Parks board wants SXSW artist pay included in negotiation for use of city facilities

In response to a call for higher compensation for South by Southwest showcase musicians, the Parks and Recreation Board on Monday voted unanimously to ask the city to negotiate for fair pay for artists performing at its parkland facilities, such as Auditorium Shores.

The recommendation, which will be forwarded to City Council for possible action, also calls for fair pay conditions to be met before the city waives any fees for the use of city facilities during the 10-day festival. In a nod to the substantial economic impact of SXSW, the city has routinely waived those fees for many years.

Earlier this year, the festival came under fire from a large swath of musicians and music industry advocates, who said its compensation options – either festival credentials, $250 for a band or $100 for a solo or duo act – were far out of line with currently acceptable payment terms. Those rates have not increased in a decade.

During roughly an hour of public comment prior to the vote, Michael Whellan, an attorney representing SXSW, said payment levels for 2024 will increase to $350 for bands and $150 for solo/duo acts, and that the credential package is being improved to offer showcasing artists more opportunities to network with industry professionals to build their career.

Whellan also said 90 percent of the 1,500 acts selected to perform from more than 7,000 applicants this year chose the credential option, which he said comes with the career-building opportunities that aren’t as available for higher-paying consumer festivals like Austin City Limits Music Festival. Those festivals also typically have far smaller performance rosters.

The compensation boost is far below the level called for by the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers, who in February pushed for pay to be increased to $750 per act, along with providing festival wristbands for performers.

Chair Pedro Villalobos said the impact SXSW has on the local live music economy in March and April makes it almost a necessity for Austin musicians to perform as showcase artists, even at a low level of pay.

Board Member Lisa Hugman argued that the voluntary nature of acts submitting to play at SXSW lessens the urgency for the city to step in on behalf of artists.

“Since this is voluntary and people apply for a chance to perform … it seems like money hasn’t been an issue and that the opportunity to be on a stage is an issue,” she said. “You’ve got this big for-profit company that, yeah, could be a little more generous sharing in the goods, so we’re kind of at a crossroads with South By, whereas its original mission was as a stage to showcase your talent. But present day, people need to make money.”

The recommendation does not propose specific pay levels the city might require as part of its negotiations with SXSW. Villalobos said that is a matter best left to the city and entertainment industry professionals. He said the use of parks facilities such as Auditorium Shores, Waterloo Park, Brush Square Park and the Krieg Complex each year by SXSW is more directly related to the authority of the parks board.

Members of the Music Commission speaking on the issue did express some concern about the precedent that could be set around requiring one company to pay a set rate to artists playing in city facilities.

Last year, the city increased its own pay rate for musicians playing official events to $200 per hour for each performer. That rate was extended to a handful of SXSW events featuring local artists this spring, with the city using $30,000 from the Music and Entertainment Division budget to cover the cost for shows like the DAWA Tuesday Unity Concert at Stubb’s.

Paul Hudson from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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