AGP Executive Report

Pop Culture Spotlight: Madonna leads the 2026 MTV VMAs nominations with 11 nods, with Taylor Swift close behind on nine; Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter follow with seven each, while BTS’ “Swim” and “Golden” earn Song of the Year and K-pop recognition. Texas Entertainment & Music: ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at 77 in hospice care at his Richmond, Texas ranch; the band says it will cancel a couple of shows and then resume the tour with Austin City Limits dates. Local Crime: Sugar Land Police released a composite sketch of a suspect accused of seriously injuring a woman in a baseball bat attack on June 5 near Creekbend Drive and Fluor Daniel Drive. Arts & Learning in North Texas: UTA Central Library is highlighting free student services like its gaming area and FabLab with tools ranging from 3D printers to sewing machines. Real Estate Watch: Lakeshore Mall in Sebring is being sold to Odessa-based ICA Properties, with plans for new signage and leasing push.

Rock & Roll Loss: ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at 77 in hospice care at his Texas ranch, prompting the band to cancel Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs dates before resuming the tour in Austin. Music Festival Buzz: Billboard spotlights Austin City Limits Music Festival 2026, with Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 weekends at Zilker Park and a lineup featuring major headliners plus a big wave of ticket demand. Texas Country Heat: Sugarland announces its 2026 “Ride or Die Tour,” ending with a Dallas stop on Nov. 21. Horror on the Big Screen: It’s Texas Chain Saw Day, with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre back in theaters for one night and three new horror releases hitting at home. Local Arts & Learning: Rockport gallery owners plan a hands-on silversmithing school opening mid-October, backed by a Texas Woman’s University entrepreneurship grant. Cinema in Austin: Fantastic Fest 2026 reveals its full lineup, including Resident Evil and Beware Boiúna. Pop Awards Watch: The 2026 MTV VMAs nominations are led by Madonna (11) and Taylor Swift (9), with Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” in the country category.

Texas Theme Parks: COTALAND is set to open at Circuit of the Americas in Austin next month, with a grand opening celebration starting Sept. 26 and tickets expected from $65—plus a lineup of thrill rides and family attractions. Texas Live Entertainment: Fort Worth’s Coyote Drive-In will close after Labor Day Weekend, ending a 14-year run as the site makes way for new water district projects. Texas Music & Culture: Selena Forever/Siempre Selena opens at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, spotlighting Selena Quintanilla’s fashion side through a major photo exhibit. Texas Pop Culture: BTS ARMY took over AT&T Stadium in Arlington for sold-out shows, with fans flooding the area for the reunion. Texas Fandom & Sports: Scottie Scheffler celebrated a FedEx St. Jude win and also scored a $100,000 boost for his Texas angling club after a Texas Billfish Open victory. Texas Arts Education: Angelina College honored nine new Visual and Performing Arts scholarship students in a Temple Theater signing ceremony. Texas Fashion/Branding: Parke teamed up with ’47 for a back-to-school collegiate apparel collection launching Aug. 25, including Texas-licensed pieces. State Fair of Texas: The fair cut 2026 admission and parking prices after affordability complaints, including lower child ticket costs and reduced parking.

Texas Arts & Education: UT Tyler’s fall 2026 student art show, “Steamroller Prints,” spotlights advanced printmaking work through Sept. 25 at the Fine Arts Complex Gallery. Local Music Buzz: Shreveport’s Sipp House celebrates its grand opening after a soft launch, bringing a homegrown coffee concept to Texas Avenue. Big Screen Horror Night: “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” gets a one-night Capitol Theater screening as part of Texas Chain Saw Day 2026. Music Charts: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” keeps climbing—another 18th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, while “I Can’t Love You Anymore” stays on top of Billboard Country Airplay. Live Concerts in Texas: The Jonas Brothers announce fall stops in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio, with tickets starting for fan groups Aug. 19. Sports-Entertainment Crossover: Plano Symphony Orchestra lands its first recording deal with Grammy-winning Reference Recordings, with sessions at the Meyerson.

Dallas Cowboys: Von Miller is officially back in Texas, agreeing to a one-year deal with Dallas as the team looks to boost its pass rush. Sports & Entertainment: FC Dallas kept rolling in Austin as Petar Musa scored his league-leading 14th goal in a 2-1 win. Reality TV: Big Brother 28 is back with 17 houseguests and three surprise entrants, including Survivor alums, chasing a $750,000 prize. Music & Texas Culture: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” keeps dominating charts, and Matthew McConaughey’s viral bluegrass cover is fueling even more buzz. Film on Netflix: Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” is drawing attention again as it streams, with Bradley Cooper starring as Chris Kyle. Local Events (Military): Fort Hood is hosting free public showcases, including the U.S. Army Experience Band and Phantom Fury combatives on Aug. 21. Tech & Privacy: Pennsylvania lawmakers move to rein in automatic license plate cameras as public backlash grows.

