The city has advised local artists and cultural contractors to hold off on submitting proposals for the next cycle of Cultural Arts project funding because of a likely drastic cut in arts money due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. At Monday’s meeting of the Arts Commission, city staff said that Hotel Occupancy Tax […]
Arts Commission
The Arts Commission advises the Austin City Council in all arts-related matters, fosters the development of the arts, and promotes cooperation between the City and the public.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Arts Commission renews concerns over new assistance for creative spaces
Members of the Arts Commission have stepped up their criticism of the Music and Entertainment Division and its handling of the Creative Space Assistance Program that recently announced grants totaling just over $750,000 to 26 arts and music groups around the city. At Monday’s meeting the commission received a brief update from Music and Entertainment […]
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 inCity Hall
Arts Commission shares concerns amid increased creative space funding
The city’s expanded program to assist local creative spaces with rent and capital expenses came under criticism from members of the Arts Commission last week. During a presentation on the recommended recipients of the Creative Space Assistance Program, commission members said city staff needs to improve transparency and communication in future annual funding rounds, and […]
Posted inUncategorized
Survey says spend creative spaces money throughout East Austin
More than 600 respondents to a recent survey have weighed in to push for the city to use $12 million in bond money to create multiple performance centers for arts and music uses in East Austin. Initial results of the survey, which closed on Tuesday, were shared Saturday at a joint meeting of the city’s […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Groups eyeing $12M for creative spaces learn ‘process is complicated’
Organizations with designs on how best to use the $12 million the city has pledged to preserve creative spaces will likely have to clear a complicated set of legal requirements before any of the money is released this fall. That was the takeaway from Monday’s meeting of the Arts Commission, where members of a working […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
With $12M for creative spaces, arts/music group starts shaping allocation process
With $12 million for acquisition of creative space approved by voters earlier this month, members of the city’s music and arts commissions will spend the rest of November generating ideas for how to best use the money for saving and adding arts spaces all over the city. A working group made up of members of […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
With cuts reduced, arts groups push city to reshape future funding
The city’s Arts Commission has asked City Council to allocate more than $1 million in extra money to arts organizations recently informed they were facing sharp cuts in their funding from the city’s Cultural Arts Division. At last Monday’s special meeting of the commission the group voted 6-1, with Commissioner Felipe Garza voting against, to […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Places and names
What do you say… The Austin street with the most confounding, or at least distinctively quirky, pronunciation could be headed for a name change. A public hearing scheduled for Thursday’s City Council meeting will focus on a request to rename Manchaca Road to Menchaca Road to correct a generations-old misspelling of the surname of Texas […]
Posted inAustin
Cuts to arts groups brings call for changes to funding mechanism
Local arts groups facing dramatic cuts in their funding levels from the city could get some relief this budget year, and possibly an earlier heads-up in future budget years if their funding allocations appear headed for a decrease. The city’s Arts Commission voted 9-0 at Monday’s meeting to reconvene a working group focused on the […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Communication
They don’t want to talk to you… Staff from the Development Services Department repeatedly told members of the Zoning and Platting Commission at their Tuesday meeting that they were legally obligated to approve a site plan for the controversial Champion project. A few of the commissioners were unconvinced that the advice they were receiving from […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Arts programs could showcase diversity under ‘inclusion rider’ concept
Austin’s Music and Arts commissions are in the early phase of a push to make the city’s contracts for cultural services take steps to reach out to underrepresented groups, in an attempt to give more opportunities to those who have been chronically shut out from the public arts world. The push is part of the […]