Oct. 6th: Kozmetsky Center of Excellence Community Forum 2
Is Austin Still the Live Music Capital?
This September, ATXM and the Kozmetsky Center for Civic Engagement will launch a new Community Forum Series focused on the future of Austin's music ecosystem.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 6, 1 PM- 3 PM, at Jones Auditorium at St. Edward’s University in downtown Austin.
Austin has proudly carried the title of the Live Music Capital of the World®, yet rising costs, changing economics, venue challenges, evolving technology, and shifting audience behavior have created important questions about the future of the city's music ecosystem.
This two-part public forum series will bring together artists, venues, promoters, policymakers, educators, students, and community leaders for balanced, solution-oriented conversations about protecting Austin's creative culture and strengthening the live music economy. Each forum will include a Community Mixer & Live Music in the Kozmetsky Center Carriage House garden on campus.
Series Goals
Educate the public on Austin's music ecosystem.
Foster respectful, solution-oriented conversations.
Strengthen collaboration among artists, venues, industry, government, and community organizations.
Provide experiential learning opportunities for students.
Develop educational resources extending beyond the live events.
Image courtesy of Kozmetsky Center of Excellence, St. Edward’s University.
Forum Two – October 6, 2026
Is Austin Still the Live Music Capital? Understanding Austin’s Live Music Venue Ecosystem
Hear venue owners, producers, promoters, and ticketing professionals discuss how Austin can continue to make live music accessible while ensuring artists and venues remain financially sustainable.
Panelists will Explore
Education for the public on Austin's music ecosystem.
Foster respectful, solution-oriented conversations.
Strengthen collaboration among artists, venues, industry, government, and community organizations.
Provide experiential learning opportunities for students.
Develop educational resources extending beyond the live events.
Event Details
Date : Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Reception Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Reception Location: Carriage House/Kozmetsky Center for Civic Engagement
Enjoy food, drinks, and music. Join musicians, students, civic leaders, community members, media, and panelists before the Forum discussion.
Forum Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Forum Location: Jones Auditorium (In Ragsdale Center Building) St. Edward’s University
1st Floor Building RAGS RM, Ragsdale Center, Moody Dr #101, Austin, TX 78704
Admission: Free and open to the public. Capacity is limited to 310 guests; RSVP required.
Featured Panelists
Rebecca Reynolds — President & Founder, Music Venue Alliance Austin
Rebecca Reynolds is an Austin-based attorney and venue advocate who founded Music Venue Alliance Austin to give independent music venues a coordinated voice in public policy. She has worked with venue operators and civic leaders on preservation funding, emergency relief, and the regulatory and economic conditions that shape whether small and midsize stages can survive. Her advocacy connects the day-to-day realities of venue businesses with the policy decisions that determine Austin's cultural future.
Nicole Klepadlo — Executive Director, Red River Cultural District
Nicole Klepadlo is a community and economic development leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing mission-driven initiatives and public policy. With a background in social work and urban planning, she brings a deep understanding of the relationship between people, place, commerce, and cultural experience. As Executive Director of the Red River Cultural District, Klepadlo works to preserve and strengthen a district facing intense development and business-viability pressures. She also builds coalitions across music nonprofits and local, state, and federal partners to protect vulnerable creative-economy infrastructure.
Will Bridges — Owner, Antone’s Nightclub
Will Bridges is an owner of Antone's Nightclub, Austin's renowned home of the blues. As part of the team stewarding the venue into its next generation, he has helped protect Antone's musical legacy while building a sustainable future for the club. Recent work includes a long-term lease and plans for the Antone's World Famous Museum of the Blues, an example of how venue leadership, cultural preservation, philanthropy, and civic investment can work together.
Graham Williams — CEO & Executive of Talent Buying, Resound Presents
Graham Williams is the founder and CEO of Resound Presents and serves as its Executive of Talent Buying. An Austin concert promoter with experience spanning independent clubs, festivals, and regional touring, he has booked shows since his teens and has built organizations around artist development and distinctive live experiences. His career gives him a broad view of the relationships among artists, agents, promoters, venues, ticket buyers, and the costs that shape a viable show.
Emmett Beliveau — COO, C3 Presents, Chair of Rally Austin
Emmett S. Beliveau is Chief Operating Officer of Austin-based C3 Presents, which produces major festivals and live events in the United States and around the world. Before joining C3 in 2015, he served for seven years in senior roles at the Obama White House, including Director of the White House Military Office, where he led a 2,500-person organization supporting presidential operations. He also served as CEO of the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee. Beliveau chairs Rally Austin and serves on the board of the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.
Pedro Carvahlo — Owner and CEO, The Far Out Lounge, Co-Chair, Austin Music Commission
Pedro Carvalho is an owner and the CEO of The Far Out Lounge, the South Austin venue and gathering place opened in 2019. He also serves in civic music leadership as Co-Chair of the Austin Music Commission. Working at the intersection of venue operations and public policy, Carvalho brings direct experience with programming, staffing, production, neighborhood relationships, outdoor-event logistics, and the financial realities of sustaining an independent cultural business.
Moderator: David Thomason, Ph.D., Executive Director, Kozmetsky Center for Civic Engagement
David Thomason, Ph.D, directs the Kozmetsky Center of Excellence at St. Edward’s University, and serves as an associate professor of Political Science at St. Edward’s University. He brings more than 20 years of experience in government-related leadership, public policy, and higher education, with expertise in state and local policy, public budgeting, advocacy, civic engagement, and the legislative process. Thomason created and directed the university’s Civics Lab and has worked in the Texas Senate, the Arizona Legislature, a major Texas health-care association, and public-policy consulting across more than 15 states. He also co-developed the $750,000 American Civic Explorers initiative, which expands hands-on civic education for students, educators, and community leaders.
Getting There / Parking Directions
Driving Directions:
Target the Carriage House, St. Edwards University via Google Maps for lunch reception: https://maps.app.goo.gl/13SqvhPP7s8erXBu5
Target Ragsdale Center Building via Google Maps. Easy access from South Congress. The Jones Auditorium is located on the first floor, upon entrance:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SM6i4qvmb65NhJX87
Register vehicle before you drive to event:
Enter code: Kozmetsky2026
Parking
Target Faculty (black), Standard (green), Economy (yellow) lots near the Ragsdale or Carriage House buildings. Lots of options!
Wear comfortable walking shoes!
About Dr. Thomason and The Kozmetsky Center of Civic Engagement at St. Edward’s University
David Thomason, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Kozmetsky Center for Civic Engagement and Associate Professor of Political Science at St. Edward’s University. He brings more than 20 years of experience in government-related leadership and higher education, with expertise in state and local government, public budgeting and policy, advocacy, civic engagement, grassroots organizing, and the legislative process.
At St. Edward’s, Dr. Thomason created and directed the Civics Lab, an innovative program that equips students with the knowledge and practical tools to become active, engaged citizens. Today, he leads the Kozmetsky Center’s work connecting students, faculty, and the broader Austin community with nonprofit leaders, public officials, scholars, and media experts to generate collaborative solutions to challenging public issues.
Dr. Thomason holds a doctorate in political science from Arizona State University, a Master of Arts from the University of Missouri, and a Bachelor of Arts from West Texas A&M University. He will moderate the Kozmetsky Center Community Forum, “Is Austin Still the Live Music Capital? Protecting Austin’s Creative Culture.” Visit https://www.stedwards.edu/academics/centers-institutes-arts/kozmetsky-center-excellence for more information or to get involved.
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