Item 5 Supporting Document — original pdf
Backup

Scaling Equity & Innovation in Austin Music A Model for Sustainable Creative Infrastructure Presented to: Austin Music Commission Created by: Louie Carr, Steve Carlos Kirk, Nathalie Phan Presented by: Louie Carr Date: July 7th, 2025 This presentation is a collaborative effort built from lived artist experiences, technical innovation, and forward-thinking policy strategy. Our goal is to help the Commission envision a long- term investment in infrastructure that makes Austin’s music economy more equitable, visible, and sustainable. Opening Vision "Austin doesn’t just have a music scene — it has a music economy. But that economy needs infrastructure. Not just stages, but systems. This is the blueprint." We built a framework that pays artists, showcases local talent, and doesn’t rely on the presence of a physical audience. In a city where affordability and visibility are growing challenges for musicians, this system creates a reliable and equitable pathway for music to remain a core part of Austin’s identity. What We Built (ABIA Recap) JetStream Fest: A collaborative livestream initiative with 23 participating airports across North America — streamed to over 46,000 viewers. Austin’s participation helped center local artists in a national cultural moment. Exterity VDMS System: Over 250 screen endpoints installed throughout ABIA allow seamless digital programming — from gate lounges to baggage claims — all controlled from a single hub. Remote-Controlled Stage: The Asleep at the Wheel performance demonstrated that we can operate a fully professional livestream performance — including lighting, sound, and camera ops — without a single person physically on site. Integrated Signage and Social Streaming: The system isn’t siloed — it connects to social media channels and physical signage across the airport, creating a scalable, multi-platform experience. Impact: ABIA has become one of Austin’s most functional and artist-supportive venues — without being a traditional music venue. It proves that with the right tools, any space can become a cultural amplifier. Artist Voices I love the opportunity to play shows at the airport. Having a regular paying gig, in a space where you meet people from all over the world. Travelers always tell me at my gigs how much their experience has been enhanced from having live music throughout the airport. It makes people happy, it gets them through waiting for their flights. It's a welcoming hello and reminder of time spent here in this vibrant city. A pilot even tipped me at my last gig at the airport...people care and they really appreciate the live music experience. - Lou Priest, Singer songwriter System Overview Cutting-Edge Tools, Community-Driven Content Remote control + scheduling = minimal staff needed: The system is designed for ease of use, with fully remote camera, audio, and signage control. This enables high-quality, consistent output without needing a dedicated on-site operator at every stage. Video sync + signage = professional-grade experience: Unlike consumer-grade streaming solutions, this system ensures perfect audio/video sync across hundreds of screens. Signage is integrated seamlessly, allowing public info, marketing, and emergency messages to coexist with performance content. Why It Matters Now - Austin’s $12M Creative Space bond is in motion: This bond includes opportunities for infrastructure investments that could support distributed digital stages and signage systems across the city. The proposed model aligns directly with this funding priority by enabling “Creative Space” beyond physical buildings — on public screens, in rec centers, libraries, and transit hubs. - Musicians are still underpaid despite city branding: Austin brands itself as the Live Music Capital of the World, yet many musicians still struggle to earn a living wage. According to census data and local research, Austin musicians often earn less than $25,000 annually from their craft. We need new systems that make performance and streaming income more reliable and accessible. - Cultural equity is a growing priority: As highlighted in ongoing city efforts, equitable representation of Austin’s multicultural talent is essential. A distributed digital performance system ensures broad visibility and economic inclusion for artists of all backgrounds, including women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled performers. - We need scalable tools that pay artists and respect the audience: Traditional venues can’t reach every neighborhood or accommodate every performer. This model allows for hyper-local, city- supported stages and broadcast capabilities that not only scale artist income but also reach new audiences through everyday environments. The SoundSync Model (Proposed) Licensing pool: $250 per video (flat rate) — this model proposes a one- time universal license of $250 per video from participating artists, limited to a term of one month that is renewable for an equal amount. In exchange, artists grant permission for non-exclusive public playback of their content in a recurring loop for the term. - Digital ad card space can offset cost (between-song slots): Advertising space between songs offers a non-intrusive, rotating banner or static frame