Digital Tip Jar In Austin Collects Gratuities For Musicians

AUSTIN, TX — As more people eschew carrying around cash in favor of their debit or credit cards, city officials recently launched use of a "digital tip jar" where music fans can give their favorite bands swiped gratuities.

Dubbed "Tip the Band," the initiative was launched last month as a way of creating a revenue stream for struggling musicians in a city that boasts of its reputation as the "live music capital of the world." Amid an increasing cost of living in Austin, musicians are a hard-hit demographic, many forced to move to more inexpensive areas in the capital city's outskirts.

The new technology launched by the city's Music & Entertainment Division is encased in a vessel made to look like a traditional tipping jar but with digital swiping capabilities. The aim is to assess its success in a six-month period.

To participate in the program, eligible musicians must market and promote their use of the "Tip the Band" initiative during local and traveling shows, according to a city advisory.

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