Austin PBS Celebrates Community Impact and Announces New Programming

Applications Now Open for New Digital Originals Grant Program

AUSTIN, TEXAS (April 25, 2025) - Austin PBS (KLRU-TV), renowned for its iconic Austin City Limits music series, has announced exciting new additions to its 2025 and 2026 programming, along with a groundbreaking opportunity for local filmmakers through its new grant initiative. During the third annual Made in Austin event, supporters gathered to preview upcoming original programs and reflect on the station’s community impact over the past year.

Austin PBS continues to expand its commitment to education and community engagement with the launch of its innovative Digital Originals Grant Program. This initiative will award two talented creators $35,000 each to produce non-fiction web series that showcase and explore the rich tapestry of life and culture in Central Texas. Designed to address funding gaps for digital projects, the program seeks personality-driven content with high production value and distinctive perspectives. Applications are now open, with winners to be announced in August 2025 following summer review periods.

This new grant complements Austin PBS’s robust portfolio of educational initiatives, which includes Ready to Learn resources for children ages 2–8, focusing on science and literacy skills to prepare them for school and support long-term academic success. Play to Learn sessions help preschoolers build foundational skills, while community events like Family Fest bring families together through interactive activities and special guest appearances. Austin PBS also contributes more than 50 lessons to PBS Learning Media—free, curriculum-aligned videos and lesson plans for PK–12 educators, including Austin City Limits: Lessons from the Show. In 2024 alone, Austin PBS hosted over 250 educational workshops and more than 50 public events. The station also fosters creativity through its Kids Writers Showcase, reinforcing its commitment to inspiring learning across all ages in the Central Texas community.

Austin PBS and Austin City Limits announced a new collaboration with the Texas Cultural Trust in support of the We Love Austin Music Week initiative. This exciting effort brings the spirit of Austin’s music scene directly into schools, enhancing curriculum for music educators and inspiring students through unforgettable experiences, campus-wide celebrations, and creative ways to honor Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World.

“The support for our programming continues to inspire us, and as we look ahead, we're committed to delivering another year of impactful content that will enrich and transform the communities we serve,” said Luis Patiño, President and CEO of Austin PBS. “This year’s Made in Austin is not only a celebration of our community impact—it also marks an exciting new chapter as we expand opportunities for local content creators through our Digital Originals grant program. By investing in diverse voices and original storytelling, we’re helping shape the future of public media right here at home.”

During the special Made in Austin evening, guests had the opportunity to tour and engage with original materials in the Austin PBS Archive, where over 60 years of broadcast history are being actively preserved through the station’s in-house archive initiative. The archive supports ongoing digitization efforts—including Austin City Limits and legacy programs like *Carrascolendas*—and enables rapid access to assets for both production and marketing use. Austin PBS continues to play a vital role in ensuring Texas’s public media history is preserved and accessible for future generations.

New Austin PBS original programming includes Austin InSight, a weekly news and feature program covering issues and people that impact Central Texans. The show launched in late 2024 and airs Thursdays at 7 p.m. High School Quiz Show: Austin, premiering in 2026, is a regional adaptation of the award-winning academic competition originating out of WGBH in Boston. Produced by Austin PBS, the show brings together Central Texas high school students to showcase their knowledge and teamwork in a fun, fast-paced quiz format. Austin PBS also showcased the new PBS KIDS national program *__Carl the Collector__*—highlighting how this national series has made a real local impact right here in Austin, with Carl himself engaging with attendees during the event. Fresh from its SXSW EDU debut, this animated series follows the adventures of an autistic raccoon whose unique collecting abilities become the key to solving neighborhood problems alongside his group of friends.

Austin PBS original programming continues with new seasons of Decibel, a community-led journalism project that centers on community representation and engagement; the iconic Austin City Limits, now celebrating its 51st season, which makes it the longest-running music series in American television history; Overheard With Evan Smith, which is launching its 13th season with in-depth interviews with public figures such as politicians, authors, and artists; and Central Texas Gardener, one of Austin PBS’s most-streamed programs, returning for its 30th season with design inspiration, hands-on how-tos, and behind-the-scenes tours of Texas gardeners at home.

Austin PBS is the presenting station for several new programs, including City of Songs, an immersive travel series premiering this June that follows Texas musician Stephanie Hunt as she journeys from Austin and beyond. How Are We Today?, premiering this fall, is a groundbreaking series that builds on the legacy of Fred Rogers and Sesame Street by introducing compassionate guides who help viewers navigate mental health challenges through safe, nurturing spaces and practical tools. Cradled by Grace, premiering in spring 2026, follows Composer Sam Lipman and jazz icon Ephraim Owens as they navigate challenges to create a groundbreaking trumpet concerto to be premiered with the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Returning presenting station programming in 2025 includes On Story, Live From the LBJ Library, Blackademics, Fit 2 Stitch, Energy Switch, and the local favorite travel series hosted by Chet Garner, The Daytripper. In addition, Texas Monthly and Texas PBS have partnered for the upcoming launch of Texas Monthly Presents: The Story, a new series granting viewers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the magazine's writers and editors who champion authentic Texas voices. The inaugural season will launch in two parts–the first starting on May 4 with four episodes, and the second in the fall.

All programs will be available for viewing on KLRU-TV, AustinPBS.org, and the Austin PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. For additional information about Austin PBS and its upcoming programming, visit www.austinpbs.org.

About Austin PBS:

Since 1962, Austin PBS has been a part of Central Texas, delivering programs that educate, entertain, and inspire. As the only locally owned and operated nonprofit public television station in Central Texas, Austin PBS uses its unique position to serve as a bridge to the community and provide essential services to 3 million potential viewers in more than 20 counties across the region.

Austin PBS broadcasts 35,000 hours of curated content across four channels, devoted to education, arts and culture, and news and public affairs. We also provide a safe space for kids to learn and grow through our Austin PBS KIDS 24/7 channel. The station is home to beloved, award-winning Austin PBS Original series such as Austin City Limits, Overheard With Evan Smith, Central Texas Gardener, and its new weekly news program, Austin InSight, which blends in-depth reporting, incisive interviews, and Austin PBS’s unique approach to storytelling in an expanded commitment to news and public affairs content.

Tune into Austin PBS through one of our four channels, or stream online with the PBS App. Become a member and receive Austin PBS Passport, which gives station supporters access to even more content online—binge entire series before they air or catch up on programs you may have missed.