Grant applications for Austin’s Live Music Fund, as well as other art and culture programs, have opened up. More than $25 million is available across the city programs, with about $7 million earmarked for live music.
“You're gonna see one application, not just for the Live Music Fund, [but] for the Creative Space Assistance Program, for the Elevate Program, the Nexus program, and the Heritage Preservation grant,” said Erica Shamaly, the division manager for music and entertainment at Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (known as ACME).
The Live Music Fund, paid for by taxes on hotel stays, has been supporting Austin musicians and venues since it was established in 2019. This is the third year the program is awarding grants. The first round, in 2023, provided $5,000 and $10,000 grants, giving away a total of $3.5 million. It produced the largest number of grant recipients so far: 368 people out of the 660 who applied.
The fund increased to $4.5 million for the second round, in 2024. The program opened up to venues, which were allowed to apply for grants of $30,000 or $60,000. Artist grants increased to $15,000 and $30,000. Only 137 applicants — 17 of which were venues — received grants out of more than 1,000 applicants.
The decrease in recipients — despite an increase in funding — didn’t sit well with some musicians.
“ It devastated me, you know?" said Tameca Jones, an Austin-based singer and songwriter, who did not get funding last year. “I was going to get a publicist. I was gonna get some new photos. I was going to make some more music and pay the people who helped me make music a fair rate. When I did my taxes, I met the poverty line.”
Shamaly said the increase in applicants during the second round was intense, so Austin brought on more staff. The city partnered with the Long Center in 2024 to go through applications.
Because there were fewer grant recipients, the city spent less on administrative costs and, in turn, had more money for grants, Shamaly said.
The program is launching again after a reset.
“ For 2025, we're just gonna try to find a middle ground. So instead of $30,000, it'll be $20,000 [for individual artists],” Shamaly said. “And then we will also do a $5,000 grant.”
Even though there’s more money available, there still isn't enough to support every applicant.
“The demand for the Live Music Fund has been really high,” Shamaly said. “Last year there were over a thousand applications, and the total amount that people applied for was $29 million. So a lot of people want grants, but there's just not enough money for everyone.”
The application’s format will look different this year. It includes a narration portion where applicants can describe what they will do with the money and a series of scored multiple choice questions.
“ There isn't any subjectivity whatsoever,” Shamaly said. “There's a set of guidelines, there's some scoring criteria. We asked a question if an applicant answers and selects, something pops up that says ‘Upload your documentation to evidence your answer.’”
Professional musicians and independent promoters now must also answer questions about their achievements, like playing a show to more than 300 people, download numbers and radio play. Applicants seeking $5,000 grants will not have to answer these questions.
The rest of the scoring categories — artist development, cultural tourism and Austin music economy development — will remain the same.
“The plan is to go back and do a big update every three years" instead of annually, Shamaly said.
Applications close Dec. 4. Recipients will be notified if they have won the grant by February.
This story was adapted from an episode of Pause/Play. Listen to the full episode here.
