If you find yourself in a financial bind with food, rent or utilities in Austin (Travis County), contact Texas 211 by dialing 2-1-1, a free social service hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week or visit https://www.211texas.org/. They can connect you with local resources that may be able to provide assistance.

Be prepared to do odd jobs/task that don’t directly involve art, but still support the studio.

Figuring out ways to adapt an activity to a person's abilities is a must have skill!

Be flexible and open to plans/agendas changing.

Set boundaries - you don't have to give until you have nothing left. Keep expectations realistic. You cannot do everything.

Have a plan for executing activities with clients. A basic understanding of the proper use of various materials and techniques is very helpful.

Practice good studio habits like cleaning, wiping, sweeping, and emptying trash cans at the end of every day.

Practice getting to work early because there will always be early arrivals.

Make sure to record all hours from the beginning, community service, client classes exhibit setup and after hours studio organization, set up and preparation.

Make sure to always have a clear line of communication with other members and leaders at all times.

Try to schedule trips and time off after studio hours and weekends. Be aware of meeting your time commitment!

Giving genuine encouragement to each others.

Set up reasonable goals, specifically aligned to your overall goals to what exactly you personally want to succeed on.

Seek opportunities for improvement on both your greatest strengths and also in areas you might need helps. Never too late to be successful in life no matter what our circumstances are.

Engage with every opportunity made available to you for advancing your career and resume. Imagine Art moves swiftly in all endeavors. Blink and you might miss some!

Be Open, Be Flexible, & HAVE FUN !

Paperwork is tedious, but necessary. Set personal reminders if you need to and do things daily.

Stay close to your supervisors, mentors and Americorps because if you are there, you will be asked to do many assignments that will stretch you, engage you and teach you.

Be Curious .. about yourself & the artists/clients/community you''re working with & serving.

Keep your own notes on everything you think you need, like what you do with clients or any plans or ideas you have.

Your favorite part of this endeavor will be the utmost of their highest, the clients! They are the most important people in our community. They will teach you so much and the things they teach you will stay in your mind and heart forever and ever. Priceless! Enjoy!

Have Patience & Grace with Yourself & ALL others around You! Everyone Is Doing Their Best, & Challenges Arise on Many Levels in Imagine Art, as in Life, & this is a good opportunity to practice how you Show Up & React in both !

Don't forget that this is a time to develop your own skills and experience as well as help the clients.

My ASL improved with daily communication with all deaf artists and staff!

Thoughts on Serving in Austin, Texas

I would look at Co-op housing in Austin for cheaper rent prices etc. Check out AmeriCorps Central Texas Housing Resource or Facebook Group: Austin AmeriCorps Housing and Networking

Find housemates. Rent is very high here in Austin and so is the cost of living. Taking the bus [Capital Metro] takes a good bit longer than taking a personal vehicle, but it saves a lot of money overall if you are able to do it.

The cost of living is higher than other cities, so if you are not getting support or another income, I recommend getting a part time job or donating plasma and having a roommate. Check out Snagajob for hourly jobs that won’t impact your service year commitment.

This is an amazing city with vibrant night life, a million outdoor activities and an eclectic cultural environment with many friendly people.

The UT Campus is near enough to Imagine Art and there are many private entities with short term leases. An artist in residence could consider teaming up with others from out of town to share a short-term lease. If sharing is not your thing, many home owners rent rooms out for extra income and investors lease individual condominiums. (Hotpads.com, Zillow.com, AustinRoomsForRent.com, HomeBaseServices.com, CribWiz.com)

Austin is an interesting place .. as is Imagine Art. At times it can be cumbersome, whether it is traffic, people, access & affordability, &/or predictability. Austin has changed quite dramatically in a relatively short period of time. I have been here for nearly 20 years, which is long in comparison to some, but a drop in the bucket in comparison to others. During my time in this city & community, I have been Very Fortunate with my endeavors & experiences, all centered around the arts (working in a Museum, serving varied populations through cultural & creative programming, producing, facilitating, & implementing hands-on workshops, & collaborating with the City through its artistic grants, & healing communities), & many Blessings ..which has certainly included IMAGINE ART, professionally, creatively, Spiritually, & personally. Remember any place is what you make of it, & the more you get involved & participate/engage it...the more it will engage you! *Also .. take a deep in Barton Springs...even if you have to circle for parking for what feels like eternity..it's worth it in the end.

Austin is a super fun place, but also very expensive. Just be careful and selective about what you want to experience so you don't over extend yourself.