Frequently Asked Questions

Sound of Austin is a public art project that uses 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and Smart City technology to collect, sort, and choose the most unique Sound of Austin from all the live music played in a given 24 hour period.

This project is both! It combines two of Austin’s best assets—technology and music–into a public art project.

Using technology to access Austin’s music amplifies Austin’s identity as The Live Music Capital of the World and as a UNESCO Media Art City while promoting the city, fostering civic engagement, and enhancing the lives of its citizens.

The chosen soundbite of the previous 24 hours will be played every day at sunset on radio stations, at various participating bars and restaurants, and through the Sound of Austin app (in the works).

The soundbite is chosen using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms and a vote from the public.

Everyone and anyone who plays live music in Austin can be involved in Sound of Austin. And if you’d like, you can sign up to volunteer!

Yes, you can! Check out our archive of previously played soundbites (add link to archive page here). It is searchable by artist name, location, and date. 

Sound of Austin is hosted by ArtFrog Art Academy, a 501c3 nonprofit. 

A Smart City uses the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect data from citizens, devices, and assets. The city uses that data to help improve services to citizens by doing things like managing traffic better, using natural resources more effectively, detecting crime more quickly. It integrates information and communication technology (ICT) to allow cities to know sooner and respond faster when problems are happening and to make the whole city more efficient for everyone living there.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. There are seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature and Music. Austin has been designated as a Media Arts City. The 246 cities involved work together to place creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and to cooperate actively at the international level.

Not yet, but we will let you know as soon as that happens.