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 […]
Music and Entertainment Division
A department of the city’s economic development division geared toward growing the music and entertainment industry.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City releases road map for ‘agent of change,’ sound compatibility issues
The city’s Economic Development and Development Services departments will spend much of the next 12 months implementing a variety of measures to reduce noise complaints and other issues that arise between residents and nearby entertainment businesses. On Wednesday, EDD released a summary of the steps that will need to be taken at the administrative level […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Gooooooooooooals
Different goals… Politics, as they say, is (are?) a full-contact sport. Unlike men’s soccer, which mostly has a bunch of grown men flopping around like children at the slightest breeze (women’s soccer, we’ll note, is far less lame). Nonetheless, Austin politics is now all about soccer thanks to Anthony Precourt and his aspirations to relocate […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City tour support, tipping program previewed in summit for Austin musicians
The city’s music office is moving ahead with plans that could provide up to $5,000 in assistance for touring bands, as well as installing credit card kiosks in a handful of city music venues so fans can more easily tip performers and adding musicians to the city’s creative ambassador program that could help cover some […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Live music proponents revive ‘agent of change,’ with eye toward fall
After it lay dormant since July, city leaders and music industry professionals are restarting the process that – it is hoped – will protect live music venues and nearby residential buildings from clashing over noise and general quality-of-life issues. Known as “agent of change,” the concept would place the responsibility on the new business or […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Unclear regulations and development top music venue concerns
Thursday’s summit with music venue owners and operators saw a bit of political scheduling serendipity. Among the many issues discussed by them and other music community stakeholders was the fact that that afternoon City Council was set to consider a resolution that could impact their bottom lines on one of the busiest nights of the […]
Posted inCity Hall
Music Commission seeks city properties list, but who’s got it?
Austin’s Music Commission is making another push to have the city’s Office of Real Estate Services compile a list of city-owned properties that are currently unused and could be made available for creative groups and music venues that get priced out of their locations. At Monday’s meeting, Commissioner Rick Carney brought up the fact that […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: More like Fist City
And the most music-friendly city in Texas is?… Not Austin. At least not according to the Texas Music Office and its new Music Friendly Communities program, which last week recognized Fort Worth as its first member. The program is part of the state’s effort to get cities around the state thinking and acting with musicians and […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
‘Agent of change’ remains static for now
With a brand-new manager of Austin’s Music and Entertainment Division, there’s not expected to be any upcoming action on the so-called “agent of change” policy that dominated the bandwidth of that office for the first six months of 2017. That’s in part because new manager Erica Shamaly is expected to focus first on the remaining […]
Posted inCity Hall
City reveals new music division manager
The city has selected the new head of the Music and Entertainment Division, roughly three months after the position opened following a cloud of controversy. The announcement that Erica Shamaly, a longtime Austinite with close to two decades in local film and music industries, will take over the position as of July 24 came at […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Hotels to join music venues, residents in revamping ‘agent of change’ proposal
Representatives from Austin’s music venues, neighborhood groups and hotel industry are expected to begin meeting next week to rework the city’s long-gestating “agent of change” policy intended to reduce friction between those three interest groups. That charge was the result of a meeting Thursday morning between a broad collection of parties including stakeholders from those […]
Posted inCity Hall
Allegations fly in music division ethics case
Wednesday’s ethics hearing for a former city employee charged with improperly obtaining city funds featured a series of allegations and testimony against the recently departed head of the city’s Music and Entertainment Division. The 11-member Ethics Review Commission was reduced to a bare six-member quorum because of two absences, two recusals and one vacancy. Commissioners […]