Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/577438
Art At the trAck Pop Austin International Art Show will bring a satellite exhibit to cotA while lighting up downtown Austin. by tobin levy 2. pop austin 3. the party scene 1. how to watch the race the Need for Speed Experience the best of the US Grand Prix. WHEN: Friday, October 23– Sunday, October 25 WHERE: Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., 512-301-6600; circuitoftheamericas.com/f1 COST: 3-day passes start at $169; Sunday-only general admission tickets start at $99. WATCH IN STYLE: The staff at the Paddock Club travels to all F1 races across the globe, so it remains a consistently top-tier hospitality offering. A three-day pass includes multicourse wining and dining, a Mumm Champagne bar, exclusive access to the pit lanes, driver interviews, and more; pricing begins at $4,200. The Skybox offers spectacular views of the race at Turns 2, 12, and 19; three-day passes are $1,350. For event packages, visit cotaexperiences.com. F1 fêtes have a tradition of being abundant in both celebrities and Champagne. In years past, the original "Made in Monaco" Amber Lounge and My Yacht Club have targeted international revelers attending the US Grand Prix, especially those with the deepest of pockets (in 2014, individual tickets started at $325, while tables were reportedly in excess of $75,000). COTA's Pop Austin partnership will result in a slate of new parties this year, Apex, which will take over Fair Market for three nights following "illumination." Blu will return this year, but at a different location, at Brazos Hall on October 23 and October 24, says Ginger Leigh who started the party with British expat and Austin- resident, Ian Weightman. Blu has drawn a larger local crowd than its imported competitors. Leigh estimates the party is about half local and half visitor and says its appeal to Austinites is it's a dressier occasion than the city usually sees. The event boasts The Full Tilt Fashion Show (Saturday, October 24, 6–9 pm). Perhaps Blu's most democratic feature is a $150 general admission ticket with a cash bar. "It opens the door to a lot more locals," Leigh says. "You want to keep the high-end nature of the party and maintain a certain demographic, but you also want to cater to locals." Blu inclusive packages are $400 per person, and tables range from a $5,000 table for four to a $50,000 platinum package for eight. The Pop Austin International Art Show, which attracted almost 5,000 visitors over its debut weekend last year, is partnering with Circuit of the Americas to provide cultural programming for Formula One weekend, including a satellite exhibit at the track featuring work from Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Micky Hoogendijk, among others. At Pop Austin's principal show downtown, "Illumination," light will be the shared medium. Attendees can expect blacked-out rooms lit by vehicles, including neon, projections, and LED. "We wanted to offer an experience, and we have achieved that," says curator Lana Carlson. The nature of the exhibition is inherently immersive. There will be fewer pieces than last year (five of the installa- tions are truly expansive), and 17 artists from all over the world—Chile, Italy, Korea, Japan, and, of course, Austin. Among the local artists are Bale Creek Allen and Jason Archer, both of whom were also featured in the inaugural show. The collaboration with COTA is sure to draw a larger, more diverse crowd to the main exhibition. "I feel like joining forces with Formula One enables us to show the world that Austin is more than a city of artists, but rather a capitol of culture," says creative director Steve Carlson. Future exhibitions will have different themes. If Carlson has his way, sound will be one of them. "Illumination" will take place at Fair Market (1100 E. Fifth St., popaustin.com). The show will kick off with a ticketed VIP Opening Party on Thursday, October 22, from 8 to 11 pm, for art enthusiasts, collectors, and sponsors. Pop Austin will remain open to the public on Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25, from 10 am to 6 pm daily. Tickets for regular show hours over the weekend are $40 per person (children 12 and under are free with a ticketed adult). Tickets for the VIP Opening Party are $200. Pop Austin's satellite exhibit at the track will be located in the Grand Plaza and is available to all race ticketholders. photography courtesy of circuit of the americas (views of the race); adela andea (illumination (bottom right)), nonotak (illumination (top)), shane guffog (red swirls); dave pedley (blu)