It’s here! Our annual celebration celebration of our mission to build communities through creative expression where we throw a FREE community bash and open house is right around the corner. Part block party part arts fest, this day is all about honoring co-founder Dr. Teresa Lozano Long‘s vision of making the arts accessible to all. Right here, we’ve got everything you need to prepare for Community Day presented by AT&T on September 7th. Ready?
LEARN MORE ABOUT TERESA >>
First off, get to know how it all started by learning a bit about Terry and what she was all about! She passed away in 2021, but her legacy lives on in the Long Center and beyond.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Saturday, September 7 | 11am-4pm
Doors Open @ 11am ➡️ RSVP HERE
Indoors AND Outdoors
All Ages
Come prepared for a full day of performances & activities with friends from all over town. Not to mention the return of Austin favorite BubblePalooza presented by H-E-B!
WHO’S GONNA BE THERE
You mean, besides you? Plenty of other cool neighbors, plus performing arts groups, service organizations, food trucks, and more! Here’s the full lineup 👇
Austin Classical Guitar
Austin Opera
Austin Shakespeare
Austin Soundwaves
Musicians from the Austin Symphony Orchestra
Ballet Austin
Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklórico de Texas
Tapestry Dance
Haydn Vitera from Mariachi Rock Revolution
McDonald Observatory
ATX Yoga Girl
Austin Oita Sister City Commitee
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Cine Las Americas
Dougherty Arts Center
Girls on the Run
KMFA
Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC)
The Phoenix
Indie Meme
UT College of Natural Sciences
Year Up
Long-time Austin dwellers will recognize BubblePalooza as a favorite all-ages summer event with activities and performances starring just that – bubbles. Last seen in 2019 as an all-day event with 7,000+ attendees, September 7th‘s Community Day will feature familiar, “pop-up” style fun, taking over the H-E-B Terrace. All set to tunes by DJ Lavender Thug.
Ballet Austin will host their crowd-favorite program Rhythm on Stage on the Meredith Stage in Dell Hall. That’s right, you’ll be able to bust a move with Ballet Austin Butler Center instructor Rohit Ramachandran in a free Bollywood class on the very stage where Ballet Austin performs! Dance experience is not required, but a positive attitude is 😉
Musicians of the Austin Symphony — Patrice Calixte, Associate Concertmaster & Alex Maynegre-Torra, Principal Keyboard — will also treat us to some classics in Dell Hall, and Austin Opera’s Resident Stars — tenor Willie Casper & soprano Audrey Ballish will also dazzle from the stage.
What a treat to have all of our Founding Resident Companies with us on the same day!
WHAT WILL THERE BE TO DO
There’s no shortage of things to do on Community Day! On top of performances going on inside and BubblePalooza outside, we’ve also got a full list of activities for ya:
📝 Explore all the Long Center’s nooks and crannies while completing a scavenger hunt or taking a backstage tour (check in at the Long Center table for those)
🧘 Chill out during Family Yoga with ATX Yoga Girl
✂️ Make a craft or play a game in the KIDosky Family Zone with Creative Action
🎫 Visit our Box Office to learn about our Community Day ticket deals
🎨 Take a stroll down memory lane in the Gallery
🤝 Chat with some local orgs working to make a difference in our Partner Showcase
🎁 Enter our Golden Ticket Giveaway for a chance to win free tickets to any Long Center Presents show for the rest of the season
🍔 Grab a bite at one of many food trucks
🥂 Sip a drink and enjoy the vibes
All of our inside and outside spaces will be open, so the choice is yours if you want some fresh air and sunshine or sweet, sweet air conditioning.
WHAT DO MEMBERS GET?
We love our Long Center and Business Arts Council Members! Because of their support, we’re able to put on free events like Teresa Lozano Long Community Day.
Members get access to a pre-event appreciation brunch, plus early access to BubblePalooza.
To learn more about Membership, click the button below or swing by the Long Center table during Community Day.
FAQs
This event is totally, 100%, absolutely free!
RSVPs are appreciated so we know to expect you, but not required.
You bet it is! We’ve teamed up with our friends at Creative Action to curate a kids-only zone called KIDosky on the Mezzanine Level. It’ll be chock-full of games, crafts, and more. Just be sure to stick with your kiddo; KIDosky is not a drop off area.
We’ll also have the return of BubblePalooza outside all day, thanks to our sponsor H-E-B.
Properly identified service animals are welcome inside and out. Otherwise, please leave your pets at home for this one.
Nope, but food and beverage will be available to purchase onsite.
For water, you can bring in 1 sealed water bottle or an empty reusable one to fill up!
Parking is available at the Palmer Events Center Parking Garage, located at 900 Barton Springs Road. There are two entrances to the garage, one at Riverside Drive and South First Street near the Long Center’s Circular Drive, and one on Barton Springs Road adjacent to the Palmer Events Center main entrance.
Mobility Impaired/Accessible Parking is available in the Palmer Events Center Parking Garage on all levels near the elevators. Please see the Accessibility section of our website for more information, including drop-off location.
Complimentary Garage Parking is available to vehicles with any of the following specialty license plates: Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Army Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Medal of Honor, and Legion of Merit Medal, Purple Heart, Pearl Harbor Survivors, and Prisoners of War (House Bill 618 and City Code Section 12-3-8).
Check out our Directions and Parking page for more details.
Better yet, bike, walk, carpool, or ride share!
You betcha! Stop by the Long Center table in the Orchestra Lobby to make a donation, pick up a piece of LC merch, or become a Member. You can also check out the Support Us section of our website to see all the ways to can help.
