Summary of the Project

Inspiration for NXNE came from Pittsburgh’s annual Art All Night, now in its 24th year. Art All Night began as a way to showcase the struggling community’s spirit through the arts following the decline in steel and manufacturing. The idea was simple, convert an abandoned industrial space into an art setting celebrating all arts, and the community. The exhibition was open to anyone to submit one work of art with no fee, no jury, and no censorship.

As with Lawrenceville, artists and the arts lay the foundation for up and coming, vibrant communities. The north and east communities of Lubbock have been underrepresented and marginalized. To elevate the profile of these communities the NXNE Festival will celebrate the arts through an all night long event. The NXNE Festival is open to all. Anyone can submit one work of art with no fee, no jury and no censorship. In addition to visual arts, poetry and performance arts are welcome. As of this writing, 13 community groups and Tech faculty, staff, and students are in support of this project.

How It Works

• NXNE will take place in a vacant industrial/commercial property and will be converted into an art space in either the north or east area of Lubbock.
• The event begins at 4:00 pm on a Saturday beginning with children’s activities and will continue until noon Sunday with the auction of live artworks that were created the night before.
• The event will feature a children’s art area. Stages for performances, for music (acoustic and electric), stages poetry, storytelling, and comedy.
• There will also be a live painting section for participants to create art on site. Blank canvas on a 3×5 foot stretcher will be provided along with primary color paints, easels, and brushes. These works will be auctioned off on Sunday at noon. Proceeds go towards the ongoing support of the NXNE Festival.

This will be a collaborative effort with the Texas Tech School of Art, College of Architecture, North Lubbock Neighborhood Association, and the East Lubbock Art House taking the lead on the project with University Outreach and Engagement facilitating. Tech students will interact with children as they staff and direct the children’s art area. Tech students will work on assembling the stretchers and supervise the live art part of the project. In addition, the Flatland Dancers, Lubbock Roots Historical Art Council, BLNKA and the Lubbock Cultural Arts Foundation are in support of NXNE. The site of the festival has yet to be determined. However, it will take place in either the North or East community of Lubbock, preferably in an unoccupied industrial/commercial space.

Impact

Tech students get to engage with the community through the various activities of NXNE. They get to participate in the planning, development, and implementation of the project. Architect students get the opportunity to design the layout of the art installation. Art students get practical experience making stretchers (part of the curriculum) and work with the public, both adults and children by providing instruction and mentoring. In addition, students will be able to participate by exhibiting their works and performing. This is part of the outreach and service-learning component of Texas Tech’s 2025 strategic plan.

The broader impacts of the NXNE project are to revitalize these communities and showcase Lubbock as a destination for the arts and affordable living. Given the rapid growth of Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth, these areas have become cost-prohibitive to many. Lubbock is the new frontier of Texas and prime for growth. Providing a welcoming public event, highlighting the arts, is great way to attract new residents and retain Texas Tech graduates.

The art all night aspect is unique about NXNE that is not otherwise done in our area. The fact that it is open to all, young and old, both trained and untrained artists, makes NXNE truly an inclusive community event. And the fact its’ focus is on the north and east communities of Lubbock with no fee or commission for artists, and free admission, truly separates this event from other art festivals in the area. The NXNE Festival will be self-sustaining through local support and the sale of the live artworks. The grant will be used as seed money to get off the ground. It is hoped that NXNE will become a much-anticipated annual event that will attract additional support from businesses and communities beyond Lubbock.

https://nxneartfestival.org/
https://www.facebook.com/NXNE-Art-Festival-104002445389942/
https://www.facebook.com/events/393990868764095/