May 05, 2025 Music

[00:00:01]

ALL RIGHT.

[CALL TO ORDER]

UH, IT'S, UH, MONDAY, MAY 5TH, 6:36 PM I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO ORDER.

[MUSICAL PERFORMANCE]

DO WE HAVE ANYTHING? YES, WE DO.

SO I WANNA INTRODUCE GREG YEAH.

WHILE HE COMES TO THE PODIUM TO SHARE SOME WORDS IF HE FEELS COMFORTABLE.

YEAH.

AND WHILE HE'S MAKING HIS WAY UP.

SO WE HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH A TXN ON.

IT'S CALLED SOUND DAWN.

AND WE'RE IN SEASON TWO THAT WE JUST SHARED AT SOUTH BY, AND IT'S SPEARHEADED BY GREG AND A TXN.

AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE HIM ASK OUR BEAUTIFUL ARTIST SOME QUESTIONS, THOUGH.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SHARE, GREG.

IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF WORK.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

HELLO.

GREG GONZALEZ, PROGRAM MANAGER ONE, UH, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF ACME.

AND, UH, YEAH, THIS IS SOUND ON AND I'M SORRY, THIS MICROPHONE, I DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

RIGHT.

THIS, UH, THIS IS LIKE A PROJECT THAT I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO CURATE WITH THE, UH, THE FINE FOLKS AT A TXN FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

UH, COLLABORATING WITH THEM TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE DIVERSE AND TALENTED MUSICAL, UH, PERFORMERS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN.

EACH SEASON HAS HAD FOUR GROUPS.

WE WERE ABLE TO PAY THEM AT THE CITY STANDARD RATE, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THIS WONDERFUL PIECE OF, UH, VIDEO.

I AM ALSO THE INTERVIEWER, SO THERE YOU GO.

ENJOY.

THANK YOU.

THERE'S NOTHING TO, THERE'S TO LIVE FOR.

NOTHING TO I'VE NEVER SEEN.

MY BAND IS CALLED BUFFALO HUNT.

MM-HMM .

AND I GUESS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NAME IS THAT BUFFALO IS A VERB THAT MEANS TO CONFUSE OR TO TRICK.

AND, UH, SO BUFFALO HUNT IS KIND OF LIKE SEEKING CONFUSION OR TRICKERY OR, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT KNOWING WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHICH I THINK IS THE ART ARTIST ARTISTIC PROCESS.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A MISSION STATEMENT IN THE TITLE.

ALSO, BUFFY ST.

MARIE IS MY FAVORITE ARTIST, AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A NOD TO HER.

I GREW UP IN A MUSICAL HOUSEHOLD.

MY DAD IS, UH, HE HAS A MASTER'S IN CLASSICAL GUITAR AND STUDIED WITH ANDRE SEGOVIA.

AND SO HE'S VERY LIKE, PRACTICE MUSIC, PLAYED MUSIC HE HAD IN MY ROOM.

LIKE, I WANT YOU TO PRACTICE EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, UNCLE SAM, UH, NOT A GREAT POSTER TO LIVE BY, BUT I, UM, STILL NONETHELESS INCORPORATED MUSIC INTO MY LIFE.

BUT I STARTED ON CLASSICAL VIOLIN AND THEN WAS MORE INTERESTED IN SONGWRITING AND LIKE PRODUCTION AND STUDYING SOUND AND HOW TO MAKE A VIBE, UH, FROM KIND OF AN EARLY AGE, LIKE EXPERIMENTING.

YEAH.

SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF OUR SISTER PROGRAMMING THAT WE DO ALWAYS STAY CONNECTED TO ARTISTS AND INDUSTRY HERE.

THAT IS LIVES ON OUR PAGE ON YOUTUBE.

SO YOU CAN ALREADY SHARE THAT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND VIEW IT YOURSELF.

AND IT IS OCCASIONALLY STREAMED

[00:05:01]

SO SHOUT OUT TO GREG AND THE ARTISTS WE GET TO WORK WITH.

THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH, SHELBY.

UM, AND, UH, GREG, UH, THANKS TO THE ARTIST.

UH, THIS IS WONDERFUL.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? YEAH, WHAT, WHAT STUDIO IS THAT? HELLO.

I THINK I HAVE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF EVERY TIME I TALK.

GREG GONZALEZ, PROGRAM MANAGER ONE, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, ACNE, UH, THAT WAS THE ICE CREAM FACTORY STUDIO.

IT'S A GREAT STUDIO.

MATT PARMENTER HAS THERE.

UH, HE DOES A LOT OF GREAT WORK.

I CAN'T PLUG THAT, BUT I WOULD IF I COULD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS SO I DON'T HAVE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN? .

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL.

ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO, UH, TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO, UH, WELCOME, UH, COMMISSIONER CLAYTON ENGLAND, UH, TO THE COMMISSION.

UH, CLAYTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? COMMISSIONER ENGLAND, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMPLETE INTRODUCE YOURSELF BEFORE WE MOVE ON? YEAH.

UH, HI EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS CLAYTON ENGLAND.

UM, WHAT'S THAT? I DON'T HAVE TO HOLD IT.

THANKS.

UH, THIS IS MY, UH, FIRST MEETING.

UM, I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.

UM, I AM THE CURRENT GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HOLE IN THE WALL, UM, AND HAVE BEEN, UH, WORKING IN TANDEM THROUGH QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO, UH, BREATHE SOME LIFE BACK INTO, INTO THE SPACE.

UH, AND I, I TAKE THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY, ESPECIALLY AS FAR AS THE MUSIC'S CONCERNED WITH, UH, HOW THE, THE, THE CITY HAS CHANGED VERY SERIOUSLY, UM, ABOUT SUSTAINING AND PERHAPS EVEN GROWING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO, UH, I'M HAPPY TO BE UP HERE AND I'M HAPPY TO BE, UH, HOPEFULLY MORE OF A DIRECT LINE OF COMMUNICATION, UH, THROUGH SOME OF THE VENUE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AS WELL AS BEING A MUSICIAN.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU.

AND WELCOME.

