The Music Commission wants to increase funding for the Live Music Fund from its current $4.5 million total, and could push for hotel taxes from short-term rental sites as a funding source. At last week’s meeting, the commission received an update from the Music and Entertainment Division about the nearly 1,200 applicants for this year’s […]
Live Music Capital of the World
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City offers $4.5M for musicians, venues in latest Live Music Fund
Local musicians and qualifying independent music venues will be able to apply for $4.5 million in grants available in the second cohort of the Live Music Fund. The program, which was approved by City Council in 2019 using Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue, will open to applicants on May 21. This year’s program includes a $1 […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music insiders see opportunity as Austinite takes over at Texas Music Office
The news that the next director of the Texas Music Office will be a longtime Austinite with decades of music industry experience is seen as a positive for advocates of the local music economy. Over the weekend, news broke that Brendon Anthony plans to step down from the director position next week after nearly a […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission approves revised ‘agent of change’ measures to calm noise disputes
The city appears ready to codify measures meant to prevent noise issues from creating friction with residential developments and live music venues, nearly a decade after the conflict first received heavy attention. At Monday’s meeting, the Music Commission approved requirements offered by the Development Services Department that would make developers of new projects within 600 […]
Posted inPlanning
Incentive package for music venues, arts spaces headed for May public hearing
The city is working to make incentives for creative spaces available to individual sites and properties as well as larger cultural districts that have been proposed in city planning documents in recent years. Monday’s Arts Commission meeting included a presentation from Donald Jackson, a business process consultant in the Economic Development Department, on progress on […]
Posted inBudget
Music Commission’s $3M budget request includes HAAM funds, marketing program
The Music Commission has asked the city for just over $3 million in the next budget to expand some existing programs and provide added economic and medical assistance for local musicians. At Monday’s meeting, the commission unanimously approved six requests for the 2025 budget, which will be submitted to the Economic Development Department as part […]
Posted inBudget
HAAM seeks $500K in next year’s city budget to fund local musicians’ insurance
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians is seeking ongoing support from the city and possibly Travis County to cover the costs of subsidized health insurance coverage for more than 2,000 local musicians annually. Tonight’s Music Commission meeting will feature a presentation from HAAM CEO Paul Scott, who is looking for commissioners to approve a request for […]
Posted inCity Council
Council votes to aid Blues on the Green, explore more event sponsorships
The city has stepped forward to revive the Blues on the Green concert series held annually in Zilker Park and will look at how to support or possibly co-sponsor other music festivals or cultural events throughout the city in the future. At last week’s meeting, City Council voted 10-0, with a recusal from Council Member […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission wants tight guidelines on venues receiving Live Music Fund awards
The Music Commission has formed a working group that could reshape how the city will award grants to live music venues as part of an expansion of the Live Music Fund. The group, which will likely include five commission members and operators of a handful of local venues, is expected to deliver its recommendations by […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City could step in to aid, revive Blues on the Green summer concert series
The city could step in to provide financial assistance, fee waivers or other resources to the Blues on the Green summer concert series, which organizers announced last month was canceled for 2024 because of rising costs. On Friday, Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison posted in the City Council Message Board that she plans to present a […]
Posted inPlanning
New cultural districts could thrive with EDD’s planned framework
A pair of long-gestating city initiatives have entertainment and arts proponents eyeing the many new areas around the city that could become cultural districts in the next handful of years. Once enacted, the combination of economic incentives, infrastructure support and planning considerations could make it easier for cultural uses to cluster even as property values […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission considers dedicated grant stream for live music venues
Music venues around the city could have a dedicated source of funding in next year’s Live Music Fund program, which was created to help inject city money into the local music economy. During discussion on expected changes to the program in 2024, members of the Music Commission told city staff Monday that they’d like to […]