Turns out that Mayor Steve Adler isn’t the only one trying to make Austin musicians more business savvy. The Austin Music Foundation, a nonprofit focused on creating opportunities for local musicians, has announced its new Artist Development Program, which will utilize the expertise of music industry professionals in a seven-month course to help young and emerging artists advance to the next stage of their careers. The program, which will include mentoring and instruction on business basics, is independent of a proposed artist revenue enhancement effort that’s likely headed for a City Council vote in February. That $75,000 expenditure will be directed by the acclaimed authors of The Indie Band Survival Guide and is part of a slate of four initiatives tied to the Music & Creative Ecosystem Omnibus Resolution, which was unveiled last year as a way to help bolster Austin’s deteriorating music economy.
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written... More by Chad Swiatecki