Downtown sidewalk

PROGRAMS

The Art in Public Places program works with local and nationally-known artists to create cultural landmarks in Austin's community.

The City of Austin is no longer accepting applications for the Arts Education Relief Grant. Visit the Cultural Funding page for other cultural funding opportunities.

The Arts Education Relief Grant offers $25,000 grants to Austin’s diverse non-profit arts education providers.

The Live Music Fund was established by City of Austin Ordinance No. 20190919-149 on September 19, 2019 and provides an ongoing budget for annual cultural funding programs benefitting Austin's music industry.

The Business Expansion Incentive Program is a pay-for-performance program that pays out annually to qualified businesses.

The City of Austin Economic Development Department is actively searching for a master developer partner to work with city staff and the community to plant seeds of change for a more complete community in this part of Austin.  By working together, we can develop the 208-acres of publicly-owned land to help transform it into a complete community with vibrant opportunities to live, shop, work, and play.

The Community Navigator Program supports local businesses, non-profit organizations, and creative professionals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information on the importance of equity in grant funding.

Cultural Arts Funding Program supports programs for the Austin community.

The City of Austin values the creative industries as vital contributors to our community’s character and prosperity. An economic impact study commissioned in 2011 estimates the total impact of gaming and digital media to be over $990 million, with projected growth over the next decade. The Department works to develop digital media and gaming in Austin in partnership with local economic development, workforce, and financing organizations.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program allows qualified investors to become eligible for green cards for themselves and their dependent family members. To qualify, individuals must invest $1 million in a commercial enterprise that creates 10 jobs. For complete information about the program, please visit the USCIS EB-5 website.

Short films by local filmmakers reflecting the diverse faces, voices, and experiences of our City.

Austin was named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s "Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2022", ranking eighth out of 25 cities nationally and placing as the top city in Texas for moviemakers:

The award-winning public-private partnership between the City of Austin and Catellus Development Group was the result of hundreds of public meetings and collaboration between the City, its consultants and community stakeholders.

Opportunity Zones are part of a federal tax incentive provision that encourages investors to re-invest capital gains into Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds, which then invest in businesses, real estate, or business assets located in an Opportunity Zone.

Find resources and assistance for international businesses looking to expand in Austin.

A program that promotes Austin’s educational, cultural, and economic presence in the international community.

Souly Austin is a place-based economic development program focused on creating and retaining strong, vibrant, culturally rich and diverse neighborhood business districts throughout Austin. Under the initiative, business owners receive a flexible set of tools to assist in the formation of merchants associations and organized commercial districts.

The People’s Gallery is an annual exhibition at Austin City Hall that displays local and regional artwork to more than 210,000 visitors every year.

SERVICES

The Family Business Loan Program is a public-private partnership between the City of Austin, HUD, and participating private lenders to offer low-interest loans to qualified small businesses that are expanding and creating jobs.