Economic Development

Economic Development

Community Impact through Economic Development

Preservation

We collaborate with civic leaders, sponsors, and community partners to restore historic music spaces and create new ones.
Projects include:

  • Doris Miller Auditorium Revitalization

  • Texas Music Museum Preservation

  • Downtown Creative Hub Plan with free community space, parking, and safe escorts for performers.

A close-up of a drum set on a stage with colorful purple and blue lighting, including cymbals, drums, and drumsticks, with a microphone positioned near the drums.

Paid Performances

Through partnerships with The Trail Conservancy, Easy Tiger, Workforce Solutions, and Armadillo World Headquarters, we’ve distributed $200K+ in paid gigs at or above Austin’s $200 standard pay rate.

Three people and a dog posing in front of a colorful poster at an event. The person on the left is wearing a black T-shirt with a logo, has a staff badge around their neck, and is smiling. The person in the middle is making a peace sign, has tattoos, and is excitedly smiling. The person on the right is wearing glasses, a black mask, a baseball cap, and a dress with a red, black, and cream pattern, and is holding a small dog with a striped shirt.

Equity & Opportunity

By deeply engaging with Austin’s Black, Latinx, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, Women, and Disabled musician communities, ATXM builds solutions that improve access, representation, and safety.

Building a Sustainable Future for Austin’s Creative Workforce

Creating real economic opportunity for Austin’s
musicians and the venues that keep live music alive.

ACL Fest 2018, Gary Clark, Jr.

2018 ACL Fest crowd waiting for Austin local, Gary Clark, Jr.

A DJ performs at a crowded nightclub with people dancing on the main floor and upper balcony, with bright lights and fog effects.

Vulcan Gas Company. Photo Courtesy of Vulcan Gas Company.

A person performing music with a guitar at an outdoor festival, with a large crowd and white tents in the background.

Dylan Gosset at ACL Fest 2025. Photo courtesy of Izzy Nuzzo.

Success Stories

Austin Texas Musicians works to strengthen Austin’s music economy by advocating for policies and programs that provide direct financial opportunities for working musicians.

Through collaboration with the City of Austin and local music leaders, ATXM helped advance the creation of the Live Music Fund, which now distributes approximately $4 million annually in grants to support musicians, venues, promoters, and music industry professionals. ATXM also played a key role in establishing the City of Austin’s $200 minimum pay standard for city-funded music performances, helping set a baseline for fair compensation.

In addition, ATXM has helped generate more than $200,000 in paid booking opportunities for local artists through partnerships and programming. Together, these efforts provide meaningful income opportunities while strengthening the long-term sustainability of Austin’s live music ecosystem.

2026 Initiatives Your Brand Can Power

Choose how you’d like to support ATXM.
Sponsor an Initiative that Inspires You.

  • A man with gray hair wearing a blue suit standing in front of a historic government building with a large dome topped by a statue, under a clear blue sky and nearby flagpoles with flags.

    Advocacy: Local, State & Federal

    Doubling down on the work that shapes long-term change—strengthening advocacy at every level (local to federal), AI protections for creators and fighting unfair streaming royalties to ensure musicians are paid fairly in a rapidly evolving industry.

  • image collage

    Advocating for Legislative Change

    ATXM remains committed to advocating for legislative change at the local, state, and federal levels to protect musicians and independent artists from unauthorized use of their work, voice, likeness, and creative identity via the use of generative A.I. models.

  • full audience for a panel discussion

    Expanded Education & Professional Development

    Hands-on training, expert-led workshops, and career-building support to help musicians grow their skills and income. In-person, and online.

  • A group of people standing and sitting in front of a theater marquee that reads, "Thank you Downtown Alliance Ambassadors". The group is wearing matching red and blue shirts, with some holding trash collection carts with the logo "Downtown Austin Alliance". Two street sweepers are parked behind them.

