About Us

About Us

About Us

The Power of One Voice

In 2008, just before competing in the first season of “The Voice” television show, Nakia Reynoso created a private Facebook Group for musicians in Central Texas to connect, find gigs, trade gear, and access information.

As membership grew, so did the need for advocacy.

By 2019, the network had grown significantly, so Nakia gathered a small group of working musicians to formalize the next steps. Soon after, the Austin Texas Musicians™ 501(c)3 organization was formed to provide advocacy, education, and economic development aimed at supporting local musicians and community growth.

Today, through the combined efforts and resources of its members, Austin Texas Musicians is committed to elevating industry conditions and empowering professional musicians to lend their voice for change.

A smiling man with wavy brown hair and a beard, wearing a white T-shirt, against a black background.
group of enthusiastic musicians

About Us Now…

Over the past several years, the Austin Texas Musicians Fund has grown from a grassroots online community into a powerful advocate and resource network for the working musicians of Central Texas.

Representing over 6,000 local artists, it has delivered significant impact across three core pillars—advocacy, education and economic development—to preserve Austin’s legacy as the Live Music Capital of the World.

  • Advocacy: The Fund has elevated the voices of musicians in policy and community decision-making, helping secure stronger pay standards and protections for artists who allow our city’s music scene to thrive.

  • Education: Through workshops, training, and peer networking, it has empowered musicians to build sustainable careers—arming them with business literacy, industry insight and community connection.

  • Economic Development: By facilitating paid performance opportunities, creating strategic partnerships and supporting career pathways, the Fund has strengthened the economic viability of working musicians and enabled more artists to choose to live and work in Austin.

Your support makes this work possible. Every donation helps the Fund continue lifting up the people who give Austin its creative heartbeat—so that the music stays alive, the musicians stay here, and our community keeps moving forward.

Check out our accomplishments in each area below to see how your support helps keep Austin’s music strong, its musicians empowered, and its creative heartbeat alive.

Community Impact through Advocacy

A woman speaking to a crowd at a protest or rally outside a building with the words 'CITY HALL' on the facade. The crowd is diverse, wearing face masks, and some are holding signs.

Results: Advocacy

The ATX Musicians’ advocacy efforts have been instrumental in securing policy changes that have yielded far-reaching impacts on our members and stakeholders alike. Some wins include:

  • The advocacy efforts of ATX Musicians resulted in the first-ever sustainable recurring funding for music in the United States.

    Thanks to this effort, the City of Austin created the Austin Live Music Fund, directing $8 million in grants to local musicians and venues so far—with more support rolling out every year to strengthen our city’s creative workforce.

  • Worked with the Austin City Council to create a standardized pay rate of $200 per musician for all city-funded performances.

  • Lobbied State Legislators to defeat anti-LGBTQIA+ bills that would have had devastating financial impact on Texas’ performing arts industry.

  • Helped secure $6M in Federal Relief Grants for musicians and $5M for venues.

  • Registered thousands of new voters in Travis County, El Paso, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley.

Community Impact through Education

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Educational Programs

From professional development to unbiased news reporting, ATXM offers educational programs that help the music community grow professionally, learn how to become entrepreneurs, and stay informed about issues that affect them.

    • Over the years, ATXM has produced dozens of educational webinars for musicians on topics ranging from;

    • Copyright Royalties,

    • The American Music Fairness Act

    • Mechanical Licensing Collective

    • Relief Grants

    • Unemployment

    • Voter Education

    • COVID Safety and more…

  • Hosted educational events in conjunction with Texas Music Office, BMI, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts, Austin Music Foundation, Mechanical Licensing Collective, Sound Exchange, Music Managers Forum and more.

    • Launched ATXM NEWS, a 30-minute news program focused on issues and inspiration within our music community.

Community Impact through Economic Development

A vintage cream-colored car parked in front of the Antones music venue in downtown Austin. The venue has bright neon signs and colorful lighting, with several people gathered outside.

Economic Development

Community is the cornerstone of ATXM work. This includes economic development, preservation efforts, and community-building events. Historical efforts include:

  • Connected musicians with unemployment benefits, during the COVID pandemic, through partnership with Texas Workforce Commission.

  • Offer virtual job fairs and jobs lists for musicians through partnership with Workforce Solutions

  • Secured more than $200K in paid performance opportunities for ATXM PRO members

  • Secured $35K to revitalize the historic Doris Miller Auditorium, serving East Austin’s Black and Latin communities

  • Currently working on a permanent home for the Texas Music Museum, a downtown creative hub including parking and safety solutions, and an anti-theft solution for musical instruments.