How Your Donation Supports Austin’s Musicians — In Action
A donation to the Austin Texas Musicians Fund (ATXM) directly supports advocacy, education, and economic development—the three pillars that help working musicians not just survive, but build sustainable careers in Central Texas.
🎤 Advocacy: Turning Policy Into Paychecks
Your support funds the work that ensures musicians are fairly paid and protected.
In action, donations support:
Representation at City Hall, commissions, and policy tables where decisions affecting musicians are made to create a deeper partnership with the City of Austin to envision, strategize, and build the future of Austin’s arts and culture ecosystem
Ongoing oversight of public funding programs (like the Live Music Fund) to ensure dollars actually reach musicians and venues
Policy development and enforcement around fair pay, contracts, and city-funded performances
Community feedback loops that identify problems early and push for real-world fixes
Impact: Advocacy translates into higher pay standards, clearer contracts, and public dollars reaching working musicians—not getting lost in bureaucracy.
🎓 Education: Knowledge That Increases Income
Your donation helps musicians access practical, expert-led education that directly improves earning potential.
In action, donations support:
In-person Master Classes and panels on topics like royalties, sync licensing, entertainment law, PR/marketing, and financial literacy
Educational materials that break down complex policies, grants, and programs into clear, usable steps
Surveys and feedback tools that ensure programming reflects what musicians actually need—not assumptions
Impact: Musicians gain the tools to protect their rights, diversify income streams, and make smarter career decisions.
💼 Economic Development: From Gigs to Sustainable Careers
Your contribution helps create systems that lead to real opportunities and long-term stability.
In action, donations support:
Connecting musicians to paid performance opportunities and city-funded programs
Career-building initiatives that help artists move from one-off gigs to consistent revenue
Infrastructure that supports growth—partnerships, tools, and programs designed for working musicians, not hobbyists
Impact: More paid work, better pay, and stronger career pathways for Austin’s music community.
🎶 The Bottom Line
Your donation doesn’t just support musicians—it builds the infrastructure that allows Austin’s music economy to function.
By funding advocacy, education, and economic development together, ATXM ensures that policy wins lead to paid gigs, education leads to income growth, and musicians can afford to live and work in the city they help define.
2026 Will be Our Biggest Year Yet — And We Need Your Help to Raise $2m Urgently
We’re gearing up for our most ambitious year of growth and impact. In 2026, we’re expanding the programs and resources that directly support the lives and careers of Austin’s working musicians, including:
🎓 Expanded Education & Professional Development
Hands-on training, expert-led workshops, and career-building support to help musicians grow their skills and income.
🎛 The “Green Room” Creative Hub (Downtown)
A dedicated space for artists to collaborate, learn, record, rehearse, and access essential services right in the heart of Austin.
🚗 Discounted Parking & Safe Escort to/from Gigs
Practical, real-world support to keep musicians safe and help reduce the rising costs of performing in the city.
🎤 More Paid Performance Opportunities
New venue partnerships mean more gigs, better pay, and stronger visibility for Austin artists.
🛠 A Tech-Driven Gear Theft Solution
We’re developing tools to help protect musicians’ livelihoods and reduce the growing threat of stolen equipment.
🎶 Bigger, Better Night Shift Musician Mixers
More community-building events that bring musicians, industry pros, and supporters together to connect, collaborate, and grow.
🏛 Strengthened Advocacy — Local, State & Federal
In 2026, ATXM is doubling down on the work that shapes long-term change. This includes:
Federal-level AI lobbying to protect creators’ rights as artificial intelligence quickly reshapes copyright, compensation, and ownership.
Battling harmful streaming royalty rates that keep songwriters and performers underpaid—one of the most challenging issues in modern music policy, but one we are committed to taking on as our organization grows.
When this ship sails at full strength, ATXM will be able to devote even more time, expertise, and political pressure to fighting for fair pay across all levels of the industry.
For fifteen years, this community has built something powerful together—and these 2026 initiatives will deepen our impact even further. But we can’t do it without your support.
Your donations fuel the programs that keep Austin’s music alive. Please help us build a future where musicians can live, work, and thrive right here at home.
5 Ways You Can Support ATXM
🔁 1. Recurring Donations
Fuel year-round advocacy, education, and professional development
Recurring donations are the backbone of ATXM’s ability to plan, grow, and respond in real time—especially as we scale programs for 2026.
How to implement it
Set up a monthly or quarterly donation through GiveButter
Choose an amount that fits your budget—every dollar compounds over time
Encourage peers and colleagues to join you
Why it matters: Predictable revenue allows ATXM to commit to long-term education programs, sustained advocacy, and musician support—without interruption.
👥 2. Employee Engagement
Mobilize your team to support Austin’s creative workforce
Employee engagement initiatives turn company culture into community impact—while expanding ATXM’s reach as we scale toward 2026.
Ways companies can engage
Volunteer professional expertise (marketing, legal, finance, HR, tech)
Host or sponsor educational workshops or panels for musicians
Match employee donations during fundraising campaigns
Run internal giving drives tied to music events or milestones
Why it matters: Musicians gain critical skills and access; companies strengthen culture, purpose, and community alignment.
🤝 3. Corporate Sponsorships
Directly fund programs that increase musician income
Corporate sponsorships are a cornerstone of ATXM’s $2M goal—powering the education and professional development programs planned for 2026.
Sponsorship opportunities include
Funding a single Master Class (e.g., sync licensing, royalties, marketing)
Supporting cohort-based scholarships for musicians
Underwriting an entire program series or annual initiative
Sponsors receive recognition, visibility, and alignment with Austin’s creative economy.
Why it matters: Sponsorship dollars turn into paid opportunities, higher earnings, and long-term sustainability for musicians.
🎉 4. Fundraising Teams (Peer-to-Peer Giving)
Multiply impact through community-powered fundraising
Peer-to-peer fundraising allows supporters to activate their own networks—helping ATXM reach new donors and accelerate progress toward the $2M goal.
How it works
Create a fundraising page on GiveButter
Set a goal and invite friends, coworkers, or customers to participate
Tie your campaign to a birthday, concert, company milestone, or holiday
Celebrate progress together
Why it matters: Fundraising teams expand awareness and bring new supporters into ATXM’s mission—fast.
🛒 5. Point-of-Sale Giving
Make supporting musicians part of everyday transactions
Point-of-sale giving enables businesses to integrate philanthropy seamlessly into checkout—creating consistent, cumulative impact.
How businesses can participate
Enable round-up donations online or in-store
Add donation prompts to receipts or payment screens
Run time-bound campaigns tied to live music events
Why it matters: Small, frictionless contributions from many customers add up to meaningful funding for 2026 programs.
Help Us Build Austin’s Musical Future
Raising $2 million for 2026 will allow ATXM to expand advocacy, scale education, and unlock new economic opportunities for Austin’s working musicians.
Every recurring gift, sponsorship, employee initiative, and community fundraiser moves us closer.
Join us in building a future where musicians can live, work, and thrive in Austin.
👉 Learn more: austintexasmusicians.org
👉 Donate or start a campaign: givebutter.com/atxmusicians-donate
