Art Alliance Austin has commissioned curators Rachel Cook and Claire Ruud to produce a series of installations in public spaces throughout downtown Austin’s 2ND Street District including Republic Square Park.

“One swallow doesn’t make a summer” takes its title from a speech about the development of the 2ND Street District given by former Austin mayor Kirk Watson a decade ago, as these projects had just begun to take flight. Watson asserted, “One swallow doesn’t make a summer, and not even a dozen [development] projects makes a Great Downtown.” In response to Watson’s sentiment, this exhibition brings together new work by emerging and mid-career artists to ask the question: what makes a great downtown? For the exhibition, several artists have created site-specific installations in available storefronts and public spaces throughout the 2ND Street District and in Republic Square Park. “One swallow doesn’t make a summer” asks viewers to look at the neighborhood with a fresh perspective, with an eye toward the history, present, and future of its spaces.

The first chapter of “One swallow doesn’t make a summer” is a trilogy of window installations by Carlos Rosales-Silva. Installed the weeks of March 1-15 and exhibited until April 12 (when the second installment artists begin working in the spaces), these three window installations will open the dialogue of utilizing available retail spaces as temporary art galleries in the urban core.

During the exhibition’s run (April 21-May 28), storefronts in the 2ND Street District housing installations will be open to the public Saturdays from 11a.m. to 6p.m., with walking tours of all the spaces beginning at noon and 2p.m. In addition to these regular hours, a variety of programs will supplement the exhibitions including a curator’s Lunch Hour Tour offered for residents and professionals working in the neighborhood (Wednesdays, noon to 1p.m.) and a series of artist lectures and performances (Wednesday and/or Thursday evenings). The hub for all these events will be the available retail space next to La Condesa at 210 Guadalupe.

Artists include Justin Boyd, Paul Druecke, Leslie Mutchler, Carlos Rosales-Silva, Barry Stone and Jeff Williams and the collaboratives Circulatory System and SKOTE.