Supporting San Antonio Artists in an Expanding Arts Community

The San Antonio arts community is more than a network of creatives. It’s a movement of mutual support, shared space, and collective imagination. Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky to witness just how deeply artists in the city show up for one another. Whether it’s through gallery openings, residency programs, or casual studio visits, San Antonio’s art scene thrives because of the people who care enough to build it together.

So, how does the city nurture that kind of creative energy? And how do artists keep that momentum going?

Through exhibitions, public art commissions, and artist promotion tools, the City of San Antonio’s Department of Art and Culture plays a steady role in fueling the local art scene. The city manages two galleries - Centro de Arte and Culture Commons Gallery - supporting the work of local artists, and are dedicated to bring local culture and history together through exhibitions.

San Antonio has commissioned over 600 pieces of public art that not only beautifies the city but promotes a plethora of artists and their work. (You can explore the full collection with this interactive map.) Artists and art organizations can apply for grants through the Department of Art and Culture and an artist registry is available to artists to make a profile about themselves and their practice. These services further artists and their careers to the community and beyond.

But the real heartbeat of this scene? The artists themselves.

Artists in San Antonio do much of the heavy lifting in building each other up – something I noticed as I started attending gallery programs more frequently. The tight knit artist community is also abundantly welcoming to non-artists like me.

Artist run spaces are everywhere: Presa House Gallery and Sala Diaz, committed with the purpose of hosting artists exhibitions that explore new ideas and allow artists to experiment within their practice. The Blue Star Arts Complex, a creative ecosystem of galleries, studios, and businesses that come alive  every First Thursday and Friday. It’s an open-house energy where monthly shows debut and the community gathers.

Other spaces with active artist studios include ClampLight and the 1906 accommodate artists with a space and resources to create and exhibit new artwork in San Antonio. These hubs are vital to the community as it moves beyond experiencing art but connecting with the people behind it.

Inside the 1906. Image courtesy of Madison Vrazel.

Organizations Artpace and the Contemporary at Blue Star are not just local institutions, they serve as bridges to the international art world. Their residency programs bring global artists to San Antonio and send local talent abroad. Artpace is a residency-based arts institution that connects artists through their International Artist-In-Residence Program by bringing in a Texas artist, a U.S.-based artist, and one international artist to live and create in San Antonio twice a year.   They not only create new work, but they also engage with the community and offer multiple programming opportunities situating San Antonio part of an international dialogue. Learn more about the Spring 2025 resident artists exhibitions in Samantha Ysaguirre’s Viva Arte article. Additionally, the Fall 2025 residents were recently announced, and we are excited to welcome Ian Gerson, Elana Herzog, and Goldie Poblador to San Antonio.  

The Contemporary’s residency program partners with Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, Germany. Four Bexar County artists are chosen for a three-month residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, providing them with an environment to create art and establish relationships with other artists from around the world. Artists selected for the 2025-2026 Berlin Residency include Miles Friday, Brandy Gonzalez, Anthony Rundblade, and Andrea Willems. They will return with fresh work and new perspectives to share with their home city. This summer, San Antonio painter and educator Ashley Perez will similarly expand her practice through the Casa Lü Parque residency in Mexico City, continuing a growing trend of local artists bringing international experiences back to San Antonio.

Residency programs, studio spaces, artist run galleries, and support from the Department of Arts and Culture are important facets for artists to expand their creative practices as well as to connect with communities. They don’t just help artists grow – they shape what our community becomes.

Want to support? Start by showing up. Visit an exhibition. Take a walk and look for public art. Tell a friend and please consider supporting our arts community by engaging with artists through these programs, viewing the public art around the city, and visiting their exhibitions and gallery spaces.