bead It

Take a workshop in jewelry making or stop by to pick up a unique trinket to create a new accessory or update an old one.

The founder of Bead It is Ashley Schor, who opened the store in 2002, here is her inspiration behind creating Bead It

"I have a passion for teaching others, love treasure hunting, and am in love with designing spaces that help creativity thrive! I have been in this industry since I was a kid, my family travelled doing trade shows. I was born in Austin and the building that my store is located in is very near and dear to my heart. An old house from the 1930’s- we are one of the only old home businesses left in South Austin. 5 rooms of complete creative magic- we teach classes, host parties (yesss… bring the wine!)".

Location: 2058 S. Lamar Blvd.

The Art Garage

The Art Garage Austin is a great place to paint pottery, fuse glass and work with clay. The art Garage is popular for art parties, art camps, and art classes.

Adult and kid-friendly, the Art Garage has classes and workshops as well as walk-in studio hours where you can fuse glass, mold clay and create mosaics.

For kids looking to get some more time in the art room, the Art Garage hosts an after-school program.

The Art Garage story by the owner:

After having children and being a stay home mama for a few years, I was looking for a way to creatively re-enter the workforce. I really wanted to balance working and being a mother.

As a former high school art teacher, I began to teach private art lessons out of our garage. At this time, I was also creating and marketing my own fused glass art. I adore glass–it’s so beautiful! A friend the suggested that I hold a summer art camp; (thanks Therese!) I found that I loved it.

I got to plan a whole week of fun, creative activities that teach art fundamentals. Kids were happy; building confidence, making new friends, learning the art. That first camp was seven kiddos, all friends’ children.

The next summer I held about four weeks of camps and not all were friends’ kids! By then, I had found my passion.

I did what came naturally to me, which was art and teaching. The Art Garage grew. I realized that I wanted to provide a venue that was expansive enough to cover a wide range of art formats for people of all ages and experience levels.

In 2011, we opened our storefront at 11190 Circle Drive. We opened offering art camps, art classes; walk-in paint-own pottery and glass fusion.

We are still “The Art Garage,” but no longer in an actual garage! We have a well-educated and caring staff of teachers. And since our opening has added so much more: canvas painting, mosaics, fire and fill candles and tie-dye!

My favorite part of this journey is the people. Some of my campers have been coming since that first summer in 2008; I get to see them grow up! Customers have become friends; my children are friends with customers’ children.

Hope you enjoyed the best diy classes Austin has to offer. 

If you like this article, please share it with others. Any of the artwork purchased on ATX Fine Arts really supports me as an artist, along with helping the site grow organically, thank you very much.