The city of Fort Worth has been dubbed the state’s first “Music Friendly Community.”
The new designation from the Texas Music Office will give Fort Worth access to a network for the economic development of its music industry. The stamp of approval also lets industry professionals know the city is serious about its intentions to expand its music scene.
According to the TMO website, to become certified, communities must:
- attend a TMO workshop
- establish an office liaison who works within a division of government, an economic development corporation, a convention & visitor’s bureau, or a 501c3 nongovernment organization
- register with the TMO’s Texas Music Industry Directory
- demonstrate partnerships with community’s music-related 501c3 nonprofits
- collaborate with music education programs
In July, the TMO held its inaugural Music Friendly Communities workshop in Fort Worth, according to the city.
“We love seeing our music scene thrive and our local artists in the national spotlight,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said in a release.
“We love seeing our music scene thrive and our local artists in the national spotlight.”
Betsy Price
The Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau has seen potential in the city’s growing music business in recent years to spur tourism dollars.
It started the Hear Fort Worth initiative to promote the city’s music scene and offer a go-to resource for aspiring artists.
“Tourism in Fort Worth is a $2 billion industry, supports more than 22,000 jobs,” Mitch Whitten, vice president of marketing communications for the FWCVB, told NBC 5 in July. “We think music is an important part of that and will continue to help us grow the tourism business.”
To learn more about the Music Friendly Communities program and how to become certified, visit the Texas Music Office website.
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