City of Austin creates new office dedicated to culture and entertainment scene

AUSTIN (KXAN) --- The city of Austin announced it's launching a new Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME). According to a news release, it is meant to focus on "sustaining and growing Austin’s creative sector."

The release said for many years, cultural affairs programming and resources were spread cross five different city departments. Each department separately focused on music, special events, cultural centers, heritage centers, cultural arts and art in public places.

This new office would unite related programs under one umbrella.

The city said it intends to do the following:

• Streamline coordination
• Provide a more cohesive and accessible experience for residents and visitors
• Amplify the reach and effectiveness of joint initiatives

“After months of engaging with numerous organizations and individuals who are dedicated to the success of Austin’s creative community, it became clear to me that we needed to realign our resources to better support our cultural ecosystem,” said Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax. “Under a unified office, we can improve how we provide services and create synergistic opportunities that attract tourists, generate revenue, and elevate Austin’s profile as a cultural destination.”