Item 4 Supporting Document — original pdf

Backup

2024 LIVE MUSIC FUND: APPLICATION FEEDBACK BACKGROUND After the 2024 Live Music Fund Application closed, Austin Texas Musicians received a wide range of feedback from our members, informing us of both shortfalls and benefits to the current format. What follows is anecdotal evidence that illustrates their experience with the application. We hope that this data set will serve to assist staff and commission in informing Round Three of the Live Music Fund. BACKGROUND This information will be presented in two parts. Our first presentation will offer a snapshot of just some of the anecdotal feedback from musicians who applied. Our second presentation in December will introduce data from our detailed 2024 Live Music Fund feedback survey. ANECDOTAL “It makes no sense why the 4.5 million fund can’t simply be divided and allocated for all working musicians that apply.” ANECDOTAL “I found the whole process overwhelming and the directions were a bit unclear. Some are saying if you’re too wordy in your app, you get denied. But if you don’t have enough to back up, you get denied. After reading some of these posts of applicants that won, I’m even more baffled. I’m happy for them, don’t get me wrong. But I’m sad for musicians like me who have been working hard for over 20 years and bam… door slam. Maybe next year will be better.” ANECDOTAL “I’m saying it again: there needs to be transparency on what our scores were. There was a rubric. They need to provide our scores with a breakdown as it relates to the rubric. Not providing our actual scores is not acceptable.” ANECDOTAL “This is quickly and easily shared if you apply to Arts Division funding. I know there's a friendly rivalry between the two divisions but it would be very helpful and would mend community relations to use some CAD protocol with LMF.” ANECDOTAL “In the first year, we all understood the growing pains and still appreciate the fact this exists but now it needs to be held up to other city of Austin grant protocol standards. All of this to say, I appreciate the staff immensely. I would also encourage a lot of the folks on this thread to go down to city hall and attend music commission mtgs.” ANECDOTAL “So, got a response email back saying our apps will be used as a data point for more money the city needs for artists but didn't answer my initial question about letting applicants know where they could do better on their own apps. As more money means nothing if artist keep getting denied because of app issues. They said we could try again next year...YAY.. ( but with no additional info on how to improve applying) So, yeah. Suck it up and try again basically.” ANECDOTAL “Last year was also $5K and $10K grants and this year was $15k and $30k grants so if they had kept them the same amount as last year they would have been able to fund more people-not fewer.” ANECDOTAL “They penalize you if you got the grant last year and moving forward you can only get it every other year (if you win). So it actually makes it much more difficult for professionals to plan in any sort of meaningful way…” ANECDOTAL “…That combined with having the same stipulations tied to the Elevate, Thrive, and Nexus ( IE:winning one disqualifies you from the others) and on top of that the timing is all skewed so if you lose this one then you have to scramble to apply for the others (or spend weeks of your time applying for more than one knowing that if you get one you don’t get the other). It’s a mess and the desire to fund new people who have never gotten grants is in conflict with the desire to do large significant investments (imo)…” ANECDOTAL “…At least back with the old cultural funding you knew if you won you were good for two years and you could make some meaningful plans. Now it’s just running from grant to grant like a chicken with our heads cut off. I think it’s noble to be supporting new folks, but it does come at the expense of those that have been trying to do it for a long time-unless you are in an institutional non-profit with long term funding secured (and those are fewer and fewer). It’s hard to be a musician and a full time grant writer-but it always has been.’ ANECDOTAL “It’s baffling to me to read through this thread and see so many amazing musicians who didn’t get a grant. I was awarded a grant this time around. The application process was a thousand times better than last year, but the selection process does look to be a bit dodgy.” ANECDOTAL “I received the grant! After missing out last year, I was determined to improve my approach. I attended the MOHA grant writing workshop, which was free and open to the public. The top takeaway was to keep it simple. They emphasized writing as if the reader might not have an advanced reading level, and to use tools like ChatGPT to double-check grammar. It’s also crucial to properly name your documents and make sure everything is clear and easy to follow. With over 1,200 applications to review, the reviewers appreciate simplicity. I focused on giving them exactly what they needed, nothing extra. This approach made all the difference, and it paid off! Next year attend The Museum of Human Achievement.” ANECDOTAL “It was overwhelming, so I approached it one day at a time. I focused on one question, took a break the next day, and repeated the process. I ended up submitting it on the final day. I really think we should create a Facebook group or organize a meetup to share techniques on how to fill out these grants properly.” ANECDOTAL “Another important point is that we now know what they expect from bands each year. Make sure to play shows and get photo proof of performing at ADA- compliant events or providing services for disabled individuals. Consider creating flyers in Braille, gather evidence of participating in Latinx shows, having non-discrimination policies and document your support for local musicians and businesses. Start doing these things now so you’ll be prepared for next year.” ANECDOTAL “There were so many people that applied and since they changed the funding amounts to larger sums this year, less people picked! This just means we all have another chance in the future 💕🎶 congrats to all whose projects were selected! Can’t wait to see what you all create this year.” ANECDOTAL “No luck this time...but appreciate that the opportunity is even there!!” ANECDOTAL “Didn’t get it. Yet, with the higher amount of applicants and larger purse— it makes sense that the percentage of approval vs. denial will be smaller (or greater, depending on how you wanna look at it).” ANECDOTAL “Reading the grant application, it seemed to me that this wasn't geared toward working musicians, but rather promoters, venues, event coordinators. Questions like (I'm paraphrasing) Are you making sure your venues are ADA compliant? I book my gigs, I show up, and I play. The venue's ADA compliancy has nothing to do with my work as a performing musician.” ANECDOTAL “The application struck me as being too focused on personal identity. It shouldn’t matter what you look like or who you sleep with. Denied after applying as a touring act that had 10 years of experience, an Austin Music Award, national radio singles, and an established international fanbase.” ANECDOTAL “I’d like to see a list of winning grants from year to year so that we could have more details about what they’re looking for and what they’re awarding. That alone would be so constructive and helpful. A lot of nonprofit funders do that. If anybody knows where the city puts the list, I would love to see it.” ANECDOTAL “We are still trying to get our money from last year’s grant. So many hoops you have to jump through. Last we heard we had to “reword” something or other. It’s ridiculous. We are artists not lawyers.” ANECDOTAL “Denied because I live in Lockhart. Bull*$!#.” ANECDOTAL “I guess my inability to show proof that I was personally involved in making sure all venues I play at were ADA compliant was a big factor in being denied, among other factors” ANECDOTAL “I don't understand why or when it became a performer's responsibility to do a job a city inspector is supposed to do. Or why the city would expect that performers are subject matter experts on what is required to be ADA compliant.” ANECDOTAL “I know a person that has never even played a gig that got $10k last year.” ANECDOTAL “I attended an online class, and a middle aged person asked if they could apply if they played in a band back in high school....and were told an enthusiastic yes! The bar was indeed very low and that bar is what's hurting the working musicians that need some help getting new recordings, videos etc. There were a ton of "promoters" in the class also. it was not just for musicians.” ANECDOTAL “I didn't get it either but love this program anyway! I'm gonna keep on trying.” DATA SURVEY https://tr.ee/dwJ3CM2XUe PAT BUCHTA, ATXM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PAT@AUSTINTEXASMUSICIANS.ORG