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

WE HAVE, UH, MANDY ROMAN FROM, UH, TEXAS WOMEN'S SONGWRITER SONGWRITER.

SP IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP TO THAT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? SORT OF TALL.

I CAN BEND OVER HER IF I NEED TO.

UH, MY NAME IS MANDY ROU AND I'M A LONG TIME AUSTIN BASED MUSICIAN, SINGER SONGWRITER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST FOUNDER OF GIRL GUITAR, WHICH IS WOMEN'S ORIGINAL, UH, I'M SORRY, AUSTIN'S ORIGINAL WOMEN'S GUITAR SCHOOL.

AND, UH, AS OF THIS LAST YEAR, I'VE DECIDED TO FURTHER MY WORK, UM, FROM GRAD SCHOOL ON TEXAS WOMEN'S SONGWRITERS AND CREATE THE FIRST EVER TEXAS WOMEN'S SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PIPE DREAM AT FIRST, BUT THE FIRE UNDERNEATH IT HAS BEEN THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY BEHIND IT.

IT'LL BE HAPPENING SEPTEMBER 19TH THROUGH 21ST IN DOWNTOWN LOCKHART, TEXAS, WHICH IS AN AMAZING PLACE FOR ART AND MUSIC TO THRIVE AT THE MOMENT.

AND WHILE I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT TEXAS WOMEN'S SONGWRITERS AREN'T GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION IN THE WORLD OF ACADEMIA, I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING IT TO THE PEOPLE AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTING IT.

UM, AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE TO TELL YOU, WOMEN IN MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE VERY OFTEN, UM, AND MORD.

AND THAT IS WHERE YOU SEE THE FESTIVAL WITH A LOT OF NAMES.

AND IN THE BOTTOM IT SAYS, AND MORE.

AND THAT'S GENERALLY WHERE THE WOMEN RESIDE.

AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY COOL TO HAVE ONE THAT FOCUSES COMPLETELY ON THE WOMEN'S SONGWRITERS OF TEXAS, OF WHICH I AM ONE, AND OF WHICH I WANT TO ELEVATE IN A VERY, VERY HUGE WAY.

SO WHAT BEGAN AS TWO STAGES AND ABOUT 20 ARTISTS HAS SINCE GROWN INTO EIGHT STAGES AND OVER 50 ARTISTS, UM, INCLUDING HEADLINERS, ROSIE FLORES, TISHENA HOSA, UH, PAULINE REESE, SARAH HICKMAN, AND KIMMI RHODES, WHICH OF COURSE ARE LIKE ROYALTY IN THE WORLD OF TEXAS SONGWRITING.

WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY, VERY PROUD TO HAVE THEM.

I'M ACTIVELY LOOKING TO PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN OF ALL AGES.

SO WE HAVE ARTISTS BOOKED FROM AGES 16 TO 75, WHICH I THINK IS VERY COOL.

I WANNA SEE LITTLE GIRLS WATCHING WOMEN ON STAGE, AND I WANNA SEE WOMEN MY AGE WATCHING OLD LADIES ON STAGE.

'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL.

I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED THAT OUR TWO, UH, TOP HEADLINERS ARE MEXICAN AMERICAN AND, UH, CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT REALLY AMAZING PART OF OUR CULTURE, WHICH OF COURSE THRIVES ALL OVER TEXAS, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN LOCKHART, WHICH I BELIEVE IS SOMETHING LIKE 53% MEXICAN AMERICAN.

SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING I AM SO INCREDIBLY PROUD TO PRESENT AND PROUD TO TELL YOU GUYS ABOUT, AND PROUD TO NETWORK WITH ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO NETWORK WITH ME ON IT.

AND, UH, IF

[00:10:01]

BUT AT THAT POINT, I'VE KIND OF HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.

SO I'M GONNA STEP BACK UNLESS THERE'S MORE THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE ME TO SAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND, UH, SORRY, I GOT YOUR, I MISSED THE D IN YOUR NAME, ROWDEN.

OH, IT'S ALRIGHT.

.

NO PROBLEM.

THANK YOU.

UH, AND, UH, THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY, ELEVATING WOMEN IN MUSIC, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, UH, SHELBY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME LIMITED EXCHANGE, APPARENTLY THAT'S, SINCE YOU'RE RENEW, REVIEWING THE RULES, QUESTIONS FOR INFORMATION.

LET'S TRY AND GET HER HERE NEXT MONTH TO BE ON THE AGENDA TO THIS PAGE.

YES.

SO JUST ANY QUICK COMMENTS, UM, I THINK, UH, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, TRY TO, UH, BRING MS. BROADEN BACK FOR AND PUT HER ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE AN EXCHANGE.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING ON MARCH THREE AND APRIL 7TH.

WE HAVE TWO MONTHS SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE, UH, UH, ENOUGH VOTES LAST TIME TO GET THESE, UH, UH, NOTES APPROVED.

UH, COULD I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR THE MEETING MINUTES ON MARCH THREE AND APRIL 7TH? OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER CARVALHO.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER PRICE.

UH, ALL IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT.

I AM ABSTAINING FROM THE, UH, THE MARCH MEETING SINCE I WAS NOT A MEMBER YET.

GOT IT.

LET SEE.

I'LL, I'LL ALSO ABSTAIN FROM THE MARCH.

OKAY.

SO I THINK WE, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, I THINK WE ARE.

OKAY.

UM, SO WE HAVE THE MARCH MEETINGS APPROVED, UH, WITH, UH, TWO ABSTAINS, AND WE HAVE THE APRIL MEETING MINUTES, UH, APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU.

MOVING

[2. Live Music Fund collections briefing by Kim McCarson, Program Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment.]

UM, ON THE AGENDA IS LIVE MUSIC FUND COLLECTIONS, BRIEFING BY KIM MC CARSON, PROGRAM MANAGER, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.

WE HAVE ERICA SHAMLEY HERE, UH, IN PLACE, OFFICE OF ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, A CME.