We can’t wait to see you on September 7! The Long Center is always yours, but especially on Teresa Lozano Long Community Day 💜
Picture this: it’s a warm but not-too-hot Saturday in Austin. You can feel the kiss of sunshine on your forearms, the whisper of wind passing your ear, and you look up to see the skyline is practically sparkling. From every direction you hear full belly laughs, from kids and adults, layered with the hottest tracks of the summer. Sounds nice, huh? We think so, too, but there’s a pretty important detail we left out. Ready? There are bubbles EVERYWHERE! That’s right, y’all…
BubblePalooza is back, baby!
Mark your calendars now, because September 7 isn’t a day you’ll want to miss! The cherry on top of our 2nd annual Teresa Lozano Long Community Day will be ATX’s favorite all ages event, BubblePalooza. We can’t wait to re-inflate the fun for everyone!
While Austin’s best arts & community orgs put on a show inside, the whole H-E-B Terrace and Lawn will be dedicated to all things bubbles.
Experienced Austinites already know and love BubblePalooza, but for the new folks, here’s the rundown. BubblePalooza is exactly what it sounds like—an all-out fun fest of everything bubbles. And as creative pros, our team takes the concept of “the bubble” to a whole new level. And we’re not talking about just the soapy kind.
Here are some things you can expect at BubblePalooza:
Here’s a taste of you can expect at BubblePalooza:
- Bubbly bar for the grown ups
- One of the LC’s favorite DJs, Lavender Thug
- Bubbles as art (we area performing arts center after all!)
- Everything that can be bubble-shaped will be bubble-shaped! Think balloons, bubblegum, a bubble igloo, and the like.
Other than that, our lips are sealed. You’ll just have to come see for yourself!
Most importantly, BubblePalooza is a time for all of Austin to come together and just 👏 have 👏 fun 👏. Whether you are a kid, you have a kid, or you’re more of a kid at heart, BubblePalooza is chock full of fun for everyone.
In case you’re new here, let us just say that the Long Center takes our job as a community hub pretty seriously. We prioritize free (and fun) events like The Drop-In, Community Day, and Santa on the Terrace because we know when Austin comes together, we’re all the better for it.
But ya know, free isn’t actually free, y’all. And while we think the arts are absolutely essential, we realize not every Austinite has access to awesome arts programming every day. Which is why we lean on partners like H-E-B to help make events like BubblePalooza accessible to all.
The Long Center takes our job as a community hub pretty seriously. We prioritize free (and fun) events like The Drop-In, Community Day, and Santa on the Terrace because we know when Austin comes together, we’re all the better for it.
“H-E-B and the Long Center value the arts as an integral part of cultivating a vibrant community, celebrating our rich diversity, preserving our history, and shaping our future. We are thrilled about the return of BubblePalooza and look forward to welcoming the community back to the H-E-B Terrace for this beloved event.”
-Heidi Anderson, H-E-B Director of Public Affairs
Let’s hear it for teamwork! When H-E-B says they care about “helping here,” they’re not messing around.
We can’t wait to celebrate all things Long Center with you on September 7! The Long Center is always yours, but especially on Community Day 💜
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
If you attended The Drop-In this summer, chances are you ran across our friend, Pickles, and his humans Micah & Megan! Since they love the Austin arts scene (almost) as much as we do, we sat down with the whole pack to get the scoop on their story and why they love being LC Members.
We’re Megan Carew and Micah Weathers, the proud paw-rents of Pickles the Vizsla, and huge fans of the The Drop-In at the Long Center!
“I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as soon as I could.”
Yes, it’s likely overused and maybe a little corny, but it’s the creed of Austin transplants like us. Our journey to the vibrant city of Austin occurred in phases. Megan moved to town for a job eight years ago from Wisconsin, with Micah joining from Colorado by way of California over three years ago. While the setting in which we met wasn’t that sensational (a workplace romance 😍), our falling in love was fueled by shared passions for music, travel adventure, craft alcohol, and good food.
These interests have taken us to several wonderful, exciting places across the country over the last few years, including Yosemite National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park (Micah ran a trail ultra marathon there last January), the Florida Keys, Portland Maine, Ojai California, and Zion National park for Megan’s 40th.
We love to call this funky, spirited city home because it strikes such a great balance of nature, art, urban, rural, food and live music. We can often be found mixing it up in the foodie scene, paddle boarding, and hiking with our trusty sidekick who many of you have come to know and love, Pickles!
Pickles is a Hungarian Vizsla, which is kind of like a smaller, browner Weimaraner, or a Rhodesian Ridgeback with a tan nose and no ridge. We picked his breed because we wanted a sporty family dog who would fit into our active lifestyle. Pickles loves the off-leash hiking trails, where he logs many more miles than us as he crashes through the trees chasing birds. Another one of his favorites is Barkin’ Springs, where he spends hours trying to catch the little fish in the refreshing spring water.
He also loves playing soccer, and his favorite toys are a big pink fuzzy heart and a stuffed rubix cube. One of our favorite things about Pickles is when he gets sticky lips, which is so endearing but also so deranged-looking. Pickles is an enthusiastic, go anywhere, do anything guy, and we can’t imagine life without him!
One of our favorite summer activities The Drop-In at the Long Center, and this summer we finally became Members! Supporting nonprofits like the Long Center is our way of helping build community. To us, it’s personal because of our connection with music and performance, and we want as many people as possible to have their lives enriched by the arts. In a small way, we hope our gift helps pass the torch.
We believe The Drop-In is the absolute best thing about the Austin summer. The LC team does a fantastic job showcasing the variety of local talent – and we all know that’s just scratching the surface in this town. There’s something very special about The Drop-In – as the kids would say “immaculate vibes” – and as we sit in our blue Adirondack chairs, with original music flowing into our ears, looking at the backdrop of the Austin skyline, we can’t help but feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it all.
