DORF art gallery secures $1 per year 10-year lease through city agreement

Sarah Hernandez

1 min read

Published December 4, 2024 at 9:09 a.m. CTUpdated December 4, 2024

DORF art gallery secures $1 per year 10-year lease through city agreement

DORF opened at Zilker Point on Oct. 25. (Courtesy DORF)

DORF, a nonprofit art gallery, opened its new space inside the Zilker Point development on Oct. 25.

The details

Founded by Sara Vanderbeek and Eric Manche, the gallery space had been operating out of their family home garage they converted in 2018. According to a news release, the relocation was made possible through an agreement between the City of Austin and 218 Zilker Point Owners, LLC. The release states that DORF has secured an up to 10-year lease for just $1 per year, with a city ordinance protecting the rent-free space for future arts nonprofits.

“This collaboration shows what is possible when cities recognize the value of art and invest in its sustainability," the founders stated in the release. "We hope this model inspires future collaborations between city officials and Austin’s many essential arts nonprofits."

The space, located near ZACH Theatre, includes a 1,062-square-foot gallery, a rooftop garden, an outdoor plaza with a stage for performances and a commissioned permanent sculpture by artist Jessica Bell.

To celebrate the new space, DORF held an opening party on Oct. 25 featuring the opening of an exhibition titled “Soft Opening", which will run through Jan. 11.