THANK YOU.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER WITH ACME, THE OFFICE OF ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

UM, IN HERE FOR KIM TODAY, WHO WAS OUT? UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

OKAY, SO WE'RE JUST SEEING THE, UH, FY 25 YEAR TO DATE OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTIONS AND AS A REMINDER, SO THE THIRD, UH, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE YEAR TO YEAR FROM 23 TO 25.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE COLLECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED SO FAR THROUGH MARCH.

UM, OF COURSE THAT IS STAGGERED.

WE WAIT FOR HOTELS TO SEND THAT REVENUE INTO THE CITY AND THEN THEY SEND IT INTO THE FUNDS.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS A STAGGERING IN, UH, OF HOW, ESPECIALLY THE MARCH AND THOSE REALLY BUSY MONTHS, HOW THEY, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE REPRESENTED IN OUR REPORTING.

NEXT SLIDE.

I, I THINK THAT'S IT.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I THINK WE, UH, LET'S SEE.

MARCH.

I DON'T SEE MARCH.

YEAH, IT SAYS EVEN A SMALLER ONE BECAUSE MOST OF IT WAS REPORTED THE FOLLOWING MONTH OF APRIL OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN MARCH.

ANY QUESTIONS? I ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

UM, NEXT

[3. 2024 Austin Live Music Fund Statistics report briefing by Erica Shamaly, Music & Entertainment Division Manager, ACME.]

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, 2024 AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND STATISTICS REPORT, BRIEFING BY ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER, A CME.

HELLO AGAIN, ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER.

AND SO THESE ARE JUST THE STATS OF OUR FY 24 AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND GRANTEES.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO FAR WE'VE HAD A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR GRANTS TOWARD ACCEPTED, UH, ALMOST ALL THE AGREEMENTS, BUT ONCE SIGNED, UM, ALL GRANT DO, AS YOU CAN SEE, JUST HERE IS WHAT I REPORT TO YOU EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

THE BIGGEST NUMBER, NUMBER CHANGE IS REALLY IN THE LAST TWO BULLETS.

THE 72ND PAYMENTS PAID SO FAR OUT OF 136 TOTAL AWARDEES.

SO WE'RE A HALFWAY THERE, UH, IN TERMS OF SECOND AWARDS.

AND THEN WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD 18 THAT HAVE COMPLETELY FINISHED THEIR GRANT, DONE THEIR FINAL REPORTING, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY EXCITED, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'VE FINISHED THEIR PROJECTS.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

ALL.

NEXT ON THE

[4. Cultural Funding Community Engagement briefing by Candice Cooper, Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME) and Erica Shamaly, Music & Entertainment Division Manager, ACME.]

UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

UM, I'LL BE TAKING CANDACE COOPER'S PLACE TONIGHT.

I'M MORGAN MESSICK, I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ACME.

UM, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH

[00:15:01]

I HAVE SEEN EVERY COMMISSION MEETING WHETHER OR NOT I'VE BEEN IN PERSON.

UM, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU, BUT IF I DON'T, IT'S LOVELY TO SEE YOU TONIGHT.

SO I AM JUST RETURNING FROM A MATERNITY LEAVE, SO PLAYING CATCH UP AND LEARNING, UH, ALONGSIDE EVERYBODY HERE ABOUT ALL THE GREAT CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING.

SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO I JUST WANNA GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF THE ACME FUNDING PROGRAM EVALUATION AND GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN SET OVER THE LAST 60 PLUS DAYS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FORMED.

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMBINED WORKING AND FOCUS GROUPS, WHICH SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, WHETHER AT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE LEVEL OR WITH OUR LEADERSHIP.

UM, NUMBER THREE, THE ACME FUNDING GUIDELINE UPDATES THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON.

AND, UM, A BRIEF LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE THAT WE'LL BE EMBARKING ON OVER THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS.

TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE GOING.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM OF FUNDING THAT IS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE NEWLY FORMED OFFICE.

SO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNDER EVALUATION AT THIS TIME INCLUDE THE CULTURAL FUNDING PILOT PROGRAMS, ELEVATE NEXUS, THRIVE, AS WELL AS THE WORK WE'RE DOING WITH LIVE MUSIC FUND, CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT.

ALL OF THOSE, UM, BESIDES CSAP OR HOT FUNDED, AS WELL AS OUR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM, WHICH FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, IS A, UM, PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC ART WHERE WE HAVE A 2% SET ASIDE OF ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT RELATED IN THE CITY.

AND SO THAT IS ALSO UNDERGOING A PROGRAM EVALUATION THIS SUMMER AS PART OF OUR CREATIVE WORK.

SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED OR LISTED HERE.

BUT THE ONE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT MOST, THE ONE THAT I HAVE HEARD MY LEADERS TALK MOST ABOUT IN PUBLIC IS THE LAST ONE, SERVING ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PUBLIC EQUITABLY.

SO AS WE ARE EVALUATING THESE PROGRAMS AND GOING THROUGH FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED AND OUR NEW ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, UM, THAT IS OF HIGH PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THESE COMBINED WORKING AND FOCUS GROUPS, IF YOU WATCH THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO, OR IF YOU WERE SITTING ON THE DAAS, THEN YOU, UM, HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST FORAY INTO WHAT WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY ON BUILDING BACK THESE PROGRAMS LOOKS LIKE, OR MAKING EDITS TO THESE PROGRAMS. SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM THAT IS FORMED UNDER CANDACE COOPER, OUR CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.

SHE IS OVERSEEING KIND OF THIS WORK GROUP.

WE DO NOT HAVE A DEDICATED COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IN OUR NEWLY FORMED OFFICE JUST YET.

SO WE'RE KIND OF PIECING THAT TOGETHER FROM RESOURCES AROUND THE CITY.

UM, IT'S GONNA BE MADE UP OF MEMBERS FROM THE CORPORATE PIO OFFICE, FROM, UH, PROGRAM STAFF THAT WE HAVE ON SITE AND OTHER FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE LENT TO OUR DEPARTMENT ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING, UM, DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS CAN GIVE TO US.

SO WE'RE FORMING THE ENGAGEMENT GROUP.

THERE IS A PLAN.