GET IN ON THE ACTION
The perks of being a Member don’t end when The Drop-In is over! Learn more about what our Membership program supports and how we say thanks 👇
If you know anything about the Long Center, you know that we’re invested in the future of the Austin arts scene. And that includes the future leaders of our industry! Each semester, we welcome a full cohort of interns to join our team. Under the mentorship of a staff member, these interns get to see how we make the magic happen while cutting their teeth on real life projects. So on that note, tag along with Gracie, our summer Marketing intern, as she shows you a day in her life.
LONG CENTER: Welcome! Just for fun, what song should people listen to when they read this?
GRACIE OLIVER: Happy to be here! If your headphones are handy, you should queue up “I Am Right On Time” by the band Bleachers. I just saw Jack Antonoff and the gang at the Moody Amphitheater the other weekend, and it may have made its way into my top three favorite concerts of all time. I highly recommend, and it would add to the authenticity of this article, given that their new album has been the constant soundtrack of my summer recently.
LC: What’s your story? Why were you interested in interning at the Long Center this summer?
GO: What’s my story? I’m a SENIOR (weird!) at the University of Texas at Austin – which is coincidentally what brought me to Austin. I haven’t found anything yet that I don’t love about this city, and I couldn’t dream up a better place to spend my twenties. I can’t believe I’m almost done with school – I’ve even been eyeing grad school pretty closely recently… maybe they’ll let me Hook ’Em for a couple more years.
I am a native Dallasite (Dallasonian?), where I grew up playing piano and going to dance classes. My family of artists and music-lovers threw me into the deep end of the creative pool, and I’ve loved everything creatively charged for as long as I can remember. In college, I’ve focused on honing my graphic design, photography, and social media skills, which leads me to what attracted me to the Long Center.
I spent almost every day of my childhood and young adult life in a dance studio. There is no feeling like stepping on stage, and there is just a certain magic that floats through the vents in a theater. It’s weird to think I won’t be performing very much in my life from here on out, but I can’t think of a better way to blend my professional journey with my passions than working in marketing at a performing arts center, so I’ve been soaking up every second of this summer at the Long Center.
LC: What does a day in your life look like as a LC Marketing Intern?
GO: Let me take you through my Thursday! Thursdays are, in my opinion, the best day of the week here at the Long Center! The Drop–In, our free outdoor summer concert series, sets up on the lawn every week.
1:30 PM – Since Thursdays are usually late nights at The Drop-In, we get to start the work day a bit later. I hung out around my apartment this morning and got some schoolwork done. At around 1:30, I made myself lunch (Trader Joe’s chicken taquitos with homemade sriracha ranch and a Mediterranean salad!) and got ready for the day.
2:30 PM – I had to stop for a snack on the way to work! I grabbed my latest obsession, a Wildflower smoothie from Mañana – a coffee shop right down the street from the Long Center.
3:00 PM – Lots of exciting things on the agenda for today! We started with an intern focus group that surveyed our 5 summer interns about all things Long Center. We gave our opinions on marketing, sales, and programming – we were able to give our perspectives as a younger Austin-area demographic, and the full-time staff will put all of this info to use in their planning this year.
4:00 PM – Afterwards, the interns made our way to the Dell Hall stage to take some headshots. I’m working on my photography skills, so this was a great way for me to flex my photography muscles and for the interns to commemorate our summer at the Long Center.
5:00 PM – I sat down at my desk to knock some things off my to-do list. Updating social media trackers, helping cultivate Facebook and Instagram story content, and researching target audiences are all part of my responsibilities this summer. I also get to promote the wonderful company culture here at the Long Center by showcasing our intern program – I edited some of our headshots and worked on writing this very article!
6:30 PM – Time for the big event! Members start arriving at The Drop-In at 6:30, so I changed into a Texas-weather-appropriate outfit and headed out to the terrace to start taking pictures. Between the food trucks and drink vendors, the games, the DJ, the attendees (both human AND canine!), and the insane talent performing on our 3D-printed stage, there’s lots to do and lots to capture.
10:00 PM – The Drop-In is done, and I head home to curl up on the couch with some popcorn and an episode of Friends. What a day! Drop by (or Drop-In… see what I did there?) and visit us any time!
LC: Do you have any tips for a future intern?
GO: If we’re being cliché, I would say “ask lots of questions,” but if we’re being adventurous – I would say “ask for OPPORTUNITIES.” Pitch ideas to your supervisor, speak up in meetings, ask to take on responsibilities. Any internship truly is what you make of it. Internships are like a free trial run for your career – this is the time to learn how best to play to your strengths and weaknesses. Set the tone for how you’re going to be successful in the “real world” – not only to your current and future employers, but to yourself!
LC: Why is it important to you to support local arts?
GO: Growing up, music, art, and dance were intertwined in every part of my life. There is no feeling comparable to performing, and there is something magical about live performances that can’t be replicated on any screen. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World for a reason, and the Long Center provides a home for unique and innovative performers to take their place amongst the renowned performing arts scene in Austin.
Thanks for reading! If you’re less of an article-reader, and more of a TikTok-er, follow along during my Day in the Life on the Long Center TikTok!
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
Friends don’t let friends listen to lame music. That’s one of many reasons we’re just plain giddy that we can call DJ Lauren Light one of our friends! She’s put together a stellar lineup of local DJs to curate only the most immaculate vibes before every Drop-In this summer. So like any good friend, we sat down with Lauren to get to know her better, get the scoop on how she fashioned this summer’s DJ lineup, and what advice she has to up-and-comers.
LONG CENTER: What’s your story? How long have you been in Austin and how did you get into the DJ scene here?
