Future of Downtown Awards
Highlighting the changemakers of Downtown Austin
Every year, the Downtown Austin Alliance recognizes dedicated people who make significant contributions or outstanding improvements to our downtown community at our annual Future of Downtown event.
Nominations for the 2026 award cycle are open!
Award Categories
Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture
This annual award is given to an individual champion for authentic and inclusive arts, culture, and sense of place downtown.
The Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture’s namesake is a tireless advocate of the power of arts and culture to strengthen community and place. Meredith Powell is a visionary in the arts community, as the former executive director of Art Alliance and founder of Public City. By elevating community voices and bringing life to underutilized spaces through art and activation, her work has significantly contributed to downtown’s vibrancy for over 20 years.
Downtown Vision Award
This award is given to a group or project that has a significant impact on the community vision for downtown. The Downtown Vision strives to ensure that downtown is a place that is loved by all Austinites. Transformative by nature, the Downtown Vision awardee overtly demonstrates our core values of inclusion, impact and collaboration.
Submit Nominees
Submit your application for the 2026 Future of Downtown awards by February 10, 2026! Award winners will be recognized at the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Future of Downtown event May 12, 2026.
As people and organizations work year-round to transform downtown and influence its unique culture, we want to recognize and uplift that work through our awards process.
Previous Award Winners
Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture
Congratulations to Sylvia Orozco for receiving the third annual Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture in 2025.
Congratulations to Art from the Streets for receiving the second annual Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture in 2024.
Congratulations to Meredith Powell for receiving the first annual Meredith Powell Award for Community Culture in 2023.
Downtown Vision Award
Congratulations to the Austin Theatre Alliance for receiving the second annual Downtown Vision Award in 2025.
Congratulations to St. David’s Episcopal Church for receiving our first annual Downtown Vision Award in 2024.
Ambassador of the Year Award
Congratulations to Downtown Ambassador Isaak Ghebremaraim for receiving our first annual Ambassador of the Year Award in 2025. And thank you to H-E-B for the $1,000 gift card donation for Isaak,