THEY ARE ROLLING THE PLAN OUT AS WE SPEAK.

IT'S INCREMENTALLY COMING, SO THERE WILL BE MORE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS IT TAKES SHAPE PUBLICLY.

ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BE COMPILING ALL THE HISTORICAL COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.

IN FACT, OUR STAFF HAS AL ALREADY DID DILIGENTLY COMPILED ALL OF THAT AND PROVIDED THAT TO CANDACE AND HER TEAM.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALL OF THAT IS GONNA BE PUT INTO A FEEDBACK LOOP.

UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE USING AN AI TOOL TO KIND OF COME UP WITH COMMON THEMES AND PUT TOGETHER A REPORT TO BRING TO THE WORK GROUPS AND THE FOCUS GROUPS AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE HEARD OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE HAS BEEN MUCH FEEDBACK FROM THIS GROUP AND FROM SURVEYS AND FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO KIND OF COMPILING THAT ALL IN ONE PLACE.

AND LASTLY, WE ARE WORKING ON FORMING THOSE WORK GROUPS AND FOCUS GROUPS.

INVITATIONS HAVE STARTED TO ROLL OUT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST A ONE SHOT.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE AS WE GET, UH, ACCEPTS AND DECLINES AND AS OTHER PEOPLE EXPRESS INTEREST TO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.

SO THAT STARTED AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, MAY THE FIRST, AND THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE ROLLING OUT OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

DISCUSSING THE PROGRAM GUIDELINE UPDATES.

SO WE ARE, UM, COMING WITH A COMMUNITY FOCUSED APPROACH WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES.

WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT MEANS, INCORPORATING ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK, AND ALSO LOOKING AT LANGUAGE REVISIONS BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE VERY AWARE OF WHAT OUR STATE IS, UM, ASKING US TO DO WHAT'S BEING, UM, PUT ONTO THE MUNICIPALITIES AROUND TEXAS.

AND WE'RE ALSO TAKING IN COMMUNITY FEEDBACK TO FIND THE BEST VERSION OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO PUT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY LATER THIS YEAR.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF A TIMELINE, UM, THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH.

THIS WAS PRESENTED EXACTLY TO THE ARTS COMMISSION AS WELL.

I WANTED TO POINT OUT THE WORD ELEVATE IS ON HERE AT THE NUMBER FIVE SLOT, BUT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT ELEVATE FOR THIS TIMELINE, UNFORTUNATELY.

UM, ERICA AND I WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THE SOURCE FILE TO UPDATE THIS IMAGE FOR YOU ALL, BUT I DID WANNA POINT THAT OUT TODAY.

SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST EXITED THE FANNING THE

[00:20:01]

YOU CAN SEE APRIL WAS WHEN ALL OF THAT DATA WAS BEING COLLECTED AND COMPILED.

STAFF WAS WORKING HARD.

UM, THAT WAS AROUND THE 30 TO 60 DAY MARK OF THE DEPARTMENT.

SO A LOT OF MOVING PIECES WERE GOING ON INTO LEARNING ABOUT WHAT WAS COMING NEXT.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN, UH, THE LITTLE SECOND PHASE OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH WE'RE CALLING LAUNCH INPUT STRATEGIES.

SO CANDACE AND HER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM ARE COMING FORWARD TO PUT OUT THE SURVEY, CAN BE IN THE FOCUS GROUPS DOING, UM, CONTINUING ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, UH, WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION'S, EXISTING WORKING GROUPS AND MEETINGS, AND ALSO ESTABLISHING NEW ONES AS WELL.

THERE'S A LOT OF EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS GOING AROUND.

WE ARE PROVIDING WHAT WE'RE CALLING A MEETING IN A BOX TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO WE WANT AT THE TABLE, BUT WHO MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FIT INTO OUR TIMELINE.

SINCE IT IS KIND OF AGGRESSIVE AND QUICK.

WE ARE DOING FEEDBACK SESSIONS.

WE HAVE LAUNCHED OUR BRAND NEW WEBSITE ON MAY THE FIRST.

AND WE'RE, UM, ENGAGING WITH THE MEDIA AS WE PROACTIVELY GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT THIS WORK.

STAGE THREE COMES IN JUNE WHERE WE WILL ANALYZE AND REVISE THE DATA AND BEGIN DRAFTING FINAL VERSIONS OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD, WHICH WE HAVE A GOAL TO HAVE FINISH BY JULY, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IS THE NEXT PHASE PRESENT FINAL GUIDELINES.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHAT THAT APPROVAL PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, BUT A PART OF THAT APPROVAL PROCESS INCLUDES EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE.

IT INCLUDES THE WORKING GROUPS, IT INCLUDES THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND ALSO GOING TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO WE'LL BE WORKING BACKWARDS FROM COUNCIL DATES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING OUR DEADLINES ALONG THE WAY TO GET THERE.

STEP FIVE IS, UH, WHEN WE WILL BE IN AUGUST.

THAT IS OUR ESTIMATED LAUNCH MONTH THAT WE ARE AIMING FOR AFTER WE GET EVERYTHING APPROVED IN JULY.

UM, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO LAUNCHING, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING WORKSHOPS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MARKETING, COMMUNICATION, ENGAGEMENT, ALL OF THOSE EFFORTS.

SO THAT WILL BE ROLLING DURING THAT TIME.

AND WE HAVE A GOAL TO HAVE FUNDS FOR THIS ROUND OF FUNDING DISTRIBUTED IN JANUARY, 2026, PARTNERING WITH THE LONG CENTER WHO, UM, ADMINISTERS CONTRACTS FOR MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS AND ALSO DISTRIBUTES FUNDS FOR MOST OF THEM AS WELL.

NEXT SLIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND ANSWER AS BEST I CAN.

Y'ALL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS.

AND, UH, YEAH, I, I, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IT STARTED, THE IDEA STARTED WITH THIS BEING FOR ELEVATE, AND THEN IT WAS EXPANDED TO ENCOMPASS ALL THE GRANTS THAT ARE MANAGED WITHIN, UH, THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, UH, LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS.

OKAY, I'LL START.

