Tuning In to Opportunity: Learn About the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program
Calling live music venues and promoters in West Texas! If you’ve ever felt the financial strain of putting on live shows, or if you’re simply passionate about supporting Texas musicians while growing your venue’s impact, we’ve got an event you won’t want to miss.
Mark Your Calendar: Tuesday, August 27 at 1:00 pm The Blue Light Live – Lubbock, Texas
The Texas Music Office, in collaboration with the Lubbock Cultural Arts Foundation, invites you to a free workshop designed to empower, educate, and energize our local music venue community by sharing information about a very unique rebate program.
The Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program (TMIRP) – a unique initiative developed to support live music venues and music festival promoters across the state. TMIRP is part of the broader mission of the Texas Music Office to bolster the music industry and ensure Texas remains a national leader in music and culture. Your venue may qualify for as much as $100,000 in the form of a rebate on the taxes you pay from mixed beverage gross receipts taxes.
At its core, TMIRP is about putting money back into the pockets of those who help make Texas music happen. The program offers rebates on mixed beverage gross receipts taxes to qualifying venues and festival promoters who consistently hire Texas-based musicians. That means if you’re doing the good work of showcasing live Texas music, this program might help you stretch your dollars further.
Why It Matters to Lubbock
Lubbock has long been a creative powerhouse and a cornerstone of Texas music history. From Buddy Holly to contemporary stars, this region knows talent when it hears it. But running a live music venue or producing local shows isn’t always easy. It requires dedication, financial risk, and a love of community. That’s why programs like TMIRP are so vital. They recognize the essential role that venues play in the cultural and economic fabric of Texas, and they offer real support to help them thrive. If your venue has been in operation since 2023 or earlier, you may qualify.
What You’ll Learn at the Workshop
This August 27 workshop at The Blue Light Live will feature Texas Music Office staff members onsite to break it all down. You’ll get clear, straightforward guidance on how to:
- Determine if your venue qualifies for the rebate program
- Navigate the application process step-by-step
- Keep track of reporting requirements
- Stay compliant while maximizing your benefits
There will also be time for Q&A, so bring your burning questions and get real answers from the folks who manage the program.
More Than Rebates: A Conversation on Best Practices
In addition to the TMIRP overview, the Lubbock Cultural Arts Foundation team will lead a discussion on Best Practices for venues that host live music. Topics will include:
- Fair pay for musicians
- Ethical booking and scheduling
- How to build a reputation as an artist-friendly venue
This part of the workshop is all about making Lubbock a standout city for live music – not just in terms of volume, but in quality, inclusivity, and integrity. Whether you’re a longtime booker or just now dipping your toes into the music scene, you’ll leave with useful tools and insights.
Why You Should Be There
This workshop is free, open to the public, and specifically designed for those working in or adjacent to the live music and events industries. You’ll walk away with:
- Practical knowledge about a real rebate opportunity
- Connections with local and state-level advocates for the arts
- Tools to help you support musicians ethically and sustainably
- We’ll even provide coffee and pastries.
After the workshop, LCAF will offer several “office hours” opportunities where our staff will be available to assist any venue who would like to apply. We’ll announce those follow up dates at the workshop.
Let’s Keep the Music Playing
Texas music is more than entertainment – it’s identity, economy, and legacy all wrapped into one. By attending this workshop, you’re investing in your venue, your city, and the musicians who help define the soundtrack of our state. Learn more about the program Here.
Make plans now to join us Tuesday, August 27 at 1:00pm at The Blue Light Live. Get registered to attend HERE.