Austin, Texas: What keeps it weird? "Street Art" #1

Whether you've been to Austin or not, I'm sure you've heard our slogan "Keep Austin Weird". Some of you might be thinking, well how exactly is Austin weird in the first place.

In this series I will cover all of Austin locals favorite, and most quirky places, to show you what makes Austin such a unique community and space to experience.

Graffiti Park

||photograph taken by @100michaelsmith||

Also known as Castle Hill, this space tucked away right outside of downtown has turned into a graffiti oasis, for artists and tourists alike. The Austin area is known for it's street art, so the city wanted to give a space for the artist community to freely express themselves instead of vandalizing public property.

||photograph taken by @100michaelsmith||

Not only does this help Austin as a city look nicer, but it shows how the city supports its local community by giving it a public space for freedom of creativity to happen. It is seen as an open canvas for anyone to express themselves in a medium that is usually not accepted by the majority of society.

||@bryanshigh||

The art above is just one example of the beautiful creations some of Austins very own have been able to put on display. Artist Bryan Rapalo, known as @bryanshigh on Instagram, is one of many local artists who call this place their second home.

||photograph taken by @100michaelsmith||

Graffiti Park is definitely one of Austins "weirdest" places. How it keeps Austin weird, you might ask? It's the perfect example of how a city can come together in support of what it's local community wants.

And though some might call it weird, we in Austin think it's that "weirdness" that truly makes this place our home.

thanks for reading. stay tuned for the continuation of this series of Austin, Texas: What Keeps it weird? as I plan on covering a variety of topics such as music, food and nature.