WASHINGTON CO. TOURISM PARTNERS RECEIVE INFORMATION ON TEXAS MUSIC FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION
Local tourism partners met virtually Tuesday evening to learn more about Washington County’s Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) becoming Texas Music Friendly Certified.
Visit Brenham/Washington County and the Texas Music Office (TMO) co-hosted an online workshop to discuss the process of designating Brenham and Washington County as a Texas Music Friendly Community.
Chip Adams, Community Relations and Outreach Specialist of the TMO within the Office of the Governor’s Economic Development and Tourism Division, said the TMO’s core centers around new business and development within the music industry. While the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the TMO’s current role into more of a hub for information, Adams said the TMO’s ultimate goal is still to make the state’s music industry self-sufficient.
There are currently 16 cities in Texas that are Texas Music Friendly Certified, including Austin, Bastrop, Conroe, and Waco. Adams said the TMO hopes to reach 20 certified cities by the end of the year.
The cities that are part of the program are tasked with creating systems to tap in to the music industry in order to listen, react to, and better understand it. They also work with stakeholders to create impact, while learning from others within the statewide network. In return, the program promotes cultural development and artistic growth in the cities while developing new tourism strategies and improving city brand building.
Steps remaining in the certification process include the creation of an advisory board that works in partnership with the TMO, registering a liaison—in this case, Tourism Partner and Visitor Experience Manager Jennifer Phillips of Visit Brenham/Washington County—with the TMO’s Texas Music Industry Directory, and signing a memorandum of understanding creating a working arrangement with the TMO.
Adams said the advisory board would consist of a mix of people throughout the local music industry whose role would be to keep open communication and come up with ideas that benefit the community.
The final step, a TMO-assisted music industry economic impact study, is not necessary for some communities. Adams said the timeframe for the completion process is not concrete, as it takes different communities different amounts of time.
Click here to view Chip Adams' presentation Tuesday night.