Art enhances life.

Whether it challenges or amuses, it has the power to provoke new ideas.

Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson believe it also has the power to create positive change.

The conception of 21c began with a theory that art could drive commerce. While their ideas seemed counter intuitive to some, the heartbreak of seeing the rolling pastures of Brown’s childhood home threatened by developers prompted Brown and Wilson to stop hypothesizing and start acting. With an understanding of the dynamics of suburban sprawl – as farmland is eaten up, city centers are deserted – they sought to bring life back to the Louisville’s depressed downtown, making it a more vibrant and attractive place to live, and thus could curb the suburbanization of the city’s rural outskirts.

This initiative resulted in the original 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. An innovative union of modern technology, southern hospitality, and pure luxury – all anchored by world-class contemporary art by emerging and internationally acclaimed living artists (hence the name, paying homage to the 21st century).

Austin’s 21c Museum Hotel and Residences is the first of its kind to feature both upscale residential units and a boutique hotel/spa atop a world-class contemporary art museum. It provides Austin with a new venue for thought-provoking visual and performing arts. 21c will partner with local art groups to encourage greater understanding and enjoyment of contemporary art for Austin residents and visitors alike.

21c Museum Hotel and Residences redefines the art of living – capturing Austin’s creative and open&-minded spirit, making it a living, breathing cultural destination with inspiration and surprise at every turn.