    Downtown Vision Plan

    After years of work, our grand vision for a safer, more financially viable downtown for musicians advances to Council later this summer. Items include: 1.) Free late-night safety escorts until 3 a.m., 2.) significantly reduced parking fees for musicians and service industry workers, 3.) a clean, safe and sober Downtown Green Room where artists can gather, collaborate, and recharge before and after gigs, 4.) and a shuttle service connecting musicians, workers, and patrons throughout downtown.

  • 🛡️ Free Late-Night Safety Escorts

    Every musician deserves to get home safely after a performance. In partnership with the Downtown Austin Alliance's Block by Block Ambassadors, this initiative envisions free safety escorts until 3:00 a.m. for musicians, service industry workers, and visitors—helping create a safer, more welcoming downtown after dark.

  • 🚗 Reduced Parking for Musicians & Service Industry Workers

    Parking costs can quickly eat into a night's earnings. ATXM is advocating for significantly reduced parking fees for musicians and service industry workers, making it more affordable to work downtown while strengthening Austin's live music and hospitality economy.

  • 🎸 Downtown Green Room

    The Downtown Green Room is envisioned as a clean, safe, and sober gathering space where musicians can recharge before and after performances. More than a lounge, it would serve as a collaborative creative hub offering a welcoming place to connect with fellow artists, prepare for gigs, and access community resources.

  • 🚌 Downtown Shuttle for Musicians

    Getting between venues, parking areas, and downtown destinations can be challenging—especially late at night. This initiative proposes a dedicated shuttle service connecting musicians, service industry workers, and patrons, improving accessibility, reducing transportation barriers, and supporting a safer, more connected downtown experience.

  • Two musicians performing on stage with guitars, a man and a woman, both smiling and wearing sunglasses.

    More Paid Peformance Opportunities

    New venue partnerships mean more gigs, better pay, and stronger visibility for Austin artists.

  • ATXM Musicians on Campus

    Creating paid performance opportunities for Austin musicians through weekly live music every Friday from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM at St. Edward's University Kozmetsky Center of Excellence Garden (September 2026–May 2027), while enriching campus life and connecting the next generation with Austin's thriving music community.

  • Music passport image

    Austin Live Music Passport

    Inspired by the Austin Ale Trail, the Austin Live Music Passport would combine a printed passport and interactive mobile app to guide residents and visitors through Austin’s diverse live music scene. Participants could discover participating venues and featured local artists, check in at performances, collect digital or physical stamps, unlock exclusive discounts and rewards, and earn recognition for supporting local music.

    The program would encourage audiences to explore new venues, attend more live performances, and spend money with local music businesses—creating a fun, trackable way to strengthen Austin’s live music economy while connecting more fans directly with working musicians.

  • A person holding a smartphone displaying a gear tracking app with fields for brand, model, serial number, storage location, estimated value, and a photo of musical equipment, with a logo for Austin Texas Musicians.

    A Tech-Driven Gear Theft Solution

    We’re developing tools to help protect musicians’ livelihoods and reduce the growing threat of stolen equipment.

Recent News

Make an impact today

Economic development is about dignity, opportunity, and keeping Austin’s music alive. 💡 Help us grow Austin’s creative economy.

Every bit of support goes a long way in helping us help musicians. We’ve got some very impactful new initiatives in motion for 2026, including:

  • Expanded Paid Performance Opportunities for Musicians

  • Expanded Education Programming, in Partnership with Local Higher Education

  • Downtown Creative Hub, Parking and Safe Escort for Musicians

To continue doing this work, we need your help. Cultivating new partnerships, investment, and donor relations both public and private will be key to our sustainability.

We're putting out a call to all interested corporate partners, angel investors, and music community members and imploring that we all come together to lift up what has proven to be a crucial service to the health of our music community, which truly serves as the cornerstone to Austin’s economic well-being. We hope you’ll help us continue our work by donating, or by contacting us directly to discuss options.