Creative Action Breaks Ground on New Community Arts Collaborative in Mueller

Creative Action and its partners broke ground Tuesday on the Community Arts Collaborative, a new 25,000-square-foot shared arts facility in Austin’s Mueller neighborhood.

The project aims to establish a permanent home for a coalition of five nonprofit organizations, creating what leaders describe as a national model for collaborative arts education. While the group has already secured $11.5 million toward its $15 million goal, organizers are currently seeking the final $3.5 million from philanthropists to complete the funding.

“We’ve been looking forward to moving in together for so long now,” Joe McIalwain, Creative Action’s executive director, said before the ceremony, adding, “We’re going to be roommates.”

The facility is scheduled to open in fall 2027, according to Mueller Austin. The two-story building will be situated on a half-acre site near the intersection of Philomena and Tilley streets, immediately north of the Dr. General Garwood Marshall Middle School campus.

A shared model for creative growth

Rather than operating in isolation, Creative Action is utilizing a public-private partnership with the City of Austin to house multiple organizations under one roof. The collaborative will serve as the headquarters for Creative Action while also providing space for Art Spark Texas, Austin Bat Cave, Austin Soundwaves, Latinitas, and Studio A.

The building’s layout is designed to balance administrative needs with community engagement. Approximately 15,000 square feet on the ground floor will be dedicated to creative activity, rehearsal, and community gathering spaces. The remaining 10,000 square feet on the second floor will house programming and administrative offices, Mueller Austin reported.

By locating the hub adjacent to Marshall Middle School, the nonprofits intend to create a direct link between formal schooling and extracurricular creative development. This proximity allows Austin ISD and Creative Action to share meeting and creative spaces to better support student growth.

“What if we can build something that none of us, including Creative Action, could do alone?” Karen LaShelle, then executive director of Creative Action, said. “That was a no-brainer for me, because when we work together, we really do lift all boats.”

Patrick Slevin, the executive director of Austin Soundwaves, said that the collective will serve thousands of students annually through programs ranging from filmmaking and dance to writing and theater. He suggested the project is “building a national model for arts education in collaboration, right here in Austin, Texas.”

Economic and civic stakes in Mueller

The development represents a significant piece of the ongoing transformation of the former 700-acre Mueller Municipal Airport. The project is part of a larger effort to create a community centered on sustainability and shared civic connection through public-private partnerships.

The financial structure of the project relies on a mix of existing funds and active fundraising. The following table outlines the current status of the project’s capital requirements:

Financial Category	Amount
Total Project Goal	$15,000,000
Funds Secured	$11,500,000
Remaining Fundraising Target	$3,500,000

For the city, the project serves as a visual statement regarding the value of arts education. LaShelle emphasized that the collaborative is intended to ensure that creativity and self-expression have a permanent place in the “fabric of our city.”

However, the success of the hub depends on meeting the final funding gap. While the land was acquired decades ago through a partnership with the city to benefit East Side youth, the transition to the Mueller neighborhood changes how these organizations manage physical and administrative infrastructure.

Greg Weaver, Founder and CEO of Banbury Development, said that Creative Action’s specialized needs fit the smaller parcel of land well and that their approach to sharing space with other nonprofits is an innovative strategy for the area.

The organizations will continue to provide programming to schools and communities throughout Central Texas even after the new facility is operational. The focus remains on helping students develop as “4C” individuals: Creative Artists, Courageous Allies, Critical Thinkers, and Confident Leaders, according to Creative Action.

The Community Arts Collaborative is scheduled to open its doors in the fall of 2027.

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