Public Notice: Your Libraries at Work

The East Austin Studio Tour is upcoming the last couple of weekends of November, and as they have the last few years, Austin Public Libraries are contributing in a couple of different ways: Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 1, you can stop by any APL location to pick up one of the gorgeous, free EAST catalogs while supplies last. (See more info about EAST at www.bigmedium.org.) Also, seven Eastside libraries are official EAST venues, displaying artists within the APL community:

• Windsor Park Branch, 5833 Westminster (Marilyn Rea Nasky's work in acrylic, oil, mixed-media, and collage);

• University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola (Nancy Espinal Argueta's paintings in oil, acrylic with tree bark, Spanish moss, and stone);

• Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina (Shelley Wood's black-and-white film photography with darkroom prints);

• Willie Mae Kirk Branch, 3101 Oak Springs Dr. (Daniel Rivera's mixed-media works with wood & LED lights);

• Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd. (Rachel Long's paintings and multimedia artworks);

• Terrazas Branch, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez (April Davis' photos on gallery-wrapped canvas and fine art prints);

• Ruiz Branch, 1600 Grove Blvd. (Joel Ganucheau's acrylic and mixed-media paintings).

GTFO is a screening in the Austin Public Library's Controversy & Conversation series, presented in partnership with the UT Humanities Institute's Difficult Dialogues program. This 2015 documentary "pries open the video game world to explore discrimination and misogyny in the 20-billion-dollar industry." Thu., Nov. 3, 7pm, Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez.

La Dia de los Vivos?

It comes a few days early this year, but Austin's premier Day of the Dead celebration looks to be bigger than ever – a collaboration between Mexic-Arte Museum and the Emma S. Bar­ri­entos Mexican Amer­ican Cultural Center to present the annual Viva la Vida Festival, on Sat., Oct. 29, from noon-8pm, at multiple locations Downtown, including a grand procession and street festival from Congress to San Jacinto, with artist vendors, live music, food trucks, and community altars, plus family art activities in the neighboring Frost Bank Tower Plaza, a music stage at Brazos Hall, 204 W. Fourth, and two themed exhibits at Mexic-Arte, 419 Con­gress: "Icons & Symbols of the Border­land" and "Community Altars: A Celebration of Life." More info at www.mexic-artemuseum.org.

Then there's the Las Piñatas ATX piñata picnic, noon-4pm, at the MACC, 600 River St., celebrating featured artist Michael Anthony Garcia, and free piñatas provided by your generous donations and purchased at local piñata stores. The more you donate, the more piñatas there will be, and all remaining proceeds go toward the Latinos in Archi­tec­ture Scholarship Fund. Donate in advance at www.laspinatasatx.com.

Environment: Thumbs Down? or Up?

There's a #NoDrippingSewage Rally this Friday, Oct. 28, 5-7pm, at Barton Springs Pool, to protest the city of Dripping Springs' application to the Texas Commission on Envi­ronmental Quality for a direct discharge wastewater permit to dump up to a million gallons a day of treated sewage into Onion Creek, which among other things provides 40% of Barton Springs' flow. The rally is in support of a letter sent by six environmental organizations, asking the Austin City Council not to enter into a settlement with Dripping Springs, unless it involves a zero-discharge permit, as has been previous city policy. Costumes and/or signs are encouraged, and come prepared to sing along with troubadour Bill Oliver. Much more info on this at www.savebartoncreek.org.

The Rainforest Partnership Celebra­tion Dinner comes on the eve of the historic Paris Agreement taking effect. Experience sounds, images, and stories from the rainforest while coming together with others who share your passion for preserving this precious ecological engine. Dinner, drinks, music, auctions, and more, Thu., Nov. 3, 6-10pm, at the historic Gilfillan House, 603 W. Eighth. Tickets are $150-175 at www.rainforestpartnership.org.