The Creative Reset: Listening Session
The Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment was established in February 2025 and is committed to fostering a vibrant, creative ecosystem that celebrates and supports Austin's artists, musicians, entertainment venues, and cultural institutions.
One of the goals of ACME is to reimagine the structure, accessibility, and implementation of Austin's cultural funding programs.
To achieve this goal, ACME initiated The Creative Reset, a one-year strategic planning process that includes reviewing years of feedback, focus groups and a survey. Together, we hope to gain further insights into what aspects of the programs are working and where there are opportunities for improvement.
Join ACME leadership for a discussion to learn about this initiative and other department goals.
Free and open to the public. No RSVP necessary.
What is The Creative Reset?
The Creative Reset is a citywide initiative led by the City of Austin’s Office of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME). It is designed to reimagine how the City lays the foundation for a more accessible and sustainable creative ecosystem in Austin.
This multi-phase initative will guide the evolution of the department and establish long-term priorities.
What is the purpose of this dashboard?
This public dashboard is your go-to place to:
- Stay up to date on The Creative Reset progress in real time
- Review historic data and community feedback
- Track how decisions are made
- Learn how community input is being used to shape a stronger, more inclusive funding system
PLEASE NOTE
All content on this dashboard is a part of an ongoing project. All documents, visuals, and materials present are evolving and, therefore, are not final. We are actively working to refine these materials. Your input will remain an important part of that process. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, we encourage you to share them at the bottom of this page.
Progress Overview
Cultural Funding | Status | Target Date | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
Historical Data Collection (2020–2025) | Complete | April 2025 | |
Community Feedback Collection | In Progress | May- June 2025 | |
Redlines* of Existing Guidelines *based on feedback from Arts, Music, and Historic Landmark Commissions and Art in Public Places (AIPP) Panel | Complete | June 2025 | |
Drafting New Guidelines for FY26 Programming | Pending | July 2025 | Based on community input |
Where
We've Been
Over the past five years, ACME and its predecessor departments collected feedback through community conversations, previous program evaluations, and formal reports.
Summary includes:
Public feedback from 2020–2025
Evaluations of the Nexus, Thrive, and Elevate grant pilots
Historic Summary of the Art in Public Places Program
Recommendations from the CreateAustin Cultural Master Plan
Findings from the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan
Where We're Going
Through community-led conversations, we will gather feedback through the following methods. Milestones will be used throughout our community engagement processes to help inform our programs and processes.
What We're Hearing
- 📈 Cultural Funding Survey Summary - Learn more
- Cultural Funding Focus Group Summary - Learn more
- Cultural Funding 1:1 Interview Summary - Learn more
Cultural Funding Focus Group Summary - 
Cultural Funding 1:1 Interview Summary -
View the full list of Cultural Funding Feedback, Updated weekly
Benchmarking Other Cities
We are learning from cities around the U.S. and the world that are leading the way in creative equity and public arts investment.
Cities Benchmarked:
- San Antonio, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Chicago, IL
- Denver, CO
- Phoenix, AZ
- Seattle, WA
- Nashville, TN
- And more
🌐 View the Benchmarking Insights Report → Coming Soon!
📄Closing the Loop
We're tracking feedback from multiple sources and pairing it with tangible action.
See how we're t More details coming soon!
Have Feedback? Let Us Hear From You
Your voice matters in The Creative Reset. Here's how you can engage:
- 📋 Take the Survey
- 📥 Host Your Own Focus Group - Download the “Meeting in a Box” Toolkit