Texas Pop Culture & Sports Mashup: Megan Moroney turned her Dallas “Cloud 9 Tour” stop into a full-on hometown moment by bringing out the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for a choreographed “Am I Okay?” performance. TV & Streaming Buzz: “Yellowstone” is still climbing on streaming charts even after its finale, with fans crediting its characters and rewatch-friendly storytelling. Music Charts: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” keeps ruling country radio and is now driving major Hot 100 momentum, while Ariana Grande’s new “Petal” era pushes every track into the Hot 100 top 40. Accessibility in Entertainment: A Texas-based Deaf interpreter network is translating Netflix kids’ shows into ASL in a way viewers can resize and reposition—making streaming more usable for Deaf families. Local Sports Spotlight: Killeen native Lundyn Reyes won gold in the 3000m at the Junior Olympics, coached by his mom. On-Screen Texas Pride: BTS’ V had an Arlington stadium moment that went viral after a Permission to Dance music cut left him visibly frustrated.

North Texas Concert Buzz: MAMAMOO is set for a major comeback tour stop at Dickies Arena, with fans already hyped for the group’s high-energy choreography and big-ticket demand. Texas Arts & Culture: The Cornudas Mountain Foundation is opening access to artist James Magee’s desert masterwork “The Hill,” letting more people experience the four-stone cross-shaped site. Local Community Creativity: Newgate Mission’s Saturday art program is back in Longview, giving residents a confidence boost through hands-on art. Entertainment Spotlight (Texas ties): Matthew McConaughey keeps popping up in Texas headlines, including a Willie Nelson tour-bus story and more movie press. Sports & Pop Culture: NASCAR fans get a rare Sunday off after the Cook Out 400, with the next race set for Aug. 23 at New Hampshire. Big Screen Classic: Robert Duvall’s “Lonesome Dove” is getting renewed attention as a standout Western miniseries that still holds up. Lottery: Powerball numbers for Aug. 15 were 5, 8, 27, 29, 63 (Powerball 13), with the next drawing on Aug. 17.

Desert Art Tourism: Cornudas Mountain Foundation is opening up public access to artist James Magee’s decades-in-the-making masterpiece “The Hill,” a rare four-stone, cross-shaped site in West Texas that’s been seen by only about 200 people so far. Civic Creativity: Williamson County Elections launched 2026 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” sticker design contests, inviting students from grades 6–12 and K–5 to help create the official polling stickers for Nov. 3, 2026. Texas Celebrity Music Moment: Matthew McConaughey shared a hilarious “Willie Nelson tour bus” memory while promoting “The Rivals of Amziah King,” keeping the Texas music crossover front and center. Live Music (Texas): Gary Kyle headlines a free weekend concert at Texas City’s 6th Street Community Plaza (Aug. 15, 7–9 p.m.). Pop Culture & Streaming: New horror picks for August include Netflix’s “The Last House,” plus “Barbarian” and other streamer favorites. Local Arts & Food: Frozen Fix Ice Cream is bringing small-batch, family-friendly scoops to Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights with bold flavors like mango chipotle.

AI & Music: Queen’s Brian May is urging UK PM Andy Burnham to block AI after Meta AI generated a distorted Freddie Mercury “The Game” cover, reigniting worries about data centers and AI’s impact on artists. Texas Soundtrack: Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” keeps dominating summer playlists nationwide, with a new report showing the “song of the summer” shifts by ZIP code—yet Texas is firmly in the driver’s seat. Local Film Buzz (Austin): Matthew McConaughey’s “The Rivals of Amziah King” is set for a big Austin-area moment tied to SXSW, and he’s also confirmed he seriously considered playing Joel in HBO’s “The Last of Us” before Pedro Pascal landed the role. Big Texas Sports Culture: Tulane’s Mardi Gras City Edition uniforms sold out fast, proving the hype machine is alive and well in the Lone Star State. Texas Arts & Community: Degallery’s Degart Vision returns with workshops and talks (including AI and photography) in Bryan–College Station, plus more local live-music events. Entertainment Business: Meta says El Paso tax breaks won’t change under Abbott’s new data-center guidelines. Sports Business Watch: The NHL is weighing a Texas expansion move, with Houston and Austin in the spotlight.

Texas Border & Hollywood Buzz: Matthew McConaughey says name-dropping Jennifer Lopez helped him get out of a “major mess” during a U.S.-Mexico border stop, recalling how “The Wedding Planner” saved him after police recognized him. Houston Weekend Picks: Houston’s got baseball, a free rooftop “Mamma Mia!” screening, and more family-friendly arts and entertainment options across Friday–Sunday. South Texas Pop Culture Protest: Cards Against Humanity wants to erect a monument honoring Elon Musk—yes, really—on land tied to its SpaceX dispute near Starbase. Local Arts Spotlight: Leslie Lewis Sigler turns heirlooms into portrait-style paintings, while a Carmen Lomas Garza retrospective spotlights how everyday Latino life can be radical. Music & Live Shows: Hudson Westbrook readies his second album “Made You Look,” and El Paso gets a major throwback with Santana + The Doobie Brothers’ Oneness Tour stop. Community Events: Amarillo’s Back-to-School Barrio Bash returns Sunday with free food, haircuts, backpacks, and music. Travel Deal: FlixBus relaunches the Houston–Memphis route later this month with fares starting under $90.

