Glasstire Celebrates 25 Years with Focus on Artist-Run Spaces in Texas
Brandon Zech, in a letter from the publisher, emphasizes the crucial importance of artist-run spaces within Texas's art landscape as Glasstire celebrates its 25th anniversary. He contends that a vibrant art community necessitates a network of venues beyond prominent institutions, such as encyclopedic museums, kunsthalles, mid-sized nonprofits, galleries, and particularly artist-run spaces. Zech cites the Austin art scene from 2015 to 2017 as a prime example before gentrification transformed East Austin. Numerous spaces have closed, including The Mom Gallery and Permanent.Collection, while others like MASS Gallery and Northern-Southern continue to thrive. For its anniversary, Glasstire will showcase a photo essay on both past and present spaces, alongside an essay by editor-in-chief Jessica Fuentes and interviews with Texas space operators.
Key facts
- Glasstire celebrates its 25th anniversary in June 2026.
- The publisher's letter focuses on artist-run spaces in Texas.
- Jerry Saltz's adage about needing 10 people for an artist's success is referenced.
- Austin's art scene from 2015 to 2017 is cited as the epitome of artist-run spaces.
- Gentrification hit East Austin after 2017, leading to many space closures.
- Closed spaces include The Mom Gallery, Permanent.Collection, Lower Left Gallery, SOFA, Not Gallery, Pig & Pony, Okay Mountain, Up Collective, Tiny Park, 727 Studio, Bolm Studios Gallery, ATM Gallery/Studio, Bolm Fine Arts, Red Space Gallery, and Pump Project.
- Active spaces include MASS Gallery, Northern-Southern, Co-Lab Projects, and ICOSA Collective.
- Glasstire will publish a photo essay, an essay by Jessica Fuentes, and interviews with space operators.
Entities
Artists
- Jerry Saltz
- Brandon Zech
- Jessica Fuentes
Institutions
- Glasstire
- The Mom Gallery
- Permanent.Collection
- Lower Left Gallery
- SOFA
- Not Gallery
- Pig & Pony
- Okay Mountain
- Up Collective
- Tiny Park
- 727 Studio
- Bolm Studios Gallery
- ATM Gallery/Studio
- Bolm Fine Arts
- Red Space Gallery
- Pump Project
- MASS Gallery
- Northern-Southern
- Co-Lab Projects
- ICOSA Collective
- The Warehouse
- Green Family Art Foundation
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Locations
- Texas
- Austin
- East Austin
- Dallas
- Houston