A last-minute change of venue didn’t stop the first KUT Festival from attracting hundreds of visitors to hear speakers, music, and discussions of the city’s present and future.
The event, which took place on Saturday, May 1, was originally scheduled to take place at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). However, after UT informed KUT on April 24 that it could no longer hold its two days of sessions at its campus, the festival relocated to an area of Fifth Street in East Austin. It straddled Central Machine Works, East End Ballroom, and Justine’s, three businesses near the intersection of East Fifth Street and Springdale Road. Addie Hauber, a Central Machine Works employee who handled drinks during the event, explained that KUT’s previous relationship with the brewery led the network to choose them from a number of venues who offered deals for their space.
“KUTX has been the beneficiary of us for a concert series, so I think for them we probably seemed like a natural fit,” Hauber said. “We tried really hard to make it happen in four or five days.”
Despite the last-minute rescheduling, KUT Fest was able to fill the three venues it rented. Its new location, along with entry becoming open, attracted visitors who hadn’t planned on taking part in the festivities. Tatiana Bolbeka decided to bring her family when she learned that it was happening in her neighborhood.
“We’ve been listeners for a while, and they have kids’ events that happen in Mueller, so it’s a nice community in the neighborhood,” Bolbeka said. “We’re going to stay until 5 p.m.”
Beginning at 9 a.m. and ending after 5 p.m., the agenda brought together several dozen Austin leaders in art, politics, and activism and ranged from conversations on photography and philosophy to a rap performance.
“We just came because we knew it was happening,” Bolbeka said. “It’s like, ‘Okay, let’s go to this, let’s go to this,’ to see the features and probably have a nice time.”
After informing KUT staff that they would have to move events off campus, UT announced that the outlet had taken insufficient measures to ensure attendees’ safety. When KUT rebuked the accusation, UT fired back with claims that KUT failed to fulfill unspecified precautions that the university had recommended. Brock Sherman attended with his wife Adriene Mishler, a speaker, and suggested that most other speakers were able to change their plans to make it to the new location.
“I was notified by dueling emails from KUT and UT,” Sherman said. “The venues opening their doors with welcome arms, saying, ‘Come do it here’ with 72 hours notice is amazing.”
Although KUT Festival was originally slated for the whole weekend, the relocation led organizers to downsize to only Saturday, with an introductory program Friday evening. Entrance was made free, so purchasers of regular tickets received refunds, and Hauber stated that attendance was high.
“[Business] is pretty good,” Hauber said. “KUT brought their own security and brought what they had planned for the event at UT. They shuffled it over here. Whatever they had going is what we’re rocking.”
This was the inaugural KUT Festival, and the NPR station has announced it intends to make the celebration an annual tradition, although details of future circumstances have not been released. UT owns the station, 90.5 FM, whose studio and transmitter are on the Austin campus.
“Austin, despite all of the changes, everything going on, it’s still a place that honors the arts, honors the people who are in and around Austin, and tries to care for them in the best way they can,” Sherman said. “In a way, it’s really affirming about the city of Austin, that Austin takes care of its own. And so when a thing can’t happen, the fact that a place like this would open up and just be like, ‘Yeah, come on down. We will make it happen.’”