Local Musicians, Venue Owners Hope City Office Drives Opportunity for Austin Music Scene
By Joseph Sweeney
Reporting Texas
Photo by Joseph Sweeney Outside Hole in the Wall
The City of Austin created the Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment on Feb. 14 as a new way of attracting tourism and stimulating collaboration between the city’s creative sectors.
Prior to the ACME office, five separate city departments existed to promote local music, special events, cultural centers, heritage centers, cultural arts and art in public places respectively, according to a Feb. 14 city press release.
“By bringing teams and resources together, we can improve coordination, streamline programs, and increase overall effectiveness in serving the local music community,” an ACME spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Reporting Texas.
The office will work alongside the city Music Commission to strengthen Austin’s music scene and said in the statement they will be able to provide more resources to local musicians and venues.
The statement added the Austin Live Music Fund, which drives tourism to the city and promotes local music, and other initiatives that will be housed under the new office to allow for more ‘streamlined support.’
“The new office is poised to establish Austin as a global leader in the arts, culture, music, and entertainment sectors, while enhancing access for the community,” the office said.
Clayton England, general manager of Hole in the Wall, a bar which hosts live music, said the arts community has wanted an office to support them for a long time.
In recent years, England said he has seen a number of local music venues close due to rising costs of living and competition by larger national music promoters.
“It’s not just musicians, it’s booking agents and production people; people that are doing it professionally and people that are doing it just because they enjoy it and the population of those people has diminished significantly,” said England.
England said he sees the new office as a sign the city is moving in the right direction.
Nicholas Challier, a musician under UT student-run record label UTalent Records said music is a cornerstone in the city’s culture and that the city should support its local artists given its status as the ‘Live Music Capital of the World.’
Challier, a British exchange student from the University College of London, added he always knew he wanted to come to Austin to grow his musical career, and that local venues are what create opportunity for musicians like him.
“The importance of keeping the grassroots of singer-songwriters in Austin and small venues and supporting them is, I’d say, immeasurable,” said Challier.