LAUREN LIGHT: I grew up in El Paso, TX, raised by my mom who is an educator. As the oldest of three sisters, I felt a lot of pressure to model success. I graduated high school with aspirations of becoming a doctor and earned a Biology degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. Despite being accepted to medical school, my path took an unexpected turn leading me to end medical school early, a year shy of graduating.
Feeling lost, I moved to Austin and discovered a passion for teaching at a local middle school. This led me into school leadership, and I eventually became an Assistant Principal at an elementary school. The pandemic brought a new, intense stress to education, pushing me to reevaluate my career. After reflecting deeply, I realized many of my choices up to this point were influenced by others’ expectations.
I decided to take a bold leap, venturing into entrepreneurship, initially supporting creatives before recognizing my own creative potential. Having played saxophone for over 20 years, music was a natural fit. Encouraged by a friend, I enrolled in a few DJ classes at Cuatro Gato and instantly connected with the craft. From there, my decision to fully dive in just felt right.
LC: What has it been like to join the Austin DJ scene?
LL: I’ve only experienced the DJ scene in Austin, and it’s been an incredible journey so far! I’ve been DJing for just over two years now, and looking back, it’s amazing to see how much I’ve grown. Austin’s scene is filled with seasoned DJs who have been here for years, and I feel honored to be part of such a talented community.
I’ve been fortunate to play at some fantastic venues and establish a regular booking schedule. Beyond performing, I’ve started curating my own events and supporting initiatives like The Drop-In by booking DJs. This summer, I’m excited to teach DJing at Femme Rock’s Intro to DJing course and lead sessions at the Austin Public Library for tween girls, focusing on building confidence through DJ skills.
Austin provides a rich landscape of opportunities and resources, allowing DJs like myself to explore and create. As I prepare to split my time between Austin and Nashville starting in July, I’m eager to bring what I’ve learned here to foster a community in Nashville. I hope to find a collaborative and vibrant scene there, continuing to learn from seasoned DJs and contribute to the music community.
LC: Not only have you DJ’d a few Drop-In shows for us in the past, but this year you’ve also put together a stellar lineup of queer & female DJs (which we love!) – how did you go about curating who would be warming up the crowd this summer?
LL: Having the opportunity to curate the lineup for this year’s Drop-In shows has been incredibly rewarding. One of the core principles driving my approach is ensuring diverse representation, especially for queer and female DJs who historically have had less access in our industry. This led me to create HAVEN, a platform dedicated to providing a safe and supportive space for femme DJs in Austin. HAVEN is designed as a girly kickback, cultivating a warm and inclusive environment where new DJs can showcase their talent.
All the DJs I selected for the Drop-In this summer have either been featured at HAVEN events or impressed during their open-decks sessions. I’m particularly proud of how HAVEN has opened doors for these DJs, offering them the exposure they rightfully deserve. Each DJ brings a unique energy and style to the lineup, and many of them are making significant waves in our community. For example, DJ Hip Stir founded BABE ATX and just put on an epic music festival called BABESTOCK featuring a lineup of all femme and gender-expansive DJS, while DJs like La Moon, La Morena & Lavender Thug, DJ Helios, Hierba Malita, Dj WYLDFLOWER, and Prissy P are actively shaping the local music scene with their innovative events and projects.
La Moon presents Playa Perreo, Saturday, July 6th at Arriba Abajo
La Morena & Lavender Thug have recently joined forces with three other queer Djs to form a DJ collective known as INDULGE.
DJ WYLDFLOWER is one of the curators behind Sunday Sessions, a beautiful community that comes together on Sunday night’s at Zilker Park
Hierba Malita is the founder of Flwrpot.Co, a Latina led collective with a goal to uplift and nurture the BIPOC and queer creative community.
It’s been a privilege to showcase their talents at the Drop-In, and I’m excited about the positive impact they’re making both on and off the stage.
LC: As a female DJ yourself, how have you forged your own path in a world that’s pretty male-dominated? What challenges have you faced?
LL: Being a female DJ in a predominantly male-dominated industry has certainly been a journey of navigating challenges and carving out my own path. Recently, I encountered a situation where I received unusual feedback from a venue where I’ve been performing regularly. When I sought clarification on the feedback, it became apparent that the standards applied to me were not consistently applied to my male counterparts. Reviewing my recorded sets revealed discrepancies between the feedback and my actual performance, highlighting a narrower margin of error I face as a woman in this field.
Initiatives like HAVEN and local organizations such as BABE ATX are vital in providing platforms for women and non-binary individuals to access equitable opportunities. These spaces are crucial because traditional open-deck events often lack gender diversity, with few women and non-binary participants. Research underscores how confidence and gender intersect, affecting everything from job applications to classroom participation. To create a truly equitable landscape, we must not only increase representation on lineups but also establish supportive environments and frameworks that nurture the exceptional talent within our community.
This experience has reinforced my commitment to advocating for inclusivity and fairness within the DJ scene. By fostering these safe spaces and challenging outdated norms, we can empower a new generation of diverse DJs to thrive and shape the future of music.
LC: When preparing for a live set, how do you decide what’s right for an event like The Drop-In? Do you go in with a strict plan or is it all vibes?
LL: I love this question because every DJ approaches it differently! I’m all about the vibes. Honestly, I’ve never planned out a set in advance. Instead, I curate a crate of music beforehand and roll with it on the day of the event. I put a lot of thought into what goes into that crate, so by the time I hit play, I know the tracks are gonna hit!
Reading the crowd is key. I can feel when people are vibing with the music, and I’m always ready to switch things up if needed. Being a vibe curator means being tuned in to the energy of the room. It’s like this whole flow of energy that you tap into and work with. To me, the best DJs are those who can feel the vibe and play off it—they’re like musical alchemists, turning the energy into something magical.