UM, SO, UH, JUST TO, UM, SO THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BEFORE COUNCIL IN JULY.

THAT IS THE GOAL.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WORKING BACK FROM.

IS IT A, IS IT A REVIEW OR, UH, IS IT AN APPROVAL THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR FROM COUNCIL? THE GOAL IS WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN APPROVAL AND THAT WE COME FORWARD WITH AN RCA ARREST FOR A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION WITH MANY PARTNERS BEHIND US SHOWING THAT THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE.

GOT IT.

AND THE APPLICATION, EVEN THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE, UH, DISPERSED IN JANUARY, BUT THE APPLICATION ITSELF IS GONNA BE ROLLED OUT IN AUGUST.

AUGUST, AUGUST IS THE GOAL.

UM, WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING THE DETAILS OF LIKE, HOW MANY WEEKS IS THE APPLICATION OPEN, HOW MANY WEEKS DO WE HAVE FOR SCORING, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS TO OPEN AT ONCE.

SO WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS HAVING A PLAN FOR THAT.

UM, LOTS OF MEETINGS GOING ON ABOUT THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE GOAL TIMEFRAMES.

THANK YOU.

AND, UH, COULD YOU THROW SOME LIGHT ON, UM, WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA USED TO ESTABLISH THE WORKING GROUP AND THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS? WHAT'S BEING, UH, USED FOR THAT? YES.

WELL, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, LIKE I SAID, I JUST GOT BACK, SO I'M PLAYING CATCH UP AND MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE WORKING GROUPS, UM, ARE BEING FORMED FROM RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR STAFF ON, UM, BOTH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO, UM, ARE IN SUPPORT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, WHO HAVE ISSUES WITH WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO TRY TO GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOICES AT THE TABLE, AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPROACHED OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DIRECTLY, OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL DIRECTLY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FORWARD TO SAY, HEY, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS AND I WANNA BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE TABLE.

UM, THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS AROUND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AS FAR AS LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY APPLYING FOR GRANTS.

AND SO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH LAW BEFORE I RETURNED AROUND, LIKE, WHAT CONSTITUTES A CONFLICT SO THAT THEY COULD WORK THROUGH EXTENDING THOSE INVITATIONS.

BUT IT'S LARGELY MADE UP OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PEOPLE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FORWARD SPECIFICALLY TO SAY, I WANNA BE A PART OF THIS.

THANK YOU.

I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE MORE QUESTION AND I'LL YIELD TO THE COMMISSION.

UM, WE, I I, I WAS IN THE MEETING WHERE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST WAS BEING DISCUSSED AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAD COME UP AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE A FOLLOW UP WAS AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA OF, UH, COMMISSIONERS OR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS APPLYING FOR GRANTS MM-HMM .

AND, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT COMMISSIONERS WHO PARTICIPATE POTENTIALLY OR, OR NOT POTENTIALLY

[00:25:01]

I THINK THAT DECISION IS MADE, UH, CANNOT APPLY FOR THE GRANTS.

UH, EITHER IT'S FOR THIS YEAR OR 2025 AND 26.

BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, UH, LIKELY ARE NOT UNDER THE SAME CODE OF ETHICS.

THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT ACTING ON A COMMISSION.

SO WOULD THE SAME APPLY TO THEM? HAS THAT BEEN RESOLVED AS YET, OR IS THAT STILL AN OPEN QUESTION? MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I WOULD LOVE TO DOUBLE CHECK AND SEND, UM, HAVE WORK WITH SHELBY TO SEND AN EMAIL TO GET YOU THE CORRECT ANSWER.

BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATES WILL BE UNDER, WILL BE SIGNING THE SAME AGREEMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHATEVER WAS DECIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW.

UM, AND I THINK I KNEW WHAT IT IS, BUT I DON'T WANNA SAY THE WRONG THING AND TELL YOU THE, THE, THE WRONG INFORMATION.

SO I'D RATHER FOLLOW UP BY EMAIL WITH LIKE SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT ANSWER IS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

UM, IF, IF YOU COULD JUST HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE US A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, IF ANY OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANNA ENGAGE AND WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.

WHAT WOULD THE BE SUGGESTED FOR THE GROUP THEY KNOW, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING UP FOR.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS, UH, COMMENTS ON THIS? I HAVE A QUESTION.

UH, THE, THE, SO AS FAR AS LIKE ALL THE, THE WAY THAT, 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE GRANTS FOR NEXUS ELEVATE AND THRIVE HAVE WORKED A LOT DIFFERENTLY THAN LIVE MUSIC FUND.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO KIND OF COALESCE? IS THAT PART OF THE WORK THAT THE WORKING GROUP'S GONNA BE DOING? HOW IS THAT KIND OF SHAPING? YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT IS, THAT IS A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

LIKE HOW CAN WE MARRY THAT ECOSYSTEM, REMOVE BARRIERS, MAKE IT AS SIMILAR AS POSSIBLE WHILE MAINTAINING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INTEGRITY OF UNDERSTANDING.

LIKE, MUSIC IS A VERY DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEM THAN MANY LIKE ARTS NONPROFITS.

AND SO I THINK IT IS A, A NEBULOUS THING TO APPROACH.

I THINK WE HAVE A GOAL THAT THERE'S AN EASIER WAY THAT THEY CAN BE MARRIED IN SOME WAY AS FAR AS LOOK, FEEL AND EXPECTATIONS, BUT IT, UM, DEFINITELY WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE WORKING GROUP, UH, EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO THE TABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR RESPONSES, WHETHER IN THE FOCUS GROUPS, WORKING GROUP SURVEYS, THESE OTHER WAYS.

UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE IF YOU THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING TO, TO LEAN INTO THAT, BECAUSE THAT COULD SIMPLIFY THINGS.

SURE.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED.

DO YOU INTEND TO BRING THAT BACK TO THIS COMMISSION OR DO YOU TAKE IT DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL, JUST THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, THE WORKING GROUP PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD? I BELIE I BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY COMPLETED SINCE THEY'VE ALREADY FORMED THAT GROUP AND THEY'RE ALREADY SENDING OUT INVITATIONS.

