The vice chair of the Music Commission has called for the city to create a Black Live Music Fund that would support the business interests of black musicians, possibly with money from the recently created Live Music Fund. In a recent statement made at a meeting of the working group formed to determine how to […]
Austin Music Commission
The Austin Music Commission guides city practices on music development issues, including the SxSW music festival.
Posted inAustin
Amid criticism, Music Commission looks to revise eligibility for $1.5M grant program
Members of the Music Commission will begin pushing for the city to relax the application process for those applying for a $1.5 million grant program created to assist musicians facing hardships due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Wednesday the commission heard complaints about the eligibility requirements for the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund, which was […]
Posted inAustin
City taking steps toward $1,000 grants for musicians impacted by Covid-19
The city is preparing to give grants of up to $1,000 to musicians who have lost income and are facing severe economic hardships due to the shutdown of music-related businesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. At Wednesday’s meeting of the Music Commission staff, community members and commissioners discussed the best way to handle […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission backs Council proposal to unlock $4.5M to aid artists, venues
The Music Commission has asked the city to protect and replenish the recently created Live Music Fund if any of it is used to help musicians and music venues impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. At a special meeting called for Wednesday – making the group the second city commission to meet virtually – the nine […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City adds funding and transparency to program helping endangered creative spaces
The city is making changes to a program created to assist music venues and creative spaces facing displacement, with the primary goal of making the selection process for grant recipients more transparent. The Creative Space Assistance Program, which was fully launched last year with $750,000 in funding after a smaller pilot program in 2018, will […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission seeks answers on lingering sound enforcement, ‘agent of change’ issues
The Music Commission has asked representatives from the Austin Police Department to attend its next meeting to discuss the delay in moving sound enforcement responsibilities from the police department to the city’s music office. At last week’s meeting, Rebecca Reynolds, president of the local Music Venue Alliance, said she has been looking into “a little […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: The breakdown of wide-eyed, optimistic exuberance
The trouble with working groups… At the Feb. 3 meeting of the Public Safety Commission, two agenda items required the appointment of commissioners to serve on working groups. These groups are tasked with assisting the city in determining the scope of work future consultants will need to complete for the APD systemic racism study and […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Reverse correlations
Reports of sexual assault down in 2019 for Austin and the country… Juliana Gonzales, the senior director of sexual assault services at the SAFE Alliance, came to give her monthly update to the Public Safety Commission on Jan. 6. She told the commission that overall reports of sexual violence were down for 2019. “We’re not […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music working group seeks cooperation, transparency between artists and venues
Advocates for local musicians are hoping some of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax funds for commercial music will be used to formalize relationships between venues and artists and lead to an agreement on a living wage for performers. Monday’s meeting of the Music Commission included discussion on minimum payment standards among musicians and members of […]
Posted inAustin
Music commissioners want urgency, care in spending hotel tax money for industry
Members of the Music Commission and interest groups related to the city’s music industry are pushing for quick decisions on how to spend an initial pool of Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars that City Council allocated for the city’s commercial music industry. At last Monday’s meeting, representatives from the groups Music Moves Austin and Austin Texas […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Arts, music groups target underserved communities with $12M for creative spaces
The first draft of guidelines for how the city will allocate $12 million in bond money for creative spaces shows that priority will be given to historically underserved communities and groups that have a track record of working with marginalized people. The public got a look at the long-expected recommendations Saturday at a joint meeting […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music commissioners push ACL Fest promoters for more local involvement, equity
Members of the Music Commission appear to have opened the door for a partnership between the city and local concert promotion giant C3 Presents to feature more Austin musicians at Austin City Limits Fest and other festivals run by the company around the world. The Nov. 4 meeting featured something of a first for the […]