REGULAR MEETING of the MUSIC COMMISSION November 3, 2025 6:30 PM CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 1001, 301 W 2ND STREET, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Music Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Shelbi Mitchell, 512-974- 6318, Shelbi.Mitchell@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Nagavalli Medicharla - Chair, Pedro Carvalho – Vice Chair, Joe Silva – Parliamentarian, Scott Strickland – Secretary, Nelson Aguilar, Tami Blevins, Clarissa Cardenas, Clayton England, Cornice “Ray” Price Jr., Penny Jo Pullus, Celeste Quesada AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Music Commission meeting on October 6, 2025. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing on Live Music Fund collections by Kim McCarson, Program Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Austin Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment. 3. Staff briefing on FY24 Austin Live Music Fund final reports and future guidelines by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Austin Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment. 4. Staff briefing on Austin-Bergstrom Airport (AUS) live music performances/booking by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Austin Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment. 5. ACME funding staff briefing by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Austin Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment. DISCUSSION ITEMS 6. Visit Austin Music Marketing overview presentation and general destination updates with Omar Lozano, Director of Music Marketing and Tom Noonan, President & CEO of Visit Austin. 7. Downtown Commission update on priorities and recent actions by Parliamentarian Silva. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Approval of recommendation on 2026 Bond Proposal for Rally Ausin. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL MUSIC COMMISSION Recommendation number: 20251103-008 : Support for Rally Austin’s “Keep Austin Ours” 2026 Bond Proposal Description of Recommendation to Council: The Austin Music Commission recommends that the City Council support Rally Austin’s “Keep Austin Ours” 2026 Bond Proposal for $259 Million, recognizing the organization’s ability to leverage public, private, and philanthropic resources to preserve Austin’s cultural and creative identity while reducing the City’s long-term financial burden. The Commission recommends City Council receive a formal briefing from Rally Austin to consider how its multi-purpose local government corporation model can: • Implement programs that secure affordable creative and cultural, residential and commercial spaces; • Expand the Austin Cultural Trust and related initiatives supporting music and arts venues; • Reduce risk and administrative burden to the City through independent, community-driven project delivery; and • Strengthen Austin’s long-term economic and cultural resilience by investing in local, iconic, legacy and irreplaceable assets. The Commission affirms that Rally Austin’s proposal aligns with the City’s goals for equitable, community-based development and represents a proactive opportunity to secure Austin’s creative and cultural future through the 2026 Bond Program. WHEREAS, Austin’s cultural, creative, and music sectors are foundational to the city’s identity and economy, contributing over $1.8 billion in annual economic activity and supporting thousands of local jobs; and WHEREAS, the loss of affordable creative, cultural, and commercial spaces poses a critical threat to Austin’s local music venues, legacy businesses, and community-serving organizations; and WHEREAS, Rally Austin, the City’s first multi-purpose local government corporation, was created by Austin City Council in 2020 to facilitate equitable, community-driven development and deliver projects that generate public benefit while leveraging public, private, and philanthropic resources; and WHEREAS, the Keep Austin Ours 2026 Bond Proposal presented by Rally Austin outlines comprehensive strategies for securing cultural, residential and commercial affordability, including property acquisition, long-term lease stabilization, capital improvement programs, and expansion of the Austin Cultural Trust; and WHEREAS, Rally Austin’s model reduces long-term fiscal risk and administrative burden to the City by independently managing complex real estate and development projects while advancing Council priorities for equity, sustainability, and cultural preservation; and WHEREAS, supporting community-based economic development through the 2026 Bond Program aligns with the Music Commission’s commitment to strengthening Austin’s music ecosystem and ensuring creative and cultural spaces remain accessible to all residents; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Austin Music Commission recommends that the Austin City Council support inclusion …
