Austin Music Foundation unveils program to mentor young artists

Turns out that Mayor Steve Adler isn’t the only one trying to make Austin musicians more business savvy. The Austin Music Foundation, a nonprofit focused on creating opportunities for local musicians, has announced its new Artist Development Program, which will utilize the expertise of music industry professionals in a seven-month course to help young and emerging artists advance to the next stage of their careers. The program, which will include mentoring and instruction on business basics, is independent of a proposed artist revenue enhancement effort that’s likely headed for a City Council vote in February. That $75,000 expenditure will be directed by the acclaimed authors of The Indie Band Survival Guide and is part of a slate of four initiatives tied to the Music & Creative Ecosystem Omnibus Resolution, which was unveiled last year as a way to help bolster Austin’s deteriorating music economy.