Music Friendly Texas Program
Texas Music's Shakey Graves performing at SuperBowl Live 2017 in Houston, TX. Photo by Rob Loud.
"We are thrilled to announce that McKinney, Texas, has entered into a partnership with Notes Live for the development of The Sunset Amphitheater, a state of the art, world class venue that will showcase world class talent in our community. This is a historic moment for our city, as we continue to grow and attract visitors and businesses with our vibrant culture and quality of life. McKinney is proud to be designated as a Music Friendly city by the Governor's office, and we believe that our efforts to achieve this designation played a role in Notes Live's initial consideration of our community. We look forward to working with Notes Live to create a musical destination that will enrich our city and the region."
- Mayor George Fuller, City of McKinney
“As the Mayor of our vibrant city, I am thrilled to announce Tyler’s official designation as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community,” said Tyler's Mayor Don Warren. “This recognition not only honors our rich musical heritage but also celebrates our ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive environment for musicians and the music industry. Together, we harmonize the notes of culture, creativity, and community, making Tyler a melody that resonates across the Lone Star State.”
In 2016, the Texas Music Office (TMO) created the only Music Friendly Community Program in the US, now known as the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Program, and since then, the TMO’s Music Friendly Texas program has grown into a fully operational network of now 60 Certified Communities across the state. As the standalone State Music Office in the US, the TMO is proud to be the gold standard for all states, cities, and countries across the globe 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 Certified Community 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.
Getting Started: To take the first step in becoming a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community, just click the button below to start your Music Friendly Texas Workshop Petition!
Certification Steps:
1. Complete the Music Friendly Texas (MFT) Workshop petition form, which can be found above or here.
2. Upon petition form submission and approval, schedule and host a TMO sponsored Music Friendly Texas workshop.
3. 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.
4. Register with the TMO's Texas Music Industry Directory.
5. 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.
6. Create an advisory board made up of local music community industry stakeholders.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF THE MFT LIAISON: The MFT Liaison will be responsible for monthly reporting (mentioned above), as well as participate in monthly virtual MFT Regional Office calls, one yearly in-person MFT Regional Office meeting, and attend our annual Texas Sounds & Cities conference, where MFT Liaisons come together once a year from all over the State.
Questions?: If you need any additional information regarding the Music Friendly Texas program, or have any questions, just click the button below!
Contact the Music Friendly Texas Program
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, Frisco, Linden, Corpus Christi, Lufkin, Dalhart, Weatherford, Sweetwater, Clear Lake Shores, Kerrville, College Station, Amarillo, South Padre Island, Belton, Tyler, Marble Falls, Mont Belvieu, Galveston, Corinth, Chandler, Alvin, Glen Rose, Mineral Wells, Rockwall, and Angleton.
Click the city point on the map below for each Music Friendly Texas Certified Community's official liaison contact info:
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Cities that are currently working through the certification process include:
Carthage, Texarkana, Sherman, Hutto, Grapevine, Navasota, Crockett, Harlingen, Anahuac, Rockport-Fulton, Menard, Graham, Bertram, Lampasas, Hidalgo, Sugar Land, Kilgore, The Colony, Killeen, Mexia, Carrollton, Temple, Bandera, Leakey, and Cedar Park.
