North Austin Musicians: City Of Austin Wants You

AUSTIN — Calling all musicians looking for a paid gig: The City of Austin is looking for musical acts for the Seaholm District.

The city has launched its "busking" program to lure visitors to newly opened public spaces and buildings in the downtown sector. Here's how it works: Musicians applying for the unique program (enabled through a one-time $150,000 grant from the Green Water Treatment Plant Redevelopment) will secure prime "busking" spots across the Seaholm District, acting as serenading ambassadors in luring visitors to the area with their musical expressions.

For us laymen, a definition is in order. To "busk" is to play music or otherwise perform for donations in public spaces. So now that that's out of the way, Erica Shamaly, manager for the city's Music & Entertainment Division, amplifies:

“We are dedicated to the constant pursuit of sustainable living wage compensation opportunities for Austin’s musicians,” she said, as quoted by KXAN. “The ATX Busking Program Pilot is a fantastic opportunity to pay local musicians an appropriate guarantee for their services, while establishing best practices to expand the program throughout the city.”

If this interests you, musician, you might want to hurry up and apply. The city hopes to have musicians selected by spring 2018. Those wishing to apply online for a spot should click here.

To busk or not to busk. That is the question.

In related news, the city recently earned a "Music Friendly Community" designation by the State of Texas. The Texas Music Office within the Office of the Texas Governor recently bestowed the official desingnation to a city already dubbed the "Live Music Capital of the World."

Read more musical-related news here and here.

>>> Photo by Lukas Robertson on Unsplash