Music Friendly Texas Program

Texas Music's Shakey Graves performing at SuperBowl Live 2017 in Houston, TX. Photo by Rob Loud.
In 2016, the Texas Music Office (TMO) created the only Music Friendly Community Program in the US, now known as Music Friendly Texas, and since then, the TMO’s Music Friendly Texas program has grown into a fully operational network of over 40 Certified Communities across the state. As the only standalone State Music Office in the US, the TMO is proud to be the gold standard for all states and cities across the US who wish to emulate our unique office and programming. Texas is leading the way in working to support the commercial music ecosystem, and we welcome all new partners who are interested in following the TMO’s example.
Becoming a Certified Music Friendly Texas Community
Participation in the TMO's Music Friendly Texas program provides Texas 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.
Cities that have received the official Music Friendly Texas Community designation from the TMO include: Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Denton, Lindale, Stephenville, Conroe, San Angelo, Nacogdoches, Abilene, McKinney, Waxahachie, Waco, Alpine, Bastrop, New Braunfels, Victoria, Arlington, Denison, Lubbock, Brenham, Dripping Springs, Round Rock, El Paso, Odessa, Vidor, Grand Prairie, Port Aransas, San Marcos, McAllen, Bryan, Wimberley, Salado, Harker Heights, Edinburg, Selma, Marshall, Granbury, Corsicana and Frisco.
Cities that are currently working through the certification process include: College Station, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Carthage, Texarkana, Sherman, Lufkin, Hutto, Grapevine, Rockwall, Kerrville, Navasota, Tyler, Linden, Crockett, Clear Lake Shores, Harlingen, Angleton, Anahuac, Mont Belvieu, Rockport-Fulton, Sweetwater, and Glen Rose.
Click the city point on the map below for each Music Friendly Texas Community's official liaison contact info:
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Certification Steps:
- Host a TMO sponsored Music Friendly Texas workshop.
- Establish a Music Office/Liaison within a division of city government (city office, economic development corporation, CVB/destination tourism office) that will be responsible for monthly reports concerning the progress of local music industry development programs.
- Register with the TMO's Texas Music Industry Directory. The liaison’s organization also signs a mutually agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that creates a working arrangement for the sharing of Music Directory data, and establishes protocols for keeping the directory information up to date.
- Demonstration of partnerships with the community's music-related 501c3 nonprofits in order to foster community development.
- Collaboration with music education programs, including area college or university music schools.
- Create an advisory board made up of local music community industry stakeholders.
Getting Started/Additional Info:
To take the first step in becoming a certified Music Friendly Texas Community, just click the button below:
Select Media Coverage of the Music Friendly Texas Program
- Frisco's Music Scene Takes Center Stage, Officials Anticipate a Rise in Tourism - 5/23/23
- Nonprofit Hear Fort Worth Is Working To Make Cowtown a Bigger Musical Stage - 5/15/23
- Frisco will be an epicenter for live music the week of the ACM Awards - 4/28/23
- This Texas City Is an Unexpected Destination for Music Lovers — and It Attracts Some of the Biggest Names in the Business (Arlington) - 4/23/23
- Crockett hosting free Music Friendly Texas Workshop - 4/13/23
- Arts, Music Come Alive in Downtown Corsicana - 4/4/23
- Frisco hits all the right notes as Texas’ newest Music Friendly Community - 3/21/23
- Texarkana, Texas, taking steps toward state Music Friendly Community Certification - 3/20/23
- College Station Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop - 2/28/23
- City of Granbury achieves ‘Music Friendly’ designation - 2/13/23
- Galveston Hopes Texas Program Puts City on live music map - 1/18/23
- Marshall earns Texas Music Friendly designation - 1/5/23
- Waco awarded $90K grant for free, live music series - 11/16/22
- Salado seeking ‘Music Friendly Community’ title from the state - 2/27/22
- San Marcos Is Now A Designated Music Friendly Community - 10/05/21
- Odessa Designated a Music Friendly Community - 8/19/21
- Texas Voices Exclusive: Waco Music Friendly Program - 8/26/19