Select Media Coverage of the Music Friendly Texas Program
- Angleton Earns Music Friendly Texas Certified Community Status from Texas Music Office - 9/20/2024
- New busking initiative bringing live music to the streets of Dallas - 9/17/2024
- Rockwall, Texas Strikes a Chord, Becomes Music Friendly Texas Certified Community - 9/7/2024
- Mexia to host Music Friendly Texas Workshop Tuesday evening - 8/27/2024
- Sugar Land aims to boost live music and support local talent - 8/20/2024
- Bandera To Host Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop - 8/10/2024
- ACM Awards spark $21 million economic impact for Frisco in May - 6/19/2024
- How the new Dallas Music Office hopes to grow the local music industry, build community - 6/10/2024
- Mineral Wells receives Designated Music Friendly Certification - 6/8/2024
- Glen Rose is a Music Friendly City - 6/8/2024
- 'THE BEAT GOES ON' City of Alvin receives official Music Friendly Community designation - 5/20/2024
- League City seeks to become a designated ‘music-friendly’ community - 5/10/2024
- Tarrant County musicians can qualify for health care through Sound Care program - 5/3/2024
- CHANDLER JOINS ELITE LIST AS GOVERNOR ABBOTT CERTIFIES CITY IN MUSIC FRIENDLY TEXAS PROGRAM - 5/2/2024
- Killeen Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop announced - 4/29/2024
- Kilgore Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop announced - 4/13/2024
- Country Music Awards Shows Are in a Texas State of Mind - 4/5/2024
- City officials and artists discuss how Mayfair building’s grand re-opening impacts tourism and entertainment in the area - 4/4/2024
- CORINTH ACHIEVES MUSIC FRIENDLY TEXAS CERTIFICATION, SPURS ECONOMIC GROWTH - 4/2/2024
- 'King of Country Music' George Strait to perform at Kyle Field in June - 3/20/24
- Come for the ACMs, stay for even more music in Frisco this May - 3/20/24
- Country Music Takes Texas! CMT Awards Return to Austin for 2nd Year in a Row: Nominees, Date and More - 3/14/24
- $220 Million McKinney Music Venue Slated to Open in 2026 - 3/12/24
- Marshall, Texas: Where History, Music, and Nature Collide - 3/7/24
- Fort Worth composes ways to tune up the city’s music scene - 2/28/24
- Gov. Abbott names Galveston a ‘music-friendly’ town. Here’s what that means. - 2/26/24
- Galveston celebrates Music Friendly City designation - 2/26/24
- Tyler's designation as Music Friendly City harmonious with revamp of historic music hall - 1/18/24
- Marble Falls deemed Music Friendly Texas Certified Community- 1/10/24
- Mont Belvieu Strikes a Chord as Newly Certified Music Friendly Texas Community - 1/7/24
- Belton certified as Music Friendly Community - 1/2/24
- Governor Abbott Announces Hidalgo Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop - 11/28/23
- South Padre Island Designated Music Friendly Texas Certified Community - 11/9/23
- Amarillo named 'music friendly' community by Texas Music Office - 11/6/23
- City of College Station to be recognized with music-friendly city designation by Texas Music Office - 11/1//23
- Texas Music Office And Corinth Join Forces For Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop - 10/30/23
- Lubbock musicians have opportunity to learn at ‘Getting the Gig’ workshop - 10/30/23
- Kerrville celebrates Music Friendly designation with evening of entertainment - 10/23/23
- Clear Lake Shores becomes Bay Area's first official music-friendly community - 10/19/23
- Virtual workshop could help Chandler become music friendly city - 10/6/23
- Bertram on its way to becoming a ‘Music Friendly Texas Community’ - 10/12/23
- Sweetwater to be honored as a Music Friendly Texas Community at Saturday concert - 10/6/23
- Weatherford designated Music Friendly by state - 9/29/23
- Graham seeks Music Friendly Texas state designation - 9/22/23
- City of Dalhart designated a ‘Music Friendly Texas Certified Community’ - 9/19/23
- Gov. Abbott designates Lufkin as Music Friendly Community - 9/12/23
- Corpus Christi recognized as Music Friendly Texas Certified Community - 8/27/23
- Linden, Texas Now Designated A ‘Music Friendly Texas Certified Community’ - 8/24/23
- City of Belton hosting Music Friendly Texas Community workshop - 8/9/23
- Dalhart, Texas Music Office to host Music Friendly Texas Community Workshop to work toward certification - 8/2/23
- “Music Friendly Texas Community” strikes a chord at Marble Falls workshop - 7/21/23
- 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