Cities, States, and Industry Unite to Launch Association of Music Offices, Strengthening Music Ecosystems Nationwide

The association comprises city and state government music offices, community-based organizations and industry affiliates, championed by the Recording Academy

ATLANTA, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly established Association of Music Offices (AMO) today unveiled its formal launch, uniting leaders from music offices across the country to champion shared resources and best practices for local music ecosystems. The announcement comes during the 2026 Music Biz Conference, where members are hosting a special roundtable to discuss AMO's goals.

A first-of-its-kind national organization, AMO will initially comprise music officers, executive directors, and key representatives from municipal and state music and entertainment offices, cultural affairs departments, nonprofit music organizations, and industry affiliates, including the Recording Academy. The association serves as the collective voice for music office leadership, sharing expertise and fostering long-term economic impact and cultural vitality nationwide.

"It's exciting to see the Association of Music Offices grow from organic discussions about policy into an organization that has the potential to transform how we support music at the state and local level," said Reid Wick, Recording Academy's Director, Regional Advocacy & Member Engagement.

With cities and states increasingly turning to music as an economic lever for growth and workforce development, AMO comes at a critical moment. By uniting regions and codifying music offices as essential civic infrastructure, AMO is poised to reshape how local governments and organizations invest in and sustain their creative economies.

A Shared Vision for Growth and Impact
AMO aims to amplify the impact of music as an economic, cultural, and community asset by addressing shared challenges and opportunities within the music industry. AMO's inaugural leadership will focus on:

• Establishing governance and membership structures
• Developing data and measurement frameworks to quantify music's local impact
• Building community engagement models for diverse and inclusive music ecosystems
• Creating a central hub and accessible resource library for toolkits, funding mechanisms, education, programs and more.
• Organizing an ongoing annual calendar of forums, convenings, policy roundtables and working groups.

Founding Members
Government Organizations

• Dallas Music Office
• Huntsville Music Office
• Louisiana Office of Cultural Development
• The New Orleans Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy
• North Carolina Music Office
• Oklahoma Film + Music
• Tennessee Entertainment Commission
• Texas Music Office
• Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture

Community-Based Organizations

• Georgia Music Partners
• Music Export Memphis

Industry Affiliates

• Recording Academy
• Marauder
• Pace Public Relations

Invitation to Engage
Music offices and allied organizations interested in participating in AMO are invited to join mailing lists to stay up-to-date on upcoming events, planning sessions, working groups, and announcements. Learn more at www.musicoffices.org.

About the Association of Music Offices
The Association of Music Offices (AMO) connects music offices nationwide to support music communities through industry collaboration. AMO comprises government music officers and representatives from municipal and state music and entertainment offices, cultural affairs departments, nonprofit music organizations, and industry affiliates, including the Recording Academy, to guide how governments and organizations invest in music ecosystems for economic growth and cultural vitality. Learn more at www.musicoffices.org.

Media Contact:
Kate Laursen
2036105879
[email protected]

SOURCE Association of Music Offices