LC: Do you have any tips or tricks for someone looking to break into the scene?
LL: Absolutely!
1️⃣ Breaking into the scene requires embracing mistakes boldly – don’t be afraid to mess up, and do it loudly and proudly! It’s easy to fall into the perfectionism trap, especially for women, but remember that you’ll probably sound bad before you sound good. Pushing through the awkward stages is all part of the journey.
2️⃣ Two, surround yourself with a supportive community where you can learn, grow, and receive constructive feedback. This will make a huge difference in your progress and confidence.
3️⃣ Be sure to avoid comparisons because everyone’s journey is unique, and that’s what makes each story special. No one can do it like you do, so focus on your path and celebrate your progress.
4️⃣ Consistent practice is key; the more you engage with live audiences, the more you’ll improve. Take every opportunity to perform and hone your skills.
5️⃣ And finally, stay on top of the administrative side of things. Manage your emails, use a calendar to keep track of your schedule, and handle contracts and other logistics professionally. The people you work with will appreciate you for this.
LC: Any upcoming projects or shows you’re looking forward to that you’d like to shout out? Where can people catch you regularly?
LL: I’ve teamed up with two incredible curators and community builders, Brandon Boone and Erinn Knight, to bring “Where Y’all At Though?!” (WYAT?!) to life. This com-tech company is designed to help Black and Brown people find and connect with each other, especially as gentrification continues to impact our communities. WYAT?! highlights the work of local curators and has grown into a vibrant community. I’m thrilled to see it continue to expand. You can follow WYAT?! on Instagram @whereyallatthough.
I’m also excited to be partnering with the Austin Public Library to offer Sparkle & Spin, a DJ confidence course for tween girls, as part of their summer programs. The first session last week was a huge success, and I’m looking forward to offering it three more times in July. For more information, visit the Austin Public Library’s website.
To keep up with my latest projects and events, follow me on Instagram @thereallaurenlight. For updates on the next HAVEN event, follow @girlykickback.
LC: What kind of atmosphere can folks look forward to at The Drop-In the rest of this season?
LL: The rest of this season at The Drop-In is going to be incredible, with a lineup full of phenomenal women. La Morena and DJ La Moon are sure to bring a vibrant Latin vibe that you won’t want to miss. Lavender Thug‘s mic work is unparalleled – she’s hilarious and an exceptional DJ, so be sure to catch one of her unfiltered sets at Neon Grotto or Cheer Up Charlies. Hierba Malita is a whole vibe on her own. DJs sHallmix, Shanila, and the duo Jazelle Allure all impressed me during their open-decks sets at Haven, and they’re absolutely amazing. I wish we could have a Mid-Week Intermission just to showcase all of them!
The Drop-In runs every Thursday this summer (except 4th of July of course) through August 15. You can catch any of these kickass DJs on the H-E-B Terrace starting at 7pm, or 6:30pm for LC Members.
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
There are lots of reasons working at the Long Center is ✨the best✨ but one of our favorite things has to be staff yoga. Once a month, local yoga instructor Tori Johnson (who also happens to be on the LC Marketing team) offers an all-levels yoga class just for staff. This Mental Health Awareness Month, pull up a mat and get the scoop on how Tori’s practice began and what she loves about teaching, plus a note from our friends at Baylor, Scott & White Health about how yoga supports mental health.
Howdy, y’all!
Like lots of yoga teachers, I got my start through dance. Before moving to Austin, I trained in ballet, starting in Houston while also bopping around Washington, DC, San Francisco, and Boston, before landing in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah School of Dance. It was at the U that I got serious about cross-training, and my practice of choice was yoga.
Although I was taking weekly yoga classes at a studio near my apartment, I felt like I was only scratching the surface of what I could learn. Yoga in the West is very focused on asana, or physical postures, and I felt myself craving something deeper. I’m a big nerd in case you can’t tell 🤓
I did some snooping through the U’s course catalog and found that the College of Health offered a 200-hour yoga teacher training… and it was covered by my scholarship! I finished my 200-hour around the same time I graduated in 2019. Fast forward a few years and I completed my 500-hour certification through My Vinyasa Practice here in ATX. Besides the occasional continuing education course, I’m taking a little break from teacher trainings… 500 hours is a lot, y’all! Now I teach monthly staff yoga here at the LC as well as some special events for The Phoenix and Communities for Recovery.
Teaching yoga to my colleagues is one of my favorite parts of my job because it gives us a chance to interact in a way that’s very different from our day-to-day. The Long Center employs so many different types of people in so many different types of jobs, but when we practice yoga together, our titles and departments don’t matter at all. We’re all just people seeking peace through movement.
If you’ve taken a look at our calendar, you know that at the LC, we work hard and we work fast to make sure all our events go off without a hitch. Don’t get me wrong—we love it!—but that’s all the more reason it’s so special that our work encourages us to take an hour to decompress.
Here’s what Kelsey from our HR team has to say 👇
Yoga allows our staff an opportunity to step away and refresh during busy days at the Long Center. Moving our bodies and calming our minds supports both physical and mental well-being and is something our staff looks forward to each month.
Wellness practices like staff yoga have a direct impact on productivity, too. After a yoga session, my colleagues and I go back to our jobs feeling lighter and sharper. We’re ready to hit the ground running so we can make events like The Drop-In exciting for guests (that’s you!).
If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ve probably felt the same thing, but to put the stamp of science on it, we asked Joanne Sotelo, MC, a psychiatrist on the medical staff at Baylor, Scott & White Clinic – Round Rock 425 University for her thoughts. Here’s what she had to say 👇
Yoga can help reduce stress by helping control your breathing and mindfulness, which can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and lowering stress hormones like cortisol. It can help you improve depression and reduce anxiety by regulating neurotransmitters associated with positive mood and well-being.
