2024 Austin Live Music Fund: Higher Rewards, Higher Competition

The city of Austin has provided an update on the status of the 2024 Austin Live Music Fund. In a news release, the Economic Development Department revealed that the revamped grant program expects to award 120 local musicians and independent promoters, plus 17 live music venues, with funding.

After years of behind-the-scenes debate, applications for the Live Music Fund first opened last year. The initial round of the program awarded professional Austin musicians and independent concert promoters with grants of $5,000 or $10,000. This year, the Economic Development Department increased those award amounts to $15,000 and $30,000, and also opened the initiative up to live music venues, offering clubs grants of $30,000 and $60,000.

1,013 people applied for the program this year, up from 660 applicants last year, the release says. Applicants requested $23 million in support, while the fund – derived from Municipal Hotel Occupancy Taxes – only had $4.5 million available.

In the press release, Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, director of the Economic Development Department, acknowledged the disparity between the Austin Live Music Fund’s demand and reach. “We celebrate the awardees of the Austin Live Music Fund this year, while recognizing the need is great for these funds in Austin,” she said. “By providing this money to musicians, promoters, and live music venues, we stand by our commitment to bolster Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World.”

Anticipating an increase in applications due to the program’s increased grant amounts, the Economic Development Department tweaked the rollout of this year’s funds to extend over two years; applicants who were awarded grants in the 2024 Austin Live Music Fund will not be allowed to apply in 2025.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts (the city’s third-party grant administrator) scores Live Music Fund applications based on guidelines meant to award diverse applicants, including limited access to services, local economic impact, programming and outreach, accessibility, and previous city of Austin funding.

While the full list of 2024 awardees is not yet public, the city has provided a demographic breakdown of those who applied for the program. Of the 1,013 applications submitted, 79% came from musicians, 14% came from promoters, and 7% came from venues. Fifty-one percent of applicants self-reported as being led by a majority diverse race compared to 46% who self-reported as majority white. More applicants said they were majority led by men (645) than women (302).

Moving away from the fund’s initial premise of financing live events, awardees of the 2024 Austin Live Music Fund can use their grants for a range of expenses, including venue rent; compensation for contractors and employees; event and liability insurance; performance fees; stage, lighting, and sound rental; studio and video production rental; and more. Like last year, venues and promoters who pay musicians with grant funds must comply with the city of Austin’s standard pay rate of $200 per hour.