Our Mission
To support both local artists and the community by joining the two together to inspire a dialogue of creativity, passion, fine art, and a celebration of culture.
Our Story
Creativity connects us. But without the right space and support, artistic expression and cultural experiences can be hard to find.
As Austin continues to grow, many families and creatives are seeking a slower pace, a sense of community, and access to arts and culture without the chaos of the big city. They settle in Hays County and the Texas Hill Country, bringing with them a demand for high-quality art experiences, creative spaces, and opportunities to connect.
At the same time, the area is filled with talented local artists who need affordable studio space, resources, and opportunities to share their work and thrive professionally. Without a hub for the arts, both the community and its artists were missing out on meaningful creative experiences.
A Place to Belong and Create
Seeing this need, Sinéad Whiteside and Susan Guerra envisioned a place where art and community could flourish together. After gathering input, building partnerships, and drinking a lot of coffee, they founded Inspired Minds Art Center, a creative hub where:
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People of all ages and abilities can take multi-media art classes taught by local artists.
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Live performances, exhibitions, and events bring the community together.
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Artists find resources, workspace, and business support to make a living doing what they love.
The Perfect Home for Creativity
Nestled in the heart of Buda, a town with a rich history of supporting small businesses and local artists, Inspired Minds Art Center is part of a thriving creative movement. Today, we serve Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, New Braunfels, South Austin, and beyond, offering a welcoming space where creativity, culture, and community come together in Hays County, Texas.
Whether you are looking for art classes, live theatre, a creative night out, or a place to connect with fellow artists, you belong here.
Susan Guerra
Susan is a rarity...a Native Austinite! Born and raised in the Zilker neighborhood before it was cool (and expensive!), she met and married her husband, Juan, in Austin. The family moved to Buda in 2006 and then to a couple of acres just outside of Kyle in 2015. Susan has long desired to use her talents, Mechanical Engineering Degree from UT Austin, and a teaching certificate in Special Education to run her own business, but between raising 4 kids, wrangling chickens and teaching preschool, the right time and opportunity just hadn't come along...until now. She is a collector of random facts and a lifelong learner. Susan has always loved fiber arts such as crochet & knitting and has recently begun spinning wool into yarn! She has a particular interest in homesteading skills such as canning, gardening, chicken and bee keeping, and loves living just outside the city to have room to practice them.
Sinéad Whiteside
Sinéad Whiteside, self proclaimed dynamo, is always up to something interesting! Inspired Minds is an evolution born of a childhood spent creating art, a Bachelor of Arts from UT Austin, and a Masters of Education from Texas State University. When she moved to Buda in 2014 with her husband, Michael, and 3 young children, she found a diverse community on the brink of major growth and changes and a large population of extremely talented artists. She decided that the only natural thing to do is to inspire art education and support local artists by connecting the community with the treasure trove of artists within it.
