In a nutshell
At an Aug. 6 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to create a music advisory board to further the city’s promotion of its local music industry.
The board is part of the city’s larger initiative to join the Texas Music Office’s Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Program, which aims to support the commercial music ecosystem across the state by providing a network of like-minded communities, according to the program’s website.
The specifics
If approved, the board will comprise five to nine members with qualifications including music venue owners, booking agents or musicians, and community members with first-hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities of the local music scene, said Sha Davis, Sugar Land Civic Arts manager. Additionally, the board must have at least one city representative.
According to agenda documents, responsibilities of the board include:
- Promoting music in the city by connecting and supporting musicians, venues and vendors
- Collecting and building upon local music industry data
- Providing feedback for updates on growth and needs of the local music industry
- Providing a form for exchange of ideas among music industry stakeholders
- Generating ideas for the advancement of Sugar Land’s music scene
The background
City staff identified a need for more public access to live music in March 2023 and began the application process to become a certified music-friendly city in May 2023, Davis said.
Since beginning the process, city staff attended liaison training and held a public workshop on the certification in February. Additionally, city staff opened music advisory board applications from March to May, Davis said.
Zooming out
The Texas Music Office created the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Program in 2016, and the program has since grown to include 60 cities across the state, according to its website.
What they’re saying
Beyond expanding the community’s music opportunities, council member Jennifer Lane said becoming a music-friendly city will help expand engagement.
“I think this is going to be a wonderful, fun way to build community within the city,” she said. “We can get our kids involved and have concerts. ... I’m really looking forward to this.”
Additionally, council member William Ferguson said he is excited to see what comes of the board.
“I love blues; I love county; I love it all,” he said. “I cannot wait until you guys present your ideas.”
What’s next?
City Council is set to approve the second reading of the ordinance at its Aug. 20 meeting, where council will also approve the members of the board, Davis said.
Following the board’s creation, city staff will finalize its application to the Texas Music Office and plan to celebrate its certification as a music-friendly city on Oct. 26 at its rescheduled Summer of Sound concert, she said.
