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Texas Music Update - A monthly newsletter from the Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor
JUNE 2025 EDITION
west regional
 

West Texas Regional Music Friendly Meeting

 

The West Texas Music Friendly Certified Community Regional Meet‑Up 2025 was held on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. This free, full-day gathering brought together city officials, music venue owners, artists, promoters, and community advocates to strengthen the local live-music ecosystem. The agenda featured a welcome reception, sessions led by the Texas Music Office (TMO) on the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community and Texas Music Incubator Rebate (TMIR) Programs, panels on activating local music economies, and a spotlight on grassroots initiatives like “Midnight Sessions.” A networking reception and a free jazz concert from the West Texas Jazz Society capped the day, offering informal spaces for collaboration and inspiration.

The meeting focused on practical strategies for building vibrant music scenes in West Texas through collaboration and resource-sharing. Attendees gained insights into leveraging the TMIR rebate, forging partnerships between local governments and music businesses, and developing promotional models tailored to smaller communities. With contributions from experienced panelists like S. David Ramirez (SDMRamirez Marketing Strategies) and Evan Romo (Emmeff Pearl Creative), the session showcased successful local initiatives and set the stage for sustaining momentum in Odessa and beyond. The event reinforced the region’s status as a designated Music Friendly Texas Certified Community and underscored Odessa’s growing role as a hub for creative economic development.

 

Learn More [ [link removed] ]

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Make Music Day 2025

make music

Make Music Day Texas, held on June 21, 2025, celebrated the summer solstice with free and accessible music events across the Lone Star State. Organized by the Texas Music Office in partnership with the Make Music Alliance, this statewide, all-day festival hosted performances in 27 Texas cities —from Alpine to Wimberley — inviting both seasoned musicians and total beginners to play in public spaces like porches, plazas, parks, and sidewalks. The initiative encourages anyone to sign up as a performer or host, with regional organizers offering free instrument lessons and interactive workshops to support community participation.

Major hubs included San Antonio, where Texas Public Radio (TPR) and the Department of Arts & Culture staged live performances, sing-alongs, drum circles, instrument-making sessions, and youth-oriented programs from 10 AM to 10 PM downtown along San Pedro Creek and at TPR HQ. Other participating Music Friendly Texas Certified Communities — such as "College Station", "Frisco", "Houston", "Laredo", "McKinney, Odessa", "San Marcos", "Sugar Land", "Tyler", "Waco", and "Waxahachie" " ""— "presented day-long, free musical events including jam sessions, youth workshops, community sing-alongs, pop-up concerts, and finale gatherings at iconic city spaces like courthouse lawns or bridges. Whether Texans were strumming on a porch, tapping out rhythms in a park, or joining a collective jam at sunset, Make Music Day Texas was all about celebrating music's power to bring communities together.

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a2im

Shane Shapiro, TMO Director Chip Adams, Reed Wick, Tom Martens, Natalie Bowling

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A2IM Indie Week 

 

On June 10, TMO Director Chip Adams spoke at the 2025 A2IM Indie Week in New York City, on a panel titled *"Building Stronger Music Ecosystems: The Role of State and City Music Offices." *The program delved into the crucial role that local music offices play in cultivating vibrant and sustainable music communities. This panel brought together leaders from various state and city music offices who shared insights on how their efforts support artist development, influence policy, and drive economic growth through music. Attendees learned how these offices foster collaborations with government entities, institutions, and the private sector to create initiatives that uplift artists, industry professionals, and the broader community.

In addition to Director Adams, panelists included prominent figures such as Reid Wick from the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, Tom Martens of Visit Fort Worth, Natalie Bowling from Tulsa’s Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture, and Shain Shapiro of the Center for Music Ecosystems. This session was part of A2IM Indie Week, the world’s largest independent music gathering, offering unparalleled networking and educational opportunities tailored to the indie music sector. The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), which organizes Indie Week, is a nonprofit trade group representing over 600 independently owned U.S. record labels, championing their interests and influence on a policy level.

