San Augustine is poised to join the growing ranks of communities embracing Texas’ musical heritage as Governor Greg Abbott announced a Music Friendly Texas Community workshop scheduled for September 29, 2025. The event, co-hosted by the Texas Music Office, the City of San Augustine, and San Augustine Main Street, marks the first step in the city’s journey toward becoming a certified music-friendly community.
“Music is key to the Texas brand. I thank the Texas Music Office for helping communities across our great state develop creative partnerships and create new jobs,” Abbott stated in his announcement. “The Texas music industry accounts for 196,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs and generates over $31.7 billion in annual economic activity statewide.”
Building a Statewide Network of Music Communities
Started in 2016, the Music Friendly Texas program has become a powerful economic driver for communities across the Lone Star State. Once certified, San Augustine will join more than 85 Texas cities that have embraced the initiative, which provides communities with valuable resources and connections to foster music industry development. The certification signals to industry professionals that these communities are serious about growing their local music economies, as outlined by the governor’s office.
What’s behind this push for musical recognition? For many communities, it’s about more than just cultural pride — it’s economic development with a beat.
The City of Angleton, which previously completed the certification process, found that music serves as a powerful community connector. “Music holds our community together. Becoming a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community will strengthen what we already know: Angleton is the heart of Brazoria County, and music is the heart of Angleton,” city officials explained on their municipal website.
Cedar Park represents another success story in the program. Upon receiving their designation, Governor Abbott congratulated the city, noting that “Music Friendly Texas Communities work tirelessly to attract and develop the local music industry to boost local job creation and economic growth.”
Economic Harmony Across Texas
The program’s impact stretches across diverse communities throughout Texas. In Garland, the designation has become “a testament to the city’s vibrant cultural identity and its unwavering support for the arts,” according to a statement published on the city’s website. “Music is more than a pastime in Garland — it’s a driving force of economic opportunity, community pride, and artistic expression.”
Bandera, known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” has similarly benefited from the certification. “This recognition not only celebrates Bandera’s rich musical heritage but also highlights our commitment to fostering economic growth through the arts,” officials noted when receiving their designation. “Music has always been the heartbeat of our community, and this designation will help us attract more visitors and support our local musicians.”
Cedar Park has taken community development even further, earning all four “Friendly Texas” certified community designations for film, music, digital media, and tourism. “These growing industries in our great state are essential to Texas’ booming economy,” Abbott remarked about their achievement.
For San Augustine, the upcoming workshop represents the first chord in what local officials hope will be a symphony of economic and cultural development. Working alongside the Texas Music Office, the city aims to develop the tools and connections needed to amplify its musical identity while creating economic opportunities for residents.
As Governor Abbott put it, “Working alongside local leaders like those in San Augustine, we will ensure Texas communities have the tools needed to succeed.” In a state where music generates billions in economic activity annually, that’s a tune worth playing.
