Have you seen one of the Austin ArtWorks Festival Purchase Award art works? There are a dozen pieces displayed in six community locations.

Each year, a generous sponsor donates $5,000 to the Austin ArtWorks Festival Purchase Award. The sponsors then choose one piece of work as the winner of the Purchase Award. The funds allow Austin Area Arts to purchase the awarded work which is then displayed at a community location.

The 2012 Purchase Award was given by donors Pat and Gary Ray to painter Eric Anfinson for his work, “The Golden Fish,” which is now on display at I.J. Holton Intermediate School. In 2013, Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin awarded “It’s All in Your Head” and “Back to the Earth” by Micah Ofstedahl as the Purchase Award and both are exhibited at I.J. Holton.

In 2014 the award was given by Mahlon and Karen Schneider and they selected five artists to honor: “Owl” sculpture by John Pettijohn, on display at the Hormel Foundation office; “Butterfly Daffodil” and “Luna Moth Orchid” by Zane York, on display at the Hormel Historic Home; “Ribbons of the Landscape” by Joni Finnegan, “Six Mile Cyprus” by Jim Wegner and “Pottery” by Joseph Sand, all on display at the Austin ArtWorks Center until the opening of the MacPhail Music Center in 2020.

Donors Stephen and Kathryn Palen selected “Blue Galaxy” by glass blower Peter Waldman for the 2015 Purchase Award and it is displayed at the J. C. Hormel Nature Center. In 2017, another piece went on display at the J.C. Hormel Nature Center: “Earth Changes” by mixed media artist Scot Schmidt, was chosen by donors Jeff and LeeAnn Ettinger.

Last summer, donors Phillip and Gail Minerich selected the painting “Melody in Your Heart” by Tonja Ihlenfeldt for the Purchase Award and it is displayed at the Historic Paramount Theatre.

In 2018, the Purchase Award sponsors are Kris and Jeff Baldus. They will select a winner from among the 67 exhibiting artists — including previous winners Scot Schmidt and Tonja Ihlenfeldt — at the Austin ArtWorks Festival on Aug. 25 and 26. Work by Anfinson, Waldman, Wegner, Finnegan and Ofstedahl is currently for sale at the ArtWorks Center.

Learn more about Austin ArtWorks Festival including the live music stages schedule, exhibiting artists and ArtWorks Center trunk shows at austinareaarts.org.

Coming soon at the Paramount Theatre

• $5 Movie: “Babe” (1995), Wednesday, July 18 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

• $5 Movie: “Annie” (1982), Wednesday, July 25 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

• Puddles Pity Party: Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.; the Schindler Celebration event at the Austin ArtWorks Festival sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin. Reserved seating tickets are $25 advance and are 57 percent sold at press time.

Coming soon at the ArtWorks Center

• Clay Class, Wednesday, July 18 at 10 a.m.

• Teen Drawing, Wednesday, July 18 at 2 p.m.

• Kids Studio Virtual Art Museum Tour Camp: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, July 24-25-26-27 at 10:30 a.m. to noon. Attend all four days of camp or choose the dates that work best. $5 per session.