I'M SURE THEY'RE TWEAKING KIND OF THE DETAILS OF THAT ENGAGEMENT BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THE WORKING GROUP AND DETAILS LIKE THAT.

UM, I DON'T SIT ON THE ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, SO I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH INSIGHT INTO IT, BUT IT WON'T BE COMING FORWARD TO BE APPROVED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINTS TO MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

UM, WOULD THE OUTCOMES OR PROGRESS BE SHARED AT THE NEXT MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING? I MEAN, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THAT.

I BELIEVE SO.

SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT A, UM, PUBLIC INPUT, WHICH IS A PLATFORM THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. THERE IS A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW, UM, DEPARTMENTS HAVE USED THAT FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO DISPLAY IN REAL TIME KIND OF PROGRESS ON DIFFERENT GOALS, UH, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO BOTH HAVE AN ONGOING FEEDBACK LOOP WHERE YOU CAN KIND OF ALWAYS CHECK IN AND THEN ALSO RETURN TO THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS PARTNERS IN OTHER COMMISSIONS, ARTS COMMISSION, TOURISM COMMISSION, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO KIND OF BRING THEM ALONG THE JOURNEY WITH US.

UM, WE KNOW THERE ARE VERY FEW TOUCH POINTS BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST, SO WE WILL ALSO, UM, UH, RELY ON YOU HOPEFULLY TO KEEP FOLKS IN THE LOOP ON WHERE WE'RE GOING.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF YOUR FACES SITTING IN SOME OF THOSE FOCUS GROUPS AND WORK GROUPS.

UM, AND YOU HAVE YOUR OWN STANDING WORKING GROUP AS WELL.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

[5. Input on recent increase in number of performance rights organizations and their licensing revenue distribution practices with update from Michael Collins, Broadcast Media Inc.]

UM, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND, YOU HAD SENT SOME DOCUMENTS OVER? I DID, YEAH.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC AND REVIEW THOSE, UM, WE CANNOT TAKE ACTION TODAY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THIS IS, IS UNDER A DISCUSSION ITEM.

CORRECT.

UH, BUT YOU ARE, UH, OF COURSE, UH, WELCOME TO STILL REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS.

YEAH, SURE.

GO AHEAD.

SO, AND, AND THIS IS, UH, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN CHARLA, THIS, BOTH OF THESE DOCUMENTS ARE BASICALLY JUST A KICKOFF KIND OF THING.

UH, UH, I'M HOPING THAT WE COULD, UM, KIND OF WORK THROUGH THIS TOGETHER AS A, AS AS A COMMISSION, AS A

[00:30:01]

IT'S A, A PRETTY, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO PART, UH, TWO PARTS TO THIS.

ONE IS BASICALLY A DRAFT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SEND TO CONGRESS.

I BELIEVE THE DEADLINE IS MAY 25TH.

UM, SO THAT WE COULD BASICALLY SEND A STATEMENT IN, IN SOLIDARITY ADVOCATING FOR, UM, PROS.

AND, UH, UH, THE, THE FACT THAT PROS ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, UM, THAT THAT STREAMS ARE BEING TRACKED FAIRLY AND THAT, UM, THAT DIFFERENT PROS THAT ARE POPPING UP THAT THEY HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY IN TERMS OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE REPORTING.

UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL THAT, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, REALLY KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT, I GUESS IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY, RACIAL EQUITY THAT WE COULD ALSO SORT OF DISCUSS.

SO I KIND OF PUT THAT AT THE, AT THE BACK END OF THIS.

BUT THIS IS SOME SOMEWHAT OF A, OF A KICKOFF THAT WE COULD, UM, BASICALLY TALK ABOUT.

THE OTHER PART TO THIS IS THAT I DID SPEAK WITH MICHAEL COLLINS AND MITCH BALLARD TODAY.

THEY BASICALLY WANT TO HAVE A, A MORE NUANCED CONVERSATION OFFLINE AND OFF THE RECORD.

AND SO WE KIND OF, I'M ASKING FOR A FEW COMMISSIONERS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT MEETING, UH, AS WELL.

WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE WE NEED TO MAYBE A THREE PART THING.

SO I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO FORM MAYBE A WORKING GROUP FOR LIKE, MAYBE ONE MEETING, JUST ONE MEETING, I PROMISE.

AND THEN, UM, WE WOULD NEED TO PROBABLY MEET BEFORE THE 25TH TO AGREE ON WHAT WE WOULD SEND TO CONGRESS AND THEN, UM, SEND THAT TO CONGRESS.

SO THIS, YEAH, IT, IT'S KIND OF TURNED INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A THING, BUT IT'S GONNA BE VERY SIMPLE.

IT'LL BE VERY SIMPLE.

SO, UM, AND IF WE NEED MORE TIME TO REVIEW IT OR TALK ABOUT IT, WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT.

OKAY.

UM, DID YOU WANT TO GO AND GO THROUGH ANY OF THIS, UH, INFORMATION? SURE THING.

YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT.

SO, UH, THE, THE DRAFT OF THIS BASICALLY IS A, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD SEND TO CONGRESS, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION, WE, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, TO SUBMIT OUR PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF PROS.

I'M NOT GONNA READ IT WORD FOR WORD, BUT BASICALLY WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROLIFERATION OF PROS, THE TRANSPARENCY AND LICENSING, REALTY DISTRIBUTION, UH, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON LOCAL ARTISTS AS WELL.

UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE IS, IS THE STANDARDIZATION OF LICENSING PRACTICES, BASICALLY, UM, IMPLE IMPLEMENTING UNIFORM GUIDELINES ACROSS ALL PROS, PRO BEING PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, UM, TO REDUCE CONFUSION, UM, THE ENHANCED TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS MANDATING, UH, CLEAR DISCLOSURE OF LICENSED WORKS AND DETAILED ROYALTY DISTRIBUTION REPORTS.

AND THEN, UM, SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS AS WELL.

