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Antone's Austin
  • Arts and Culture

Antone’s Nightclub

A 20-year partnership between Rally Austin and Antone’s Nightclub secures the venue’s long-term home at 305 East 5th Street, funds construction of a second-floor music museum, and sustains affordable operations for one of Austin’s most historic live music institutions.
Developer / Partners
Antone’s Nightclub, LLC; Rally Austin; City of Austin
Project Goals
Secure Antone’s long-term lease and preserve its cultural and tourism value. Maintain affordable rent to sustain live music programming. Build a new Antone’s Music Museum on the second floor. Increase artist diversity, educational programs, and equitable access to Austin’s live music scene.
Key Features
20-year Cultural Trust Funding Agreement. Below-market, 30-year lease extension with renewal options. Quarterly and annual reporting on artist diversity, attendance, and tourism impact. Educational programming partnerships and youth access initiatives. Commitment to “Pay it Forward” contributions to the Iconic Venue Fund after Year 3
Arts, Music, & Culture

Antone’s Nightclub: Project Facts

  • Arts and Culture
Location
305 East 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Contributors
Austin Cultural Trust
Investment
$1.3 million total investment – $500,000 stipend for operational stability. – $800,000 Capital Improvement Fund for museum construction.
Size / Scope
11,676 square feet, two floors. First floor: Main music venue and retail/tourism frontage. Second floor: Multi-use event space to become the Antone’s Music Museum
Completion Date / Timeline
October 1, 2025 – Funding Agreement executed 2026–2028 – Museum design and construction 2028 – Museum completed and opened to public

Why It Matters

Protects one of Austin’s most iconic music venues and cultural landmarks. Creates a new Antone’s Music Museum, preserving Austin’s live music heritage. Ensures affordable rent and long-term operations downtown. Supports diverse artists and educational access to the Austin music ecosystem.
Founded in 1975 by Clifford Antone, the club helped launch the careers of legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr., and countless Austin musicians. Antone’s has long been a cornerstone of Austin’s identity as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Through the Cultural Trust, Rally Austin is helping secure the venue’s home on East 5th Street, ensuring the next generation of artists can perform where Austin’s music history was made.
Antone's Austin
Antone's Austin
The project also funds the creation of the Antone’s Music Museum; a new, second-floor destination celebrating Austin’s blues legacy. Supported by $1.3 million in Cultural Trust funding, the project combines preservation, education, and economic impact. With affordable rent and a focus on community programming, Antone’s will remain a living symbol of Austin’s creative soul.

Project Timeline

  • 1975
    Antone’s Opens

    Clifford Antone opens the original Antone’s on 6th Street, becoming a launchpad for Austin’s blues scene.

  • 2016
    Venue Relocates

    Antone’s reopens at 305 East 5th Street, continuing its legacy as Austin’s premier blues club.

  • March 2022
    Call for Proposals

    Rally Austin issues the Cultural Trust Call for Proposals to identify key projects for preservation.

  • October 1, 2025
    Funding Agreement Executed

    Rally Austin and Antone’s finalize a 20-year Cultural Trust Funding Agreement, providing $1.3M in support, securing an iconic establishment that has been displaced six times in it’s 50-year history.

  • 2028
    Anticipated Opening of Antone’s Music Museum

    Construction of the second-floor museum is completed, adding a major tourism and education destination in Downtown Austin

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