When I moved to Austin, I imagined I lived in a bubble far away from the rest of Texas. The state, frankly, scared my east coast blood cold. It wasn’t until last year that I finally discovered the awesomeness that is San Antonio. Barely an hour from my adopted home town, this historic city is rich with culture, specifically contemporary art. Who can you thank for the proliferation of art in San Antonio? Why, Linda Pace, of course. Sadly, Ms. Pace died several years ago, but her mark on the city is indelible. Pace (yes, of the picante sauce fortune) founded the incredible nonprofit Artpace, an amazing exhibition space that hosts nine artists-in-residence a year. During each round, the organization hosts one artist from Texas, one from somewhere in the United States, and one from elsewhere across the globe. The results are phenomenal, and hundreds apply each year with the hope that they’ll win the chance to live and produce work in San Antonio.

Unit B Gallery

When a local culture that supports the arts develops, wonderful small art spaces tend to crop up and thrive. In San Antonio, my favorite two alternative galleries are Unit B and Sala Diaz . They even live on the same street! These wonderful artist-run spaces have been for years now (Sala Diaz since 1995, an incredible success, and Unit B since 2006) and host a dynamic array of programming that range from art installations and exhibitions to the International Pancake Film Festival (August 7 at Unit B).