Advancing Olfactory Art: Support the Inaugural Scent Fair Austin

My name is Carlos Moreno. I am a Latinx artist, curator, and founder of Barrio Pop Studio—an interdisciplinary practice at the intersection of art, wellness, and fragrance, deeply rooted in Latinx cultural traditions.

I am honored to have received the Nexus Grant from the City of Austin’s Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment to curate Scent Fair Austin, a pioneering event that seeks to reposition scent as a vital and legitimate medium within contemporary art discourse.

Olfaction remains one of the most underexplored and undervalued sensory modalities in the arts, yet scent possesses a profound capacity to evoke memory, identity, and cultural narratives in ways that surpass visual or auditory expression. My own journey began with early immersion in Latinx cultural expression, followed by formal Art History studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Later, a fellowship at the Andy Warhol Museum introduced me to Warhol’s lesser-known fascination with olfaction, deepening my understanding of scent’s potential as an artistic medium.

Inspired by this intersection of sensory art and cultural heritage, I founded Barrio Pop Studio to create olfactory experiences that preserve and celebrate Latinx identity and wellness. Scent Fair Austin is the natural extension of this work—a dedicated platform for olfactory art that fosters critical dialogue, cultural exchange, and community engagement.

About Scent Fair Austin

Set for November 2, 2025, at Future Front House in Austin, Scent Fair Austin will convene artists, scholars, and the public for a one-day immersive program featuring olfactory installations, critical conversations, and participatory experiences. By centering scent, a historically marginalized sense within art discourse, the Fair challenges prevailing sensory hierarchies and expands the boundaries of artistic expression.

The event will be free and open to the public, ensuring accessibility and fostering inclusivity across diverse communities.

Why Your Support Matters

While the Nexus Grant provides essential seed funding, realizing the full scope of Scent Fair Austin requires an additional $10,000.

These funds will support:

Join Us as a Sponsor

Donors who contribute $1,000 or more will be formally acknowledged as official sponsors in event publications and digital media. Every donor, regardless of amount, will receive a personalized handwritten thank you card as a token of my deepest gratitude.

A Transformative Opportunity

This initiative marks a pivotal moment in Austin’s cultural landscape and in my own artistic trajectory. By supporting Scent Fair Austin, you help establish an innovative platform for sensory art that affirms Latinx heritage and challenges conventional art paradigms.

Save the Date

Scent Fair Austin

November 2, 2025

Future Front House

1900 E. 12th St.

Help shape the future of olfactory art and cultural engagement. Your contribution will broaden the dialogue around how we experience and understand art—through scent, memory, and identity.

Thank you for your donation.

Carlos Arick Moreno