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 […]
Austin Music Commission
The Austin Music Commission guides city practices on music development issues, including the SxSW music festival.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music commissioners consider how to steer more grants toward working musicians
The city’s Music Commission may consider a proposal from a local advocacy group to designate a specific portion of grants from a new city grant program to be awarded to working musicians, who are increasingly finding it harder to afford living in Austin. At Monday’s meeting, the commission heard a presentation from representatives from Austin […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Three consultants enlisted to fix city’s arts, music grant programs
Amid criticism over problems with the rollout of new grant programs for artists and musicians, the Economic Development Department has hired three outside consultants to study and recommend how to improve their performance. A memo released last week by Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, director of EDD, detailed plans for improving the experience for applicants to the new […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Live Music Fund grant payments expected this week after month-plus delay
Grant recipients from the city’s Live Music Fund pilot program were expected to receive the initial 50 percent portion of their award by today, more than a month later than they were initially told they would receive the money. The delay in the grant disbursal has caused some promoters to consider delaying or canceling the […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City taking criticisms, survey results to improve Live Music Fund process
The city is taking extensive feedback from a local musician advocacy group into consideration as it works to refine the Live Music Fund’s application process, which many hopeful recipients claimed was not aligned with the needs of working musicians. At this month’s meeting of the Music Commission, representatives from the Austin Texas Musicians nonprofit group […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission asks city to include fair pay standards in SXSW negotiations
The Music Commission has joined the Parks and Recreation Board and other entities in pushing the city to require South by Southwest to further raise the amount it pays showcasing performers at the annual spring festival. The commission’s recommendation, approved 7-0, asks City Council to ensure all negotiations with SXSW for city resources include provisions […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission hears testimony and then delays vote on SXSW pay
The Music Commission delayed action on the matter of fair pay for South by Southwest performers, holding nearly three hours of discussion on the controversial topic Wednesday night before rescheduling possible action until next month. The delay on the SXSW item and several others came about because the commission only had use of the meeting […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Chicago creative hub to help shape plans for three Austin cultural facilities
By the end of the year, the city will have rough estimates for the capital expenses and operational costs for opening three music and art hubs at three cultural centers, with a Chicago group likely playing a large role in shaping the offerings and programs included in those facilities. The Music Commission received an update […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Despite its name, the Live Music Fund is not just for live music
The 650-plus applications for grants from the city’s inaugural Live Music Fund are in the early stages of evaluation and scoring, with the awards of $5,000 and $10,000 slated for initial distribution beginning in September. The Music Commission received a briefing Monday on next steps in the $3.5 million program, which closed its application process […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Council pushes for music census every five years, with data to publish on city portal
Data from the most recent census of the Austin music ecosystem will be posted on the city’s open data portal, along with data from the applicant pool for the first-ever cohort of the new Live Music Fund. Last week, City Council passed a resolution accepting the study from Sound Music Cities that surveyed more than […]
Posted inTransportation
Disability committee wants improved transportation to Austin’s major music venues
Improving transportation for the disabled to the Circuit of the Americas and the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park are two of the early goals for members of the city’s committee for the disabled who may opt to serve on an ongoing task force dedicated to improving accessibility at local music venues. Last week the Mayor’s […]
Posted inCity Hall
LBJ students eye AEDC’s future as deals for city-funded creative spaces proceed
A study of possible growth scenarios for the Austin Economic Development Corporation sees the quasi-public entity as the primary resource for helping to grow local arts organizations while also increasing collaborations between those groups and local developers. A recent report by students from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas looked […]