Additionally, yoga encourages mindfulness and present-moment awareness, which can help individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. This increased self-awareness can aid in better emotional regulation and coping strategies.
🗣 All that being said, don’t forget that yoga is a valuable and complementary practice, not a substitute for treatment. If you experience a severe mental health condition, definitely talk to your doctor. They can help you find appropriate care.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Tori, how do I get my work to have a company-led activity like this?!” I’m so glad you asked 😉 First of all, ask them for it! Staff yoga at the LC started with me just talking to HR about it. It also helps if you offer up your own skills. If you’re a certified fitness instructor of any kind, it’s a lot easier for your employer to say yes to you, rather than them having to go find someone to teach the class.
Second, don’t limit yourself to “traditional” types of exercise. Yoga is great (obvi), but don’t forget about accessible activities like walking. Maybe you and some colleagues put together a walking group and you make a lap around the block after lunch!
In the nonprofit world—and honestly, just in these days and times—having external and internal support for activities like this means a lot. You work hard at your job, and sometimes that means it gets harder to take time to unwind.
Well, y’all, thanks for nerding out with me about why I love teaching yoga! When you swing by The Drop-In this summer, look for me. I’ll be the girl taking pictures of everything on her phone, probably balanced on one leg 🤳
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
THE 2024 haya WINNERS ARE…
Best Choreography
Mary Poppins | Cedar Ridge High School
Best Music Direction
Urinetown | Vista Ridge High School
Best Orchestra
Urinetown | Vista Ridge High School
Best Lighting Design
Chicago: Teen Edition | Hutto High School
Best Costume Design
The SpongeBob Musical | Jack C. Hays High School
Best Scenic Design
Matlida the Musical | Leander High School
Best Technical Execution
Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Round Rock High School
Best Ensemble
Mary Poppins | Cedar Ridge High School
Best Featured Performer | Individual Category
Wyatt Gonzalez | Enjolras | Les Misérables School Edition | Bastrop High School
Best Featured Performer | Ensemble Category
Samuel Ferreira | Ensemble | Chicago: Teen Edition | Hutto High School
Company Impact Award
Seth Rivas | Lehman High School
Kira Griffin | Cedar Park High School
Sophie Gwaldo | Rouse High School
Bella Tamayo | Tom Glenn High School
Olden Lighting Grant Recipients
Tom Glenn High School
Weiss High School
NYOS Charter School
Marble Falls High School
Elgin High School
San Marcos High School
Training Scholarship Recipients
Balance Dance Studio Summer Camp | Rebekah Page | NYOS Charter School
The Dance Spot Summer Camp | Sariyah Tukes | John B. Connally High School
College Audition Package from Impact Arts | Chanse Solis | Vista Ridge High School
Texas Arts Project Summer Intensive from Impact Arts | Clair Elam | Tom Glenn High School
Texas Arts Project Summer Intensive from Impact Arts | Caleb Clemons | Elgin High School
The Macedo Unique Voice Scholarship from Adam Roberts Voice | Vitor Kvasir Larson-Parachini
The Macedo Unique Voice Scholarship from Adam Roberts Voice | Grayson Croft
The Adderley School’s Yearlong Conservatory | Caleb Clemons | Elgin High School
Savannah College of Art and Design Summer Intensive | Alia Pambrun | Bastrop High School
Savannah College of Art and Design Summer Intensive | Annie Mawson Jack C. Hays High School
Broadway Teaching Group Educator Workshop | Wes Narron | John B. Connally High School
Broadway Teaching Group Educator Workshop | Jon DeMitchell | East View High School
Student Achievement | Marketing
Natalie Berkaw | Westwood High School
Student Achievement | Design
Alexandra Villalpando | San Marcos High School
Student Achievement | Stage Management
Charlotte Adair | Cedar Park High School
Best Supporting Performer | Male Category
Autry Bushong | Uncle Fester | The Addams Family School Edition | Rouse High School
Best Supporting Performer | Female Category
Chanse Solis | Little Sally | Urinetown | Vista Ridge High School
Best Lead Performer | Male Category
Jamias Hughes | SpongeBob SquarePants | The SpongeBob Musical | Lockhart High School
Best Lead Performer | Female Category
Ava Moak | Mrs. Lovett | Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Round Rock High School
Best Direction
Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Round Rock High School
Best Production
Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Round Rock High School
A special congratulations to Ava Moak & Jamias Hughes who are headed to the Jimmy Awards this summer! Don’t forget about us when you get famous 💖
We’ll see y’all in Dell Hall next year. Until then, be sure to follow @hellerawardsatx on the your social media platform of choice for show recaps, photos, videos, and all things HAYAs.
The 11th Annual Heller Awards for Young Artists are tonight! And if it’s your first time performing at Austin’s Tony Awards, you might be feeling a little nervous. So to get everyone in the mood and feeling confident, we sat down with the incredible performers nominated for Best Lead Female to get the scoop on their signature HAYAdvice™️.
Quiet on stage, please!
Arianna Pierce
School: NYOS Charter School
Favorite Musical: Into the Woods
Advice: My biggest piece of advice would be to take every moment and to really make the most out of the experience, whether you’re in the rehearsal room and you’re learning, or you’re meeting new people, but to really take every single moment that you’re given before being put on stage and use it wisely.
Chloe VanDeGraaf
School: ZACH Performing Arts Academy
Favorite Musical: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
Advice: My piece of advice for someone’s first time doing the Heller Awards is to just have so much fun and meet as many new people as you can, because this is such a great opportunity to connect with other people in the Austin area who love theatre as much as you do, and just share your passion with everyone and have a great time together.
