Texas Sounds and Cities will bring together music-friendly cities, musicians and industry experts

FORT WORTH, Texas (February 4, 2019) –Visit Fort Worth and The Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor announced today a new, one-day music conference called Texas Sounds and Cities. The conference will be held on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center the day before Fortress Festival, featuring Leon Bridges.

The conference will bring together Texas cities, music educators, musicians and music fans who aspire to keep the Texas music scene moving forward. Conversations will be led by music industry representatives from organizations like Sound Diplomacy, the Texas Music Office, Niles City Sound and many more.

“We understand the importance of music to the visitor economy,” said Mitch Whitten, Visit Fort Worth executive vice president for marketing and strategy. “The goal of the conference is to create an environment for music-friendly cities, other organizations and the music industry to learn, collaborate and keep the momentum going.”

Fort Worth was designated the state’s first music-friendly city in 2017 by the Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor’s “Music-Friendly Communities” certification program. Since then, Visit Fort Worth has launched a series of programs to support local musicians including travel grants, SXSW submission fee reimbursements and a studio recording program with Niles City Sound.  

The Texas Music Office’s Music-Friendly Community program provides the state’s communities with a network for fostering music industry development, and sends a clear message to industry professionals that certified communities are serious about attracting and developing music industry growth.

“Visit Fort Worth has done a great job of living up to their music-friendly city certification,” said Brendon Anthony, director of the Texas Music Office. “We are excited to partner with them and produce a conference that will provide an educational platform for cities to learn best practices, network and help even more communities achieve this designation.”

The full conference schedule will be released in early March with sessions including:

·         The Business of Music in Texas
·         Cultivating Local Talent
·         Developing a Music-Friendly City
·         Music Tourism & Talent Attraction
·         Diversity and Inclusion in the Music Business

Attendees have the opportunity to register for a ticket that also includes a 2-day pass to Fortress Festival at a deeply discounted price. Registration will also include breakfast, lunch, refreshments, local beer and whiskey tastings, live music breaks and a reserved seat at the KERA 90.1 Art & Seek event at the Kimbell Art Museum following the conference.

 

  • Sounds & Cities Conference + Fortress Festival VIP: $249
  • Sounds & Cities Conference: $199

 

For more information or to register visit www.TexasSoundsandCities.com.

 

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About Visit Fort Worth

Visit Fort Worth is the official destination marketing organization of the 15th-largest city in the United States, dedicated to promoting Fort Worth as a premier business and leisure destination with thriving centers of culture and commerce. Fort Worth is a destination with a rich Western heritage and a dedication to urban renewal. The city is home to the famed Stockyards Historic District, the lively downtown Sundance Square, a renowned Cultural District and many distinct districts, attractions and sporting events. For more information, visit www.FortWorth.com.

 

About the Texas Music Office

For nearly 30 years the Texas Music Office has served the Texas music industry. Its mission to create opportunity and connect businesses continues today. The Texas Music Office’s core functions are to serve as a clearinghouse for Texas music industry information via the TMO's Texas Music Industry Directory (a business referral network comprised of 15,000-plus Texas music businesses), serve as a liaison between music businesses and government offices and agencies, publicize significant developments within the industry, and to attract essential music industry to foster the economic development of Texas music businesses and musicians.

The TMO’s Music Friendly Community workshops are open to anyone interested in learning about the new Texas Music Office program that seeks to foster music business economic development in Texas cities and communities.

"In 2017, the Texas music industry generated over $19.8 billion in economic activity and created over 178,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs in communities all across the Lone Star State last year, with support from the Texas Music Office,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Music Friendly Communities certified by the Texas Music Office are serious about attracting and developing local music industry growth, and I’m proud of the work of the Texas Music Office in helping Texas communities to grow their local economy."