ESTABLISHING MECHANISMS TO ENSURE FAIR COMPENSATION FOR ALL ARTISTS, UM, REGARDLESS OF THEIR COMMERCIAL STATURE, UM, WILL PROMOTE A MORE EFFECTIVE, SORRY, EQUITABLE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS IN HOW THIS LAST PART WORKS HERE.

AND I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ALL OF THIS IN HERE, BUT BASICALLY IF YOU HAVE THESE PEOPLE, I HAVE ONE OF THESE GUYS AS WELL.

UM, HIS NAME IS JOHN GERDEN.

HE WORKS WITH CLEAR RIGHTS.

HE'S ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT BASICALLY GOES AND FINDS ALL THE COINS AND THE COUCH CUSHIONS, AND THEN HE, UH, UH, SENDS ME MONEY WHEN HE FINDS THEM, BASICALLY.

THEN THAT HAPPENS ONCE A QUARTER.

UM, CURRENTLY PROS DON'T REALLY DO THAT PER SE.

I MEAN, THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MONEY BASICALLY IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT LITTLE PLACES THAT THE PROS THEN SORT OF COLLECT.

BUT, UM, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF ACTUALLY MAKING SURE THAT MONEY GETS COLLECTED AND GETS PAID TO ARTISTS.

UH, THE, AND THEN THERE'S, UH, THE RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY ROYAL TO DISTRIBUTION.

THIS IS PART OF WHAT I KIND OF TACKED ON HERE.

UM, FOR INSTANCE, NO P NO CURRENT MANDATE REQUIRES PROFESSOR PERFORMANCE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS TO REPORT DEMOGRAPHIC OR GENERAL DATA DATA OR WHO IS GETTING PAID AND WHO IS NOT.

UM, THIS LEADS TO SYSTEMATIC UNDERPAYMENT OR INVISIBILITY OF BIPOC ARTISTS, PARTICULARLY IN GENRES LIKE HIP HOP, LATIN GOSPEL, AND REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC.

UH, SO WE WOULD WANT FOR CONGRESS TO, UM, COMMISSION PROS TO CONDUCT EQUITY AUDITS, UH, REQUEST A BREAKDOWN OF ROYALTY DISTRIBUTION BY GENRE, RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER, REGION, JUST BASICALLY MORE TRANSPARENCY IN WHO'S PLAYING, WHERE ARE THEY PLAYING, WHO'S GETTING PAID, WHO'S NOT GETTING PAID, WHAT DID YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND WHAT DO THESE UM,

[00:35:01]

UH, AND THEN THERE'S THE LOCAL VENUE PROTECTIONS.

ALSO, THERE, THERE WERE A, UH, A COUPLE OF, UM, VENUES THAT REACHED OUT TO, TO, TO ME, UH, I'M NOT GONNA NAME THEM HERE, BUT BASICALLY, UM, VENUES PAY A, A, A PRETTY SUBSTAN SUBSTANTIVE FEE TO LICENSE MUSIC IN THEIR VENUES.

AND, UH, ARTISTS ARE, UM, WE TURN IN SET LISTS TO OUR PERFORMER CHOICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY WERE PAID, UM, BASED ON THE OCCUPANCY OF THE ROOM, HOW LONG OUR SET WAS, WE'RE PAID ROYALTIES BASED ON OUR SET LISTS.

AND SO, BUT THAT MONEY BASICALLY COMES FROM THE VENUE PAYING THE PROS BECAUSE THE VENUE HAS TO LICENSE THE MUSIC, UM, FROM THE PRO IF I'M, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND THEN, UM, BUT THOSE FEES ARE LIKE VERY SUBSTANTIVE FEES.

AND SO, UM, IF THERE'S A PAY PER USE MODEL OR A LOCAL USE CREDIT, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEN, UH, BLACK BOX ROYALTY REFORM, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS UNCLAIM OR UNMATCHED ROYALTIES, OFTEN CALLED BLACK BOX ROYALTIES, FREQUENTLY GO OUT TO MAJOR RIGHTS HOLDERS BY DEF BY DEFAULT LEAVING INDIE ARTISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED, UM, FROM COMMUNITIES OUT.

UM, SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, UM, WHAT I HAVE HERE.

I THINK I PUT A FEW THINGS ON THE BACK HERE, BUT THAT'S LIKE THE MEAT OF IT.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A KICKOFF.

SO IT'S JUST A DISCUSSION AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT EXTREMELY ACCURATE CAN BE CHANGED.

ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED CAN BE ADDED.

ANYTHING NEEDS TO BE TAKEN AWAY CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.

THIS IS THE WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE THE DISCUSSION PART.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

UM, CAN WE, UH, DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT? IT MAY, MAY 25TH IS THE ABSOLUTE DEADLINE AND SHALL GET ADVISED BECAUSE WE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT GONNA BE MEETING BEFORE THAT.

SO IF IT HAS TO GO OUT WITH, WITH THE MUSIC COM AS A MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, UM, THE WORKING GROUP ALONE LIKELY IS NOT GONNA SUFFICE.

IT NEEDS A VOTE AT THE COMMISSION.

UM, OTHERWISE IT WOULD JUST NEED TO GO IN INDEPENDENTLY.

SO IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY AVAILABLE TO US TO DO THIS? UM, OTHER THAN BRINGING IT TO THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING? WE, WE, WE CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.

OKAY.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT WE, BUT WE CAN UH, YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.

AND IF, IF, AND IF WE CAN, I MEAN, IF IT'S ONLY US DISCUSSING THIS ONE TOPIC, UM, IT COULD BE A PRETTY QUICK MEETING AND IT, I DON'T, DOES IT, DO WE HAVE TO MEET IN PERSON IF IT'S UH, UH, YES.

UH, WELL AT LEAST A COUPLE OF FOLKS WILL HAVE TO BE HERE.

COUPLE, I'LL HAVE TO BE HERE VOTING SO I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.

BUT IT CAN BE DONE OKAY.

CONSIDERING THE TURNAROUND.

SO I CAN FOLLOW UP ON IF WE NEED TO BE IN PERSON OR NOT.

UM, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF VOTES, THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN.

