The City of Austin will have a new Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) to focus on sustaining and growing Austin’s creative sector, City Manager T.C. Broadnax has announced.

“Austin’s identity is closely tied to arts, culture, music, and entertainment. After months of engaging with numerous organizations and individuals who are dedicated to the success of Austin’s creative community, it became clear to me that we needed to realign our resources to better support our cultural ecosystem,” said Broadnax. “Under a unified office, we can improve how we provide services and create synergistic opportunities that attract tourists, generate revenue, and elevate Austin’s profile as a cultural destination.”

For many years, cultural affairs programming and resources have been spread across five City departments with divisions that separately focus on music, special events, cultural centers, heritage centers, cultural arts, and art in public places. By placing related programs under one umbrella, the City intends to streamline coordination, provide a more cohesive and accessible experience for residents and visitors, and amplify the reach and effectiveness of joint initiatives.

“Our arts, culture, music, and entertainment industries are what make Austin unique and special. Austin is envied by others because of the talent we have here. I appreciate the City Manager for listening to our creative community about the need for this office, and I believe it will continue to show Austin’s commitment to the arts,” Mayor Kirk Watson said.

Broadnax appointed Angela Means as the office’s inaugural director. With over 25 years of experience specializing in operational oversight, financial management, and customer-focused service delivery, Means’ career is defined by a strong commitment to fostering vibrant communities through strategic collaboration, process improvement, and cultural engagement. She has served in key leadership roles across multiple City of Austin departments, including Development Services, Austin Code, Housing, and the Parks and Recreation Department, where she gained more than a decade of experience enhancing public spaces, cultural programming, and community initiatives.