Austin, Texas USA

The City of Austin commissioned Hello Austin as part of its Art In Public Places programme. For the programme’s 30th anniversary, we deployed our technology to invite the City’s residents and visitors to join in the widespread celebrations. We engaged with the community on a variety of topics, such as Austin’s culture, landmarks, history, community and events – specifically, the largest music festival in the world, The SXSW Festival.

Project Goals

• Gather insights into Austin’s residents’ and visitors’ opinions on the City
• Promote the SXSW Festival and the Art In Public Places Programme
• Encourage the community to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Art in Public Places
• Connect the public to the City’s historical landmarks, such as City Hall and the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial

• Improved understanding of what residents want to see in their City. For example, 20% of respondents stated that if they were mayor they would improve the City’s public transport
• Through playful interactions with landmarks such as bus stops, parking metres and lamp posts, people were able to compare their interests with other citizens in the local area – helping to build a stronger community and connection to the City
• After being named the main art project of the festival, Hello Austin was able to promote the SXSW Festival and connect people from across the world to share their experiences and thoughts with each other

“As we move further into the 21st century, this project helps to place Austin onto a path that other world-class cities have taken.”– Asa Hursh, Art Alliance Austin