SXSW to feature UNESCO media exhibit

The city’s Cultural Arts Division and South by Southwest have announced the second annual UNESCO Media Arts Exhibition at SXSW. The exhibit is a showcase for media art installations by local Austin artists and international artists who hail from cities belonging to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Austin is the only city in the United States that has the distinction of a UNESCO Media Arts designation. The city’s partnership with SXSW supports the designation by introducing local media artists to a global audience. Cultural Arts Division Manager Meghan Wells said in the announcement, “Austin is widely recognized as a collaborative community at the forefront of media arts technology …. We are pleased to partner with (SXSW) to spotlight Austin’s fantastic homegrown media arts talent as well as that of other cities’ artists through the lens of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.” The exhibit will run March 9-17 at the Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. A panel discussion on March 9 at 4 p.m. will explore the role of UCCN in promoting digital artmaking around the world.