SAVE THE DOUGHERTY!
The Dougherty's FINAL DESIGN and current programming are AT RISK!
See more HERE.
​
Community Meeting
Tuesday, September 17th
A SPONSORED PROJECT OF THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION
THE FODAC STORY
The Friends of the Dougherty Arts Center (FODAC) was founded in the 1990’s. We are an award-winning volunteer, community-based non-profit support organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, and improving the Dougherty Arts Center’s facilities and programming through active advocacy, community involvement, and financial support.
The Friends of the Dougherty Arts Center’s primary strategic goal is to increase awareness, foster advocacy, and secure funding for the rebuilding of the Dougherty Arts Center within the Butler Park area in what is quickly growing to be Austin's Art District.
The Friends of the Dougherty Arts Center is a sponsored project of the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) and operates under the 501c3 umbrella of the APF. The APF Board of Directors is a dedicated group of professionals who represent a broad spectrum of the community.
FODAC GOALS
A
ADVOCATE
C
COMMUNITY
FODAC advocates for the needs of the Dougherty Art Center to City leaders and the Austin community.
FODAC works to build community awareness of Dougherty's many programs, events as well as her needs.
F
FUNDRAISING
V
VOLUNTEER
FODAC, through the Parks Foundation, raises funds to support Dougherty.
FODAC members volunteer at Dougherty events and support spreading the word!
FOLLOW THE PROGRESS
THE LATEST FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT (PARD)
CITY MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDS STARTING OVER
March 19th, 2024, the Parks Department made a presentation (Item B2) to City Council during a work group meeting suggesting that the facility now be phased to accomodate the short fall and to start the design process over, essentially scrapping $1M+ investments into the current design.
FINAL DESIGN REVEAL!
Monday, April 25th, 2022, PARD presented the FINAL DESIGN of the new Dougherty Arts Center, to be located at Butler Shores Park adjacent to the PARD Headquarters office. The new design features greatly improved facilities with twice the space for art classes, theater productions, exhibitions, and public gatherings, and a focus on further empowering the Austin arts community in a bright, open building with many connections to the surrounding parkland. See the new design and video walkthrough here!
NEW BUILDING DESIGN PROCESS UNDERWAY!
Starting October 2020 - PARD began soliciting community feedback for the design team through a series of small group Zoom sessions for stakeholders to give input to the design team. Stay in the loop and help spread the word!
BUTLER SHORES SITE APPROVED
May 9, 2019 - the Austin City Council approved Butler Shores, at the west end of Riverside, as the location for the new Dougherty Arts Center! The approval followed recommendations from the Planning Commission, Design Commission, the Board of Parks and Recreation, and the Arts Commission, as well as advocacy from FODAC members at each of those stages.
PROP B PASSED!
2018 Bond Election - Austin spoke and they want a new home for the Dougherty! Prop B provides the much-needed funding for the rebuild.
IN THE NEWS
$28 million plan to relocate the Dougherty Arts Center in Design Phase
​
Designs proposed for $28M project to relocate 75 year-old Dougherty Arts Center
​
Future of Dougherty Arts Center discussed at virtual meeting Wednesday
​
Austin City Council approves Dougherty Arts Center relocation to Butler Shores on Lady Bird Lake
​
Dougherty redevelopment plans to go before Council in May with parks board approval
​
​
​
​
DOUGHERTY PROPOSED SITE PLAN
