AUSTIN, Texas, May 11, 2022 – PNC Bank announced a unique partnership today in the form of a new residency program, one that showcases a different local musician each month exclusively at PNC Plaza at ACL Live.
The residency program will run from May to November and will serve as a growth platform for local artists to showcase their talents alongside the touring talent booked within the venue throughout the year. The program is produced in tandem with the Austin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program, which supports the viability, growth and visibility for Austin’s musical talent through a number of ways. The residency initiative is also part of the bank’s strategic sponsorships it announced in October to become the Official Bank of ACL Live and Austin City Limits.
“The goal of our platform is to establish PNC Plaza at ACL Live as a key stage along the journey of a rising artist in Austin and help them launch their promising careers to new heights,” said Dillan Knudson, PNC regional president for Austin. “When the music industry is thriving, so is Austin’s economy. This area has an abundance of musicians who want a chance to showcase their exceptional skills, and we’re committed to both giving them that opportunity and living our Main Street Banking model that focuses on local investment and community involvement. Music is a cornerstone of this region’s prosperity, and we’re excited to get this residency program off the ground for Austin, its people and its communities.”
Each artist, selected from the Austin Music Foundation’s Artist Development Program, will perform regularly throughout their dedicated month during the bank’s Party on the Plaza initiative that gives ACL Live attendees for ticketed shows an enhanced experience before concerts and other events at the legendary venue. The program’s inaugural artist is scheduled to be Quentin & The Past Lives, a high energy heavy pop/rock band that showcase tones of funk, heavy drums and captivating energy. The band is first slated to play on the plaza at 6 p.m., May 21 before the Bright Eyes concert at ACL Live. They will again play at 6 p.m., May 22, before the Daryl Hall with Todd Rundgren concert, and at 6 p.m., May 23, before Sigur Ros.
In June, Anastasia Hera will grace the PNC Plaza stage. The rap artist - who boasts several successful genre-bending collaborations – will begin her residency on June 5 at 6 p.m. before the Steely Dan concert. She will also perform at 6 p.m., June 6, again before Steely Dan, and once more at 6 p.m., June 11, before Amos Lee.
“Now in its sixth year, the AMF Artist Development Program is established as Austin’s most viable program for discovery and development of emerging artists within the city’s music industry,” said Jennifer Dugas, Executive Director of the Austin Music Foundation. “Our partners, PNC Bank and ACL Live, share AMF’s deep commitment to investing in the sustainability of local music and those who contribute to Austin’s cultural identity and economy. Creating opportunities for our artists to grow and thrive is at the heart of what we do, and this platform realizes our vision of taking the ADP to the next level. As AMF celebrates its 20th anniversary milestone year, we’re thrilled to continue driving impact for our music community in new and exciting ways.”
In addition to supporting the Artist Development Program through the residency initiative, PNC will also give a $25,000 grant to the Austin Music Foundation to continue to elevate the program’s demonstrated success. The Artist Development Program, launched in 2017, provides an array of support for local artists, including professional development, and one-on-one mentoring, real-time feedback from industry experts, and peer-to-peer collaboration and support, among other services.
“ACL Live is thrilled to launch this residency series with two great partners in PNC Bank and Austin Music Foundation,” said Kelly Mosser, Director of Brand Partnerships at ACL Live. “We’ve seen many Austin musicians grace the stages at ACL Live and 3TEN and we hope PNC Plaza will become another mainstay venue for our fans to enjoy local up-and-coming musicians. PNC Bank’s vision for this program is a perfect complement to AMF’s mission and ACL Live is honored to host these AMF artists.”
Since its acquisition of BBVA USA in June 2021, PNC’s music investments in the Austin area have been large-scale and in conjunction with notable organizations in the area. In October, the bank announced that it had become the Official Bank of ACL Live and Austin City Limits thanks to a pair of five-year sponsorship commitments with both the legendary live music venue and Austin PBS (KLRU-TV). The deal includes local broadcast branding rights, premium client access at ACL Live events, and the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Inductions & Celebration Ceremony title sponsorship. At the center of the agreements is exclusive naming rights and branding opportunities within PNC Plaza, located outside of the ACL Live venue and adjacent to W Austin hotel and the iconic Willie Nelson statue in downtown Austin.
In March, PNC became the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Exclusive Live Music Partner, adding another verse to the bank’s commitment to the music industry and its economic impact in the Austin area. The collaboration allows PNC to continue supporting local artists by providing live musical entertainment at all in-person chamber events throughout the year.
PNC expanded into Austin through its acquisition of BBVA USA, which was finalized June 1, 2021, with full integration of the companies completed in October 2021. As part of its Main Street Bank model, PNC has taken a localized approach to both its business practices and philanthropy in Austin to help bolster and sustain the broader community it now serves.
Austin Music Foundation (AMF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose core mission is to strengthen, connect, and advance the local music industry and community. Founded in 2002, AMF is highly engaged in developing initiatives that facilitate the growth and sustainability of Austin’s creative class and remains one of the nation’s only arts service organizations dedicated to providing year-round music business training, educational resources, mentoring and professional development to artists and industry professionals at all stages of their careers. As one of the city’s first-established cultural music institutions, AMF has led the way in ensuring Austin’s continued distinction as a world-renowned, iconic Music Capital.
Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (ACL Live) is a state-of-the-art, 2,750-person capacity live music venue that hosts approximately 100 concerts a year. It serves as the new home for the taping of the acclaimed KLRU-TV produced PBS series, Austin City Limits, the longest running music series in American television history. ACL Live is nestled next to the W Austin Hotel & Residences, which are both located within Block 21, the first mixed-occupancy building of its type in the world to be LEED certified. LEED is a mark of excellence developed by the U.S. Green Building Council acknowledging measurable performance attributes that benefit human and environmental health. ACL Live is the premier destination in Austin for live performances as well as numerous special and private events.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
CONTACT:
Alejandro Ortiz
(281) 433-5640
alejandro.ortiz@pnc.com
