20200408-2a: Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund — original pdf

Recommendation

Austin Music Commission Resolution Recommendation Number 20200408-2a: Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund WHEREAS, the City of Austin has invested significant resources in developing and executing initiatives that help accelerate the grow of the music industry infrastructure; and, WHEREAS, collectively, the Austin music ecosystem generates rich, social, cultural and economic benefit; and, WHEREAS, in addition to its economic development role, the City of Austin through its ATX Music Office regularly assists live music venues with the City-required permits and works closely with both small and large festivals on issues related to temporary event permits and other requested City resources for holding those events and helps to mediate agreements related to outdoor music issues; and, WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s Music Office has recently begun setting funding criteria in the development of the Live Music Fund and is developing funding criteria for the Creative Space Assistance Program to support Austin’s live music venues and musicians; and, WHEREAS, the City of Austin has passed various resolutions directed at supporting Austin’s musicians and music industry and in particular, City Council Resolution No. 20160303- 019, the Music and Creative Ecosystem Resolution to address a variety of priorities, goals, and objectives; and, WHEREAS, in spite of the City of Austin’s significant contribution to the music industry, the recent threat of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) has necessitated that the City declare a local disaster because of the potential health risk; and, WHEREAS, this local disaster cancelled the South by Southwest music festival that the city was set to host during March 13-22; and, WHEREAS, community gatherings of 2, 10 or 250 people or more anywhere in Austin- Travis County have been prohibited by Orders adopted by the City of Austin and Travis County to slow the transmission of COVID-19; and, WHEREAS, SXSW’s absence and the prohibition of the music nightlife economy will undoubtedly impact the Austin economy and negatively affect the many music-related industry  small businesses, venues, and local musicians who rely on SXSW and the music nightlife economy for their subsistence; and, WHEREAS, the issues raised by the cancellation of SXSW and the prohibition of the music nightlife economy will mean that SXSW and the music industry will not inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy and as a result music related local and small businesses, gig workers, music venues, service industry workers, musicians, event workers, and other music related workers who depend on SXSW and the the music nightlife economy for income will struggle; WHEREAS, this resolution is submitted by the Austin Music Commission, appointed by City Council to legally represent the Austin music industry and its stakeholders; WHEREAS, The City of Austin is committed to providing assistance to communities most impacted by COVID-19 that include but are not limited to: communities of color, women, immigrants, people living with disabilities, gender non-conforming people, independent creative contractors, residents of the City that are housing insecure, and people experiencing economic hardship as the result of this national pandemic; WHEREAS, people and organizations fitting multiple criteria (listed above) for emergency subsidies provided by the City of Austin will receive high priority in funding determinations due to historic marginalization and exclusion; The Austin Music Commission encourages the City Council and the City Manager to create an Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund and identify options for implementation that consider all current and potential new sources of revenues and resources. These include but are not limited to community-based funding and resources and potential matching funds from relative private sector related music funding initiatives. The Austin Music Commission hereby recommends that the City Manager collaborate and work with the Austin Music Commission to integrate their input and consideration for the development of the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund. The mission of the Music Disaster Relief Fund is to assist victims with their immediate needs not covered by any other program. The purpose of the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund is to meet gaps that will exist between music disaster victims; however, funds are not intended to cover the total cost of the damages  suffered. Unmet needs relate primarily to immediate unmet needs that require immediate financial assistance. Immediate, unmet needs may include lost employment income and other basic necessities. The development of a Music Relief Fund should incorporate elements of equity, diversity, and inclusion as determined by EDI advocates and the allocation of relief funds allocated must be: fair, fast, efficient, clearly explained, and inclusive of an appropriate measure of damage. The Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund should collaborate with other funds including private sector funding initiatives that are also attempting to assist musicians and the music industry because of the spread of Coronavirus or COVID-19. Date of Approval: April 8, 2020 Record of the vote: (8-0 vote, with Commissioners Pinon, Rosenthal, and Sullivan not in attendance) Attest: Kim McCarson, Liaison