Tour News: Weezer announced UK/Europe/Asia dates for The Gathering Tour, with tickets for the UK & Europe on sale at 10am local time today, plus a North America run this fall supporting their “Gold Album” (out Aug. 21). Tour News: Brandi Carlile rescheduled her UK & European leg of The Human Tour due to “personal circumstances,” with new dates going on general sale at 10am local time today and Lisbon cancelled for refunds. Texas Arts & Education: A Texas history curriculum update is in the spotlight as Schreiner University’s Dr. Don Frazier helps shape what’s taught in K-12 classrooms across the state. Local Dance: Houston’s Kinder High for the Performing and Visual Arts dancers brought home multiple medals at the JCC Maccabi Games in Kansas City. Music Charts: Tame Impala’s “Loser” climbs on Australia’s ARIA Singles Chart after landing in the new Spider-Man movie, while Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” holds No. 1. Community Events (Texas): Fort Worth’s Mary Kay Seminar returns this week, bringing thousands of entrepreneurs and a major local economic boost.

Texas Film Buzz: Matthew McConaughey is back in the spotlight with “The Rivals of Amziah King,” and he even covered Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” on Jimmy Fallon—Langley says she “may never get over” it. Horror for Texas: Dark Sky and Fathom are bringing “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” back for Texas Chain Saw Day, plus a first look at a hand-animated rotoscoped version (aiming for 2027). Music & Tickets: Ella Langley’s “Dandelion Tour” hits sold-out Dickies Arena in Fort Worth Aug. 15, with resale options still available. Live-Music Guide: A roundup spotlights venues with live bands and DJs across North Texas, from Latin nights to supper-club vibes. Food Safety: Whole Foods expands a salmonella recall tied to jalapeños, with multiple states reporting illnesses. Sports Culture: College football’s “5-for-5” eligibility rule is praised for simplifying roster planning. Entertainment Business: Paramount-Warner talks keep heating up as CNN sale ideas surface amid antitrust pressure.

Texas Music & Film Buzz: Parker McCollum’s “Live Outside From The Hill Country” is out now, with live tracks recorded in the Texas Hill Country, and he’s also set to co-host the ACM Honors on Aug. 19. Austin Arts Spotlight: The Pan African Film Festival’s Austin run returns to AFS Cinema with a lineup built for local audiences, including “Muganga: The One Who Treats.” Community Music Calendar: Corpus Christi’s MusicWalk comes back Sept. 4 with 60-plus performers across genres, turning downtown into a block-by-block walking stage. Streaming & Pop Culture: “South Park” turns 29 with a 24-hour Comedy Central marathon Aug. 13, and new episodes land Sept. 16 on Comedy Central/Paramount+. Local Entertainment Moment: Don Toliver’s Houston homecoming at Toyota Center was abruptly cut short, even after a city proclamation for “Don Toliver Day.” Education & Culture Debate: A Colorado district adopted a Texas-linked, biblically infused reading curriculum called “Bluebonnet,” reigniting arguments over religion in public schools.

Austin Film & Culture: Matthew McConaughey’s latest movie, The Rivals of Amziah King, gets a Texas spotlight as the Alamo Drafthouse Mueller renames its theater the Matthew McConaughey Cinema. Music Business: Linkin Park’s From Zero comeback tour raked in $251M and 2.2M tickets across 80 shows, marking the biggest touring run of their career. Texas Arts & Community: Dallas City Hall’s future heads to court after a coalition sues over alleged “demolition by neglect,” including repairs and a proposed 911 center move. Local Entertainment Events: Unleashed LGBTQ+ in Dallas announces a Sept. 19 live event with TS Madison, with more guests to be revealed. Outdoor Fun (Texas-style): GlowRow sets a Guinness-verified record with 50 illuminated kayaks launching at once in Corpus Christi. Big Screen Horror: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre returns to local theaters Aug. 18. Sports Buzz: Powerball hits $1B, while college football season previews keep rolling with SEC draft-prospect talk featuring Texas’ Arch Manning.

Anti-Trafficking Spotlight: Rights4Girls launched World Cup billboard ads in host cities including Dallas, pushing the message that buying sex isn’t entertainment and reporting 270+ recovered victims during the tournament. Tech & Privacy Debate: Wharton Police Chief Terry Lynch defended Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras, arguing they help with alerts like AMBER/Silver while critics question outside access to shared data. Music & Touring: Sugarland announced its 20th-anniversary “Ride or Die Tour,” with a stop at Santander Arena in Reading on Nov. 14. Pop Culture: BTS’s “ARIRANG” tour hits AT&T