Austin launches Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment to centralize city arts programs

Angela Means, director of Austin’s newly formed Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME), briefed the Tourism Commission on March 12 about the office’s mission, staffing and near‑term workplan.

Why it matters: The office consolidates city staff and programs that previously sat in five separate departments (economic development arts programs, parks and recreation cultural facilities, development services events teams, Austin Public Library heritage programs, and aviation music/art services). City leaders say the move is intended to streamline funding, programming and community engagement for arts and cultural sectors that contribute to Austin’s tourism brand.

Means, who said the office was created in February, told commissioners ACME will prioritize a comprehensive strategic plan and a community engagement program. "This new office represents the realization of a key recommendation from the Create Austin Cultural Master Plan," Means said. She said the office will reevaluate cultural‑arts and live‑music grant guidelines over the next roughly four months to make them "accessible, transparent and impactful," and expects to produce a strategic plan shaped by community feedback within months.

Means described a phased approach: phase 1 (planning and integration), phase 2 (launch of programs and community presence) and phase 3 (growth and expansion). She said ACME will look for diversified funding, including grants, sponsorships and private contributions, and will explore co‑location of staff in a downtown office (museum and cultural‑facility staff to remain on‑site).

Commissioners asked about several operational issues: whether aviation programming at Austin‑Bergstrom International Airport will be included (Means said the office is still negotiating that boundary with aviation), whether ACME will house Art in Public Places (AIPP) and how ACME will address recent public concerns about deaccessioning convention center artworks (Means said ACME will review processes and work with partners to avoid repeating the experience). Means emphasized a collaborative, partnership approach with artists, nonprofits, private sector and educational institutions.

Clarifying details: - ACME formation: office established by the City of Austin in February 2025 (as stated by director Angela Means). - Grant review timeline: Means said the office will review cultural arts and live‑music grant guidelines and expects to produce changes within about four months; a broader strategic plan is planned within a roughly three‑month horizon for initial planning. - Staffing consolidation: ACME brings together city employees from five departments; Means said most staff will be co‑located downtown, while museum and cultural‑facility staff will remain on their sites.

What happens next: Means said ACME will publish a community communications and engagement plan and return to the commission with progress updates. Commissioners offered the commission’s assistance and asked to receive timelines and details on grant guideline changes. No formal action was taken by the commission on ACME during the meeting.

Speakers (as listed in the meeting record): - Angela Means — Director, Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (City of Austin) - Daniel Ronan — Chair, Austin Tourism Commission - Commissioners and staff who asked follow‑up questions (commissioner names appear in the meeting record): Commissioner Bishop, Commissioner Channing, Vice Chair Bailey, and Felicia Burleson (staff liaison).

Searchable tags: ACME, arts policy, grants, public art, Austin