Visit Dallas, the promotional nonprofit contracted by the city, has created the Dallas Music Office to boost the North Texas music scene.

According to the organization, the Dallas Music Office intends to create a hub for musicians and provide resources to support and promote the local music industry. The office is partnering with local organizations to accomplish its goal.

The major initial initiatives from the group bring together spaces that already exist in the Dallas music scene to create a network of resources for performers.

Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, Director of Cultural Tourism and Dallas Music Office, saw the resources Dallas has available for musicians but noticed they all existed on their own.

“One of the biggest things I was hearing was all the initiatives exist but they’re super siloed,” says Kirkenaer-Hart. “There’s no cohesiveness where there’s a one-stop shop for all these things”

Kirkenaer-Hart says she and her team listened to artists, producers, managers and venue owners to help provide for their needs.

For local musician Emsy Robinson Jr., tangible resources are crucial for musicians, in an industry where pay can be inconsistent and benefits nonexistent.

“Options for health insurance,” Robinson says of the ways the office could help working musicians thrive. “Or options for maybe, like, parking permits, for musicians that play in neighborhoods like Deep Ellum or neighborhoods where parking is limited.”

Other musicians such as Dallas artist Alex O’aiza are looking for money to fund their projects.

“What I would like to see [is] a centralized hub of information of grant opportunities or access to funds for artists,” O’aiza says. “When you’re an independent artist at a local level more often than not you’re looking to get that extra funding to fund your projects or tours.”

At the start, the initiatives are more promotional. These include a partnership with 91.7 KXT to highlight musicians from Dallas through interviews and performances on the station’s live events programming. KXT will also celebrate “Local Music Month” in October to spotlight these artists.

The office is promoting and working with the Dallas Entertainment Awards, an awards ceremony created in 2022 by musician Dezi 5 to honor local talent from various entertainment sectors in the city. The award show is scheduled for early 2025.

The Dallas Music Office has created an Instagram account called @dallas_sounds as a social media hub to share facts about local Dallas musicians such as venue highlights and artist spotlights. The office is utilizing the “LOVE Field Stage,” which will promote Dallas’ new music stage at Love Field Airport. The group will sponsor the stage inside the airport for a series of upcoming concerts and live entertainment events – so travelers can be welcomed to the city with local music.

The busking project is one of the org’s more adventurous ventures, a collaboration with Downtown Dallas, Inc. and DART. This project is based on a successful initiative in New York called Music Under New York, a visual and performing arts program with talented performers busking across New York’s transit system.

The idea for Dallas is similar, with performances around the city meant to engage residents and visitors.

One of the most important resources provided by the office will be networking opportunities to connect musicians with local producers, record labels and studios. Beyond a directory, the office plans to offer happy hours for local musicians and producers. The aim is to keep talented musicians from leaving Dallas for other cities so that Dallas can cement itself as a music city in its own right.

Office Space

“There’s a professional development arm, which will have panels of professionals, producers, copyrighting in support of local musicians,” says Kirkenaer-Hart. “You know, kind of, ‘What do I do next, I’ve written this piece now how do I get it in front of people?'”

The directory, which is still in the works, will make artists and shows available so people looking for a show in Dallas can find an artist who fits their taste.

Some Dallas musicians who are excited for the new initiative say they recognize the need for more resources to make Dallas a successful music city or, rather, for the existing resources to become centralized and more accessible.

“I’m really excited for it,” says Jess Garland, a Dallas musician and music teacher. “I’ve been familiar with and recognized by the Texas Music Office in general, so for that to be expanded to the city of Dallas is a great thing for our musicians here in the city.”

Dallas singer Sarah Johnson is excited as well. She’s looking forward to the directory function so that she and others can get in touch with fellow musicians.

“I can’t tell you how much time I spend on Instagram, like if I go to a city, I try to book a show with a local artist,” Johnson says. “It would be really cool to have like a local Rolodex of artists, like, ‘Ok I’m a country artist and I need an opener.'”

She also believes that the Dallas Music Office can help to diversify local shows by giving bookers options to cater to a diverse crowd.

“I really love when bookers are intentional about putting female artists on a bill,” Johnson says. “Like it helps when your name can be up at the top, if they’re being intentional like that.”

One thing is clear: this is just the beginning for the Dallas Music Office.

“Ultimately, I’d like for Dallas to be recognized as just as much a music city as Austin,” says Kirkenaer-Hart.