Music and Entertainment Industry Development
The Music and Entertainment Industry Development team supports the development of Austin's creative economies through programs focused on revenue and creative jobs development, cultural tourism development, and creative small business and nonprofit support. These efforts are informed by music and entertainment industry best practices and ongoing collaboration with our City of Austin partners.
Contact Shelbi Mitchell for details about the following creative economy development programs:
Music and Entertainment Industry Development Support
- Public Performance Program
Austin is truly unique for the sheer number of musicians and bands playing original music throughout the city every night of the week. The Public Performance Program highlights and promotes this amazing talent by paying Austin-based artists representing all genres to perform as part of City of Austin programs year-round. We invite eligible Austin-based musicians and bands to add their information to our database to be considered for these ongoing performance opportunities through a process focused on equitable participation and representation.
- Artist & Creative Business Development
Meet with one of our team to learn about coaching and training opportunities for musicians, live music venues, and event organizers.
- Entertainment Industry Services Assistance
Entertainment Industry Assistance is available from across the City for all kinds of music and entertainment related topics, from creative space stabilization to amplified sound.
Music and Entertainment Industry Development Partners
- Austin Music Trade Alliance
The Austin Music Trade Alliance is dedicated to promoting Austin’s music industry globally, while building lasting industry relationships and networks between Austin and network cities for ongoing touring, recording, publishing, and licensing collaboration. Alliance partners include Austin Sister Cities Program & Austin Sister Cities International, Visit Austin, SXSW Music Festival and Conference, and KUTX, which work with a local committee to select the Austin participants each year:
2025
- Austin Friendship City Manchester brought their musicians to Austin to perform in official SXSW Music Showcases and participate in networking events organized by the City of Austin in March. The next step in the partnership was to showcase Austin musicians in the United Kingdom.
- In June, the Alliance delegation—including bands Grace Sorenson, and Geto Gala, as well as promoters Dev Sherlock (SXSW) and Lizzie Dragon (C3 Presents)—traveled to the first ever SXSW London to perform and network. The musicians played an official SXSW London Music Showcase with Mayor Watson in attendance. Mayor Watson highlighted why Austin remains a top U.S. destination for music tourism and companies to grow, as well as the importance of SXSW’s impact on the local economies of both cities.
- The delegation then traveled to Austin Friendship City Manchester to network with their music industry counterparts at venue tours hosted by local independent promoters, as well as round table and networking events organized by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
- Learn more in the 2025 International Engagements Annual Report (PDF) prepared by the Mayor's office.
2026
- The Alliance was part of the “Austin Sister Cities International Delegation” to the United Kingdom and Ireland, which gathered a delegation of Austin-based industry experts from three prioritized industry sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences, and the Creative Economy. The delegation was led by Mayor Kirk Watson and representing the Creative Economy were Austin bands Quentin, Briscoe, and Nagavalli and talent buyers were Dev Sherlock (Director, SXSW Music) and Deidre Gott (Assistant Program Director, KUTX).
- At SXSW London, the delegation attended panels and the bands performed in the official “Live Music Capital of the World®" Music Showcase, attended by conference attendees, Austin delegates, and Mayor Kirk Watson.
- The tour continued to Austin's newest Sister City, Manchester. The Greater Manchester and City of Austin Sister City partnership was established through a signed Memorandum of Understanding to develop a long-term relationship that creates mutual benefits through culture, creative industries, music, education, research, innovation, trade, investment and knowledge exchange. The bands performed at the signing event at Media City and participated in tours and networking events.
- The tour concluded in Austin Sister City Limerick, Ireland, with networking events, tours, and a show at Dolans Kasbah, a longtime independent live music venue operated by Dolans Presents.
- Texas Music Office
Austin is designated as a Music Friendly Community in the State of Texas through the Texas Music Office. The program provides designees with a network for fostering music industry development and sends a clear message to industry professionals that certified music communities are serious about attracting and developing new business.
The Office of the Governor’s Texas Music Office created the Texas Music Industry Directory to list music businesses of all kinds, from commercial music, to education, to tour services. The Division provides the maintenance and promotion of Austin’s portion of the directory, which connects members of the community to cultivate a stronger Austin music industry.
- HAAM Day Music Fest
The City of Austin is a longtime supporter of the HAAM Day Music Fest. This event is like having the entire Austin music scene in your backyard for a day….except anyone and everyone can come over, listen LIVE all day and into the night, and admission is free! Consider this is your official invite to get clued in to (or rediscover) why Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World and how critical it is to support the health of local music, and the music heroes who make the scene so major.
- Love Austin Music Month
KUTX and the Music and Entertainment division have declared each January as Love Austin Music Month to highlight and spread the love of Austin music.
- SXSW Community Music Showcases
The division supports paid opportunities for Austin's musicians and bands to perform in official free community showcases curated and produced by local nonprofits that coordinate with the SXSW Music Festival and Conference during the annual springtime festival.
- Austin-Toronto Music City Alliance
The Austin-Toronto Music City Alliance—a first of its kind trade and export alliance for commercial music—is a public-private partnership with the Division, Austin City Council, the City of Toronto Music Sector, Economic Development & Culture Division, and private industry leaders in both Austin and Toronto.