between videos. These placements can be sold to sponsors aligned with the city’s arts and tourism sectors, offsetting program costs or expanding the artist payout pool. This mirrors successful monetization strategies used by streaming networks and venue-based programming. - Local-first, inclusive curation: All music videos would be curated from Austin’s independent scene, with a focus on highlighting women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented communities. A panel or rotating curatorial group could be established to ensure transparency and diversity. This isn’t algorithm-driven — it’s community-driven and values-forward. ABIA Budget Context - The airport dedicates approximately half a million dollars annually to music programming. While this covers production, tech, and logistics, a significant share—hundreds of thousands—flows directly to local artists. Public Art Spending & Local Equity: In 2025, ABIA allocated over $500,000 in public art commissions, with a priority on Texas-based artists. Four of the seven most recent commissions were awarded to Austin creatives. Larger public art projects totaling $10M+ were paused specifically to ensure alignment with local cultural equity priorities. National Trend & Local Branding: Increasingly, U.S. airports are adopting live music programs to enhance passenger experience and support local culture. ABIA is widely regarded as a national leader — with curated stage performances and original content seen as a model for others. Broader Economic Impact of Creative Infrastructure: Austin’s creative sector — spanning music, film, digital, and visual arts — generated $5.9 billion in economic activity and over $106M in city tax revenue in 2016. Music at ABIA isn’t just a feel-good initiative — it’s part of a proven, high-value cultural economy that sustains local jobs and drives tourism. Economic Model - Artist pay via licensing: Direct payments to artists through the SoundSync model establish a new income stream based on content licensing. This gives musicians a recurring revenue source that doesn’t depend on touring or physical attendance. - Digital signage ad revenue: Between-song ad slots or screen banners create an additional revenue stream. These ads can be sold to local businesses, tourism initiatives, or cultural sponsors who benefit from being visibly tied to Austin’s creative community. - Viewer tips, merch portals: QR codes and screen overlays allow for real-time tipping or merch purchases. This puts revenue directly into artists’ hands, even when they’re not physically present — bridging the gap between performance and patronage. - Sponsorship potential: Strategic sponsorships with brands (local or national) that align with Austin’s cultural values can support expansion. These partnerships could underwrite licensing costs, fund equipment, or create branded artist features, further boosting visibility and funding. - Infrastructure creates jobs: Beyond performers, this system supports a larger ecosystem: video editors, content curators, stream engineers, signage managers, analytics roles, marketing staff, and more. Each element of the system creates employment opportunities within Austin’s creative and tech sectors. Vision for Scale - Co-streamed neighborhood shows: Using SRT-enabled Venue Packs, performances at local venues can be streamed live to public screens across the city — extending the reach of events and offering community access regardless of location or mobility. - Screens in rec centers, libraries, schools: Public institutions become cultural hubs. By placing performance screens in high-traffic, accessible places, the city ensures equity in audience exposure and educational opportunities for youth and families. - Community-curated Creative Spaces: Neighborhoods can take part in curating local video content or artist showcases. This invites engagement from historically marginalized areas and cultivates community pride and ownership of the cultural infrastructure. - Real-time artist pay & audience data: Built-in analytics allow artists and administrators to track viewer engagement, tips, and merchandise sales in real time. This transparency helps artists understand their audience while offering the city data to optimize investments. Call to Action - Recognize this model as scalable infrastructure: View SoundSync and Venue Packs as lasting cultural infrastructure — not a one-off program, but an expandable foundation for creative equity in public and semi-public spaces. - Support pilot projects using Venue Packs + SoundSync licensing: Initial investments should fund demonstration pilots in targeted areas — such as East Austin rec centers or public libraries — to validate the model, gather data, and refine operations. - Partner with the Cultural Arts Division to secure expansion funding: Integrate this infrastructure into Austin’s long-term arts strategy. Collaborate with the Cultural Arts Division and potential private funders to build a public-private investment model. - Let’s future-proof the Live Music Capital of the World: Use this opportunity to lead. Austin has the talent, technology, and civic pride to show the country what creative infrastructure can look like in the 21st century. Contact - Louie Carr - (512)888-7781 louie@ownpathmg.com