Ava Moak
School: Round Rock High School
Favorite Musical: Sweeney Todd
Advice: My piece of advice is if you want to have the most fun, you must work hard and try your best, and that’s how you will have fun.
Sophie Gwaldo
School: Rouse High School
Favorite Musical: Cabaret
Advice: My piece of advice for the Heller Awards would just be to always think ahead. It’s going to be a very busy week and day, and you just wanna know where you are at all times, and what’s going on so you can make the most of your experience.
Taylor Marshall
School: Leander High School
Favorite Musical: Chicago
Advice: Always, always come prepared ’cause you never know what’s gonna happen and stay positive and support everyone.
Dia Rushing
School: Westlake High School
Favorite Musical: Spamalot
Advice: This is my first year doing the HAYA awards in person and not online. So I would say my advice is to really enjoy every moment because, you know, being in person with people, doing the things that you love is a really special opportunity, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Sophia Magnani
School: Dripping Springs High School
Favorite Musical: Funny Girl
Advice: My advice for newcomers is never say you can’t do something.
Ruby Venkatesh
School: LASA High School
Favorite Musical: Wicked
Advice: One piece of advice that I would give to future nominees is just to take it all in while you’re here. The people here are so talented, kind, and supportive, so just spread the love and bask in it. It’s wonderful.
Kaya Shellhammer
School: Jack C. Hays High School
Favorite Musical: Moulin Rouge
Advice: My advice for future Heller Awards attendees is to remember that the work is done and it’s time to really revel in the magic that is live theater, as well as a circumstance that brings everyone who loves it together in one place for one incredible night.
Congratulations to all the performers, crews, teachers, schools, and families who participated! We’ll see ya in Dell Hall real soon; tonight at 7:30 to be exact. Be sure to follow @hellerawardsatx on the social media platform of your choice for school shout outs, behind-the-scenes goodies, and winner announcements!
Happy (early) Earth Day, earthlings! As a nonprofit that’s nestled deep in the heart of downtown, going green is a cause near and dear to us. The Long Center is smack dab in the middle of parkland after all! Which is what makes our partnership with H-E-B so special; we both work really hard to be good stewards of what we have. So we’re teaming up with your favorite local grocer during Earth Month to show you that it’s not too hard to be a little greener.
This Earth Day, April 22, swing by your local H-E-B after 1pm for a chance to pick up a free reusable bag! This year’s bag will feature Big Bend Ranch State Park in Terlingua, Texas. Since 2008 (the same year the LC opened!), H-E-B has given customers more than three million reusable bags in commemoration of Earth Day.
Even though we all try hard to steer clear of plastic bags, sometimes you just can’t avoid them. But don’t worry; H-E-B’s got a plan for that! When you swing by your local grocer, look for a plastic bag drop off location. Every store should have one. But what if I’m a curbside customer?? Glad you asked! Just bundle your plastics together and leave them in your trunk. An H-E-B Partner will take them when they load up your groceries!
And they don’t stop there. You know how they say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago? Well, H-E-B is working hard to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to think that too many times. Through their Trees for Texans initiative, H-E-B has planted over 160,000 trees near Texas schools, communities, and forests. As trees grow and mature over time, their benefits can be enjoyed generation after generation, creating a life-long legacy of sustainability.
It’s all wrapped up in Our Texas, Our Future, H-E-B’s massive effort to sure our environment and natural resources are preserved for generations to come. This includes everything from how they source their products (with local farms and growers), to how they manage food waste and recycling efforts, and even investing in renewable energy. Did you know that 19 stores in the Austin area have solar panels?
Over here at the Long Center, we also try to do our part to stay sustainable. When you walk up to our building, you’ll probably notice a few little islands of plants. All those flowers and grasses are actually Texas natives! Landscaping with native plants helps us use less water while also attracting local pollinators.
But our biggest point of sustainability goes alllll the way back to when the Long Center was being constructed. 95% of the materials used to build the Long Center were actually reused from the Palmer Auditorium. The Ring Beam used to be the anchoring structure of the Palmer Auditorium. Now it frames that gorgeous Austin skyline. So when they say that nonprofits are scrappy, they’re not kidding.
And the green tiles that now frame the H-E-B Terrace were reused from the dome of the Palmer Auditorium. You can even see some dents in them from when Austin experienced a nasty hail storm! For an up-close look, take a peek at the elevator walls 😉
H-E-B is at loads of Long Center events! You probably caught them at our National Geographic Speaker Series last year, or maybe at The Drop-In or Teresa Lozano Long Community Day. Whatever event you see them at next, we bet they’d love to talk to you more about their sustainability efforts and what you can do to help.
Whether it’s avoiding single-use plastic, planting native flowers, or upcycling, when we all do the small and simple things, great things happen! This Earth Day, start by grabbing a new (free!) reusable bag from your local H-E-B, then let inspiration take it from there 🌎
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
Awards season is in full swing, and the Long Center is no exception to that! Each spring, we celebrate a corporate partner that goes above and beyond to support our mission, and—more importantly—the Austin arts community. This year, the big congrats goes to 🥁🥁🥁 H-E-B!
As part of the festivities, we sat down with H-E-B’s Senior Vice President for Central Texas Cathy Harm to learn more about why H-E-B’s heart is so big and why they love the Long Center (trust us, the feeling’s mutual 😍).
H-E-B is well loved because they invest in Texas communities without holding back. Why is it important to H-E-B to support their customers, not just in the store, but in every part of their lives?
At H-E-B, we’re committed to making a positive impact in Texas by improving the lives of the customers we serve. This philosophy, known as H-E-B’s Spirit of Giving, is an essential part of the company’s everyday business and extends to the strong commitment to volunteerism found in our Partners. Serving our customers is at the heart of everything we do, which allows us to get to know our customers better and show them how much we care. That is why we are always looking for ways to give back. This is a way of expressing our gratitude and thanks for allowing us to be your neighbor.