 

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tmir tour poster updated 6.31

TMIR TEXAS TOUR ROLLS ON

 

The Texas Music Office’s Texas Music Incubator Rebate (TMIR) Program provides eligible independent music venues and festival promoters in Texas with rebates—up to $100,000—on mixed‑beverage gross receipts tax or beer/wine sales tax from the previous fiscal year.

To help venue owners and festival organizers take full advantage of this support, the TMO is hosting in-person informational sessions across the state. These sessions offer a detailed overview of program eligibility, the application process, and critical documentation requirements.  In June, sessions held in Odessa, College Station, and Waco included a walkthrough of the application process and eligibility criteria, with opportunities for Q&A directly with TMO staff.

Similar sessions are scheduled elsewhere in Texas, including upcoming events in the Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, Harlingen, and Brownsville), Lockhart, and Abilene, tailored to local-area venue owners and festival promoters. Each session covers step-by-step instructions: how to register via the TMIR portal, verify eligibility (such as operating for at least two years, hosting live performances five nights a week or contracting talent, and having capacity under 3,000 or being a festival in a rural county). Additionally, these sessions also provide time for local representatives to discuss upcoming music initiatives in the host community.  

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Learn More [ [link removed] ]

 

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niva

Sean Watterson, Lisa Gedgaudas, Sarah Pancheri, Michael Morthland, TMO's Graham Weber

TMO at the National Independant Venue Association Conference

 

At the 2025 NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) Conference, the panel titled ""Amplifying Our Impact: Using the State of Live Research for Local and State Advocacy – Advocacy & Policy"" brought together leading voices from across the live entertainment sector to explore how data and research can empower more effective policy and advocacy work. Held on June 23 at the historic Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, the session emphasized the urgent need for local and state governments to recognize the economic and cultural value of independent venues. Panelists discussed strategies for translating national research into actionable insights tailored to regional needs, highlighting the power of storytelling and data-driven outreach to influence decision-makers.

Moderated by Sean Watterson (owner of The Happy Dog in Cleveland, Ohio), the panel featured a dynamic group of speakers: Lisa Gedgaudas (Program Manager, Cultural Affairs, Denver Arts & Venues, City of Denver), Sarah Pancheri (President & CEO, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.), Michael Morthland (Senior Vice President, Mercury Public Affairs), and TMO’s Graham Weber. Each brought a unique perspective, ranging from grassroots organizing to municipal arts policy and venue operations. Their discussion underscored how research on the live sector’s impact can be leveraged to secure funding, influence legislation, and build stronger coalitions. Attendees left with practical tools to advocate for their communities, equipped with real-world examples of how advocacy efforts have successfully driven support for the independent live scene at local and state levels.

Learn More [ [link removed] ]

Upcoming Events

*July 18-19*
*Cindy Walker Days*
Mexia
more info [ [link removed] ]

*July 23-27*
*14th Annual Viva Big Bend Music Festival*
Alpine, Marfa, Marathon, Terlingua, Persidio, Fort Davis
more info [ [link removed] ]

*July 24-26*
*Hot Summer Nights*
Austin
more info [ [link removed] ]

*July 31 - August 3*
*Schulenburg Festival*
Schulenburg
more info [ [link removed] ]

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june plate banner [ [link removed] ]




Since 1990, the Texas Music Office (TMO), in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, has fostered the economic development of Texas music businesses, Texas musicians and Texas communities. TMO operates an extensive network of certified Music Friendly Community partners across the state, serves as a clearinghouse for Texas music industry information, acts as a liaison between music businesses and government offices, publicizes significant industry developments and attracts essential music industry to the Lone Star State. A vibrant Texas music industry supports local job creation while drawing visitors from around the globe, attracting a talented workforce across industries and supporting business recruitment and expansion efforts throughout the state.

State of Texas, Office of the Governor, Texas Music Office
Texas Music Office • P.O. Box 12428 • Austin, Texas 78711 • (512) 463-6666

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