OKAY.

IS HOW WE MAKE IT ALL OFFICIAL, SO.

GOTCHA.

I'LL FOLLOW UP IF SPECIAL MEETING IS SOMETHING WE'RE INTERESTED IN, BUT AS OF TODAY WE CAN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDLESS, SO.

CORRECT.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

SO, UM, SHELBY, WE'LL WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, UM, AND, UH, TO SEE WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO US, UM, MEAN IF NOT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THIS NEEDS TO GO IN AS DIRECT INPUT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE OF COURSE EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY IS WELCOME TO DO THAT.

UM, ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? PRICE? UH, COMMISSIONER, SOMEONE? NO.

SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING? I MEAN, SPECIAL CALL MEETING? WE, WE, WE RARELY DO THAT TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING.

UH, BUT IF, IF, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE NOT USUALLY DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION REALLY, WHETHER, WHETHER WE WANT TO PURSUE THAT OPTION OR NOT, YOU KNOW, SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT IF THAT'S THE WISH OF THE, OF THE COMMISSION.

UM, BUT I, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT THE INFORMATION, LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED YOU NEEDED TO TALK TO SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO GET FURTHER INPUT.

CORRECT.

REVISE THIS DOCUMENT AND THEN SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR REVIEW.

UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'D GET IT WITH ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT ABSOLUTELY.

PRIOR, PRIOR TO THAT, UH, SPECIAL CALL MEETING AND ENOUGH TIME BEING YEAH.

SEVERAL DAYS.

SURE.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S MY ONLY INPUT.

TOTALLY REASONABLE AND I'LL MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CARVALHO, THANKS FOR DOING THIS.

IT'S SUCH A HUGE PART OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK REALLY GETS OVERLOOKED AND IT'S HONESTLY BRAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING AGAINST LIKE SOME REALLY BIG POWERFUL PEOPLE.

UM, AND AS SOMEBODY THAT'S IN THE MUSIC VENUE WORLD, UM, IT FEELS LIKE

[00:40:01]

AND, UM, AND I THINK SUPPORTING MUSICIANS AND PAYING ROYALTIES TO PEOPLE WHO MAKE ART IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY WHEN YOU'RE, UH, PAYING YOUR BILLS AT THE END OF THE MONTH OR EVERY QUARTER, LIKE THEY ASK.

RIGHT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED IN THE LAST SIX YEARS OF RUNNING THE MUSIC VENUE I HAVE CURRENTLY IS THAT, UM, A LOT OF THESE LICENSING COMPANIES KEEP FRACTIONING OFF AND THEN TURNING INTO DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND THEY BUY LICENSES FROM OTHER MUSICIANS.

AND IT USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, BMI, UH, CSAC AND NOW THERE'S LIKE FIVE OR SIX OF 'EM THAT I HAVE TO PAY EVERY LIKE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.

AND IT REALLY IS STARTING TO FEEL, UM, NOT JUST EXHAUSTING, BUT LIKE VERY LIMITING IN THE WAYS THAT I CAN COMBAT THAT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT, HOW THAT WORKS? LIKE THE FRACTURING OFF KIND OF THING? 'CAUSE I MEAN, SO BMI, CSAC, ASCAP MM-HMM .

LIKE YOU ALL PAY A BILL TO THEM EVERY MONTH BASICALLY YEAH.

TO LICENSE THE MUSIC AND ALLOW FOR THAT TO BE IN YOUR VENUES.

SURE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE FRACTIONING OFF OF LIKE, SO OTHER COMP LIKE OTHER COMPANIES PROS, PROS WILL LIKE LICENSE OTHER ARTISTS MUSIC AND THEN CHARGE YOU GUYS FOR IT.

THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

SO EACH COMPANY OWNS A CATALOG OF MUSIC AH, AND THEY BUY IT FROM EACH OTHER AND THEN EVENTUALLY ONE GETS BIG ENOUGH WHERE THEY JUST FRACTION OFF AND LIKE BUY THOSE LICENSES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A VENUE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY, WHICH I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO, SO I, WE JUST PAY ALL OF THEM, UM, IS YOU CAN JUST GO THROUGH A CATALOG AND SAY, I'M ONLY GONNA PLAY BMI MUSIC, BUT YOU HAVE TO KIND OF PROVE IT.

SO YOU ONLY HAVE ONE BILL AND IT'S DEPENDING ON, UH, THE AMOUNT OF, UM, YOUR CAPACITY AND HOW FREQUENTLY YOU'RE PLAYING MUSIC AND WHAT TIME OF DAYS YOU'RE DOING IT.

UM, AND YOU GET AUDITED PRETTY OFTEN AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO WHEN YOU'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT.

YOU'RE LIKE, YEAH, OF COURSE.

LIKE YOU, YOU PAY YOUR ROYALTIES TO THE MUSIC BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF HOW YOU'RE RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO MUSICIANS, WHICH I AM ALSO ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE, IS LIKE I, YOU DON'T SEE ANY DOLLARS OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, OF THOSE DOLLARS PAID.

LIKE WHERE'S THAT GOING? BY THE TIME IT TRICKLES DOWN IT'S LIKE A HUNDRED SOMETHING DOLLARS, WHO IS WHO IS GETTING MONEY? YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IF THAT SEEMS FOR A QUARTER FOR LIKE, FOR THREE MONTHS, IT'S LIKE, I THINK IT'S 130 SOME DOLLARS IS WHAT I'M GETTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YEAH.

UM, SO MOSTLY I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS FOR DOING THIS AND I THINK IT'S SUPER COOL AND I'D LOVE TO GIVE ANY INPUT BACK IN IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT ANY OTHER TIME.

YEAH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER ENGLAND? UM, AND KIND OF, UH, POSITIONING OFF OF, UM, COMMISSIONER CARVALLO ON THAT, UH, THERE'S, I I CAN CONFIRM ALL OF THAT AS SOMEONE WHO OPERATES A MUSIC VENUE, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, A MUCH SMALLER ONE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE DIVIDENDS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY TIGHT AT THE END OF EVERY MONTH.