Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program

Common Questions from Businesses seeking Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program funding.

What is the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program?
Based on a new legislation created in Texas in 2021 (87th Legislature), Texas music incubator offers a full or partial rebate of the mixed beverage gross receipts taxes and sales
What is the purpose of the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program?
The Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program is designed to help music venues in Texas recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Who is eligible for the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program?

(1) been a permittee subject to the mixed beverage gross receipts tax or a permit holder subject to the sales tax on the sale of beer or wine;

(2) if the applicant is a music venue, been a retail establishment with a dedicated audience capacity of not more than 3,000 persons;

(3) if the applicant is a music festival promoter, held a music festival in a county with a population of less than 100,000;

(4) entered into a written contract with a musical performance artist to conduct a live performance at the venue or festival, as applicable, under which the artist received as compensation a specified percentage of ticket sales for or other sales during the performance, or a guaranteed amount in advance of the performance;

(5) met at least five of the following criteria, one of which must be described by Paragraph (A) or (B):

(A) the marketing of live music performances through listings in printed or electronic publications;
(B) the provision of live music performances five or more nights per week;
(C) employment or contracting of the services of one or more people who are tasked with two or more of the following positions or services:
  • (i) sound engineer
  • (ii) booker;
  • (iii) promoter;
  • (iv) stage manager; or
  • (v) security personnel;

(D) having live performance and audience space;
(E) the provision of technical sound and lighting support, either in-house or through a contract with a vendor;
(F) having a space for the storage of audio equipment or musical instruments;
(G) the application of cover charges to one or more live music performances through ticketing or the imposition of a front door entrance fee; or
(H) the maintenance of hours of operation that coincide with live music performance show times.

How does my company apply for the Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program?
The application process is currently being finalized. Contact us for more information and updates as the process moves forward.

TEXAS MUSIC INCUBATOR REBATE PROGRAM

The office shall administer the Texas music incubator rebate program under which the office shall provide to eligible music venues and eligible music festival promoters from money appropriated from the Texas music incubator account a full or partial rebate of the mixed beverage gross receipts taxes and sales tax receipts attributable to the sale of beer and wine and remitted to the comptroller annually by those venues and promoters. The Texas music incubator account shall be funded by mixed beverage gross receipts taxes and sales tax receipts attributable to the sale of beer and wine remitted annually by venues and promoters and deposited into that account as required by Sections 151.801(f) and 183.023(c), Tax Code. The rebates are to assist eligible music venues and eligible music festival promoters in their efforts to support and continue to bring to local communities in this state live musical performances, including the recruitment of musical performance artists.