The attention placed on Austin’s music community in recent years by local leaders – most especially the affordability issues and stagnant income levels of working musicians – went under the magnifying glass Tuesday at South by Southwest. Attendees of the “Austin Y’all! Sustaining a Thriving Music City” panel got to hear about the steps elected […]
Red River Cultural District
Established in 2013, the Red River Cultural District runs from Sixth Street to Tenth Street and is a cultural district with the Texas Commission for the Arts. Its creation was intended to help preserve the live music venues located within the district.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Data suggests economic boost from later Red River noise curfews
With the six-month pilot program giving outdoor music venues on Red River Street later weekend sound curfews set to expire at the end of the month, business owners and city officials are putting together their case for extending the program well into 2018. An early glimpse at some of the data being collected was available […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Don’t say that
Yeah, OK, on the record, then… During the May 9 meeting of the Community Development Commission, commissioners took up the issue of developing Levander Loop with affordable housing. After a bit of misunderstanding, Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Assistant Director Rebecca Giello told commissioners that the city had every intention of moving forward with Levander […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Red River improvements kicking off ahead of district-wide festival
The installation of three large public art projects and potential action to clean up a crime-ridden alleyway are two pieces of a campaign kicking off this week to improve the image of the Red River Cultural District. The effort brings together a mix of city departments and private businesses that are focused on preserving the […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Urban Land Institute considers future of Red River venues
Keeping live music venues alive in one of Austin’s most important creative districts will take a combination of innovative public policy, private investment dollars and cooperation of club owners that have long failed to work as a collective. That was the consensus Wednesday at the Urban Land Institute’s monthly member breakfast, which gathered over 100 […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Early numbers in, Red River venues optimistic about impact of new rules
The numbers are starting to roll in on the city’s experiment to allow later outdoor music in the Red River Cultural District. Early financial reports and anecdotes from club owners in the stretch of 13 bars and live music venues paint the city’s pilot program as beneficial to the businesses and Austin musicians. A look […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Red River proponents seek policy ‘champion’ following live music report
Streetscape improvements, greater attention to safety and partnerships with nearby community organizations are some of the steps needed to keep the Red River Cultural District a hub of live music, according to a recently completed study on the area. The technical assistance panel from the Austin chapter of the Urban Land Institute spent much of […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Don’t knock it, or try it
Delay Red River… When the Austin Monitor published a sneak peek in April of the findings of a close-to-complete draft of Urban Land Institute’s examination of the precarious state of the Red River Cultural District, one of the key findings was that the entertainment district was in its “11th hour” and in danger of being […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: The Red River Cultural District.
Music Commission Chair Gavin Garcia and Stubb’s general manager Ryan Garrett join Austin Monitor reporter Chad Swiatecki for a chat about the state of the Red River Cultural District. Join us for a conversation that tackles everything from the recent Urban Land Institute report about the district to how new noise limits are impacting the […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
All ears on Red River as noise curfew pilot program kicks off
Today marks the official start of a six-month program that will bring later hours for live music to one of the city’s most well-regarded cultural centers. Known in city channels as the Red River pilot program, the change in city policy will provide three extra hours total on weekends for outdoor music venues to feature […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Study: Red River music venues face ‘11th hour’ endangerment
A key piece of Austin’s live music scene is at a crisis point and at risk of disappearing in the coming years if dramatic action isn’t taken soon. Those are the findings included in a nearly complete report by the Urban Land Institute following its study of the economic viability of the city’s Red River […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves extended hours for five Red River music venues
Over the objections of a number of neighbors and nearby hotels, City Council approved a six-month pilot program Thursday that will allow a handful of bars on Red River Street to play outdoor live music one hour later into the night on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The measure, which was approved 9-1-1, with Council Member […]