What does it mean to H-E-B to receive an Icon Award and be recognized for their support of the Long Center?
H-E-B is honored to receive this award for our commitment to positively impact the communities we serve through our support of the arts. The Long Center Icon Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the over 22,000 H-E-B Partners (employees) in Central Texas who have made this possible. Being recognized alongside The Three J’s – Jo Anne Christian, Jane Sibley, and Jare Smith, the driving forces whose steadfast commitment to honor and appreciate the performing arts in Austin is truly humbling.
What about the Long Center’s mission resonates with H-E-B?
The partnership between the Long Center and H-E-B spans nearly 25 years, with H-E-B’s initial contribution to their capital campaign dating back to 1999. Since then, H-E-B and the Long Center have collaborated on various programs to advance arts education and provide cultural experiences for the Austin community. It is also our great privilege to partner with the Long Center’s three Founding Resident Companies, the Austin Opera, Austin Symphony Orchestra, and Ballet Austin, who also play a critical part in educating and inspiring our youth.
What work is the Long Center doing that makes H-E-B excited for the future of the arts in Austin?
As part of our dedicated support of the arts, H-E-B is committed to supporting nonprofit organizations, such as the Long Center, with the mission to expand education programs and provide equal access to the arts through programs like the Heller Awards for Young Artists and events such as Teresa Lozano Long Community Day, Santa on the Terrace, and Bubblepalooza. It’s an honor for us to play a role in these events that bring joy and excitement to Austinites, and we look forward to continuing to support the Long Center in meaningful ways.
If you weren’t already obsessed with H-E-B, we bet you are now! Maybe you even want to follow in their footsteps and support all that the Long Center does. Check out our Membership page to see what your donation can do, or sign up to be a volunteer! You don’t have to be the size of H-E-B to still be an icon to us 💖
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
Nothing’s as amazing as a musical, is it?!
We kicked off this year’s Heller Awards season on March 3 with a Virtual Nominations Ceremony, but in case you missed it (and want to avoid spoilers!), you can watch the recording below 👇
Are you ready? Okay, good.
THE 2024 haya NOMINEES ARE…
Congratulations to all the performers, crews, teachers, schools, and families who participated! We’ll see ya in Dell Hall real soon; April 17 to be exact. Until then, be sure to follow @hellerawardsatx on the social media platform of your choice for school shout outs and behind-the-scenes goodies.
It’s… a… musical, a musical
And nothing’s as amazing as a musical
With song and dance and sweet romance
And happy endings happening by happenstance
Bright lights, stage fights, and a dazzling chorus
You wanna be great, then you gotta create a musical
It’s true, folks. That sentiment is more than just lyrics from Something Rotten! Nothing is quite as amazing as a musical. Being in one, watching one from the house, working on one behind the scenes. It’s all amazing. That’s why we and so many others across Austin, nay, the nation, nay, the world invest time and effort into musical theatre education programs. You may have heard about a little ditty we do called the Heller Awards for Young Artists, and its national counterpart the Jimmy Awards®… oh, you haven’t? Well, let us enlighten you 😁
WHAT ARE THE HELLER AWARDS?
Imagine Austin’s version of the Tony Awards! Musical performances, bright lights, bobby pins, hair spray, shedding of tears… you get it. Each April at the Heller Awards for Young Artists (we call these the HAYAs), participating schools come to pay tribute to the value of arts education, collaboration, and creativity. They gather together at the Long Center to celebrate themselves, their peers, and their support systems with an evening of well-mannered frivolity and lots of singing. But hold up, we’re putting the cart before the horse here…
Each fall, Austin-area high schools have the chance to register their school to participate. And get this — there’s no registration fee. That’s right, it’s 100% FREE to participate! And if you know the Long Center, you know free is our favorite f-word 😉 After registration is complete, judges attend each participating school’s performance of that year’s musical and score them based on how well they lived up to their potential. You read that right; the schools aren’t compared to each other, but rather compared to their own resources and ability.
After each school is adjudicated, the nominations come out! Check out 2023’s nominations livestream on YouTube for a little preview of what to expect in 2024. Next comes lots more hard work getting ready for the Awards, and then… the big day! Picture this: red carpet, camera flash, acceptance speeches, and evening gowns galore. It really is the best day of the year!
That sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but it’s 100% worth it. From 2014 with 19 participating schools to 2024 with 35+ participating schools, we’re feelin’ pretty good about how tomorrow will look. Whether students’ futures lie in the performing arts, private sector, public service, or fields that don’t exist yet, the HAYAs are their onramp to a bright future.
HOW CAN I SUPPORT?
Aw, that’s so flattering that you want out hang out with us 😊
Here’s how you can join in on the fun:
- Sign up for email updates so you don’t miss a thing.
- Watch nominations! Catch up by watching last year’s livestream, then watch with us on Sunday, March 3.
- Follow us on socials! You can find us on your favorite platform at @hellerawardsatx.
- If you’re a parent or caregiver, talk with your student’s teacher(s) about how you can support their musical and any prep needed for the HAYAs. We’re willing to bet they’d love some extra hands.
- Consider making a donation (pretty please)!
- Wanna sponsor the 2024 awards? We’ll gladly take your money! Shoot us an email and let’s get talking.
This is usually where we’d make a joke about the curtain closing and taking a final bow, but we’re really just getting started! Break a leg to all the performers, techies, crew, and educators out there. It’s going to be a great year 🤩
At the Long Center, we’ve always got a new partnership or something cool we know you’ll want to check out! Find and follow us @longcenter on your social media platform of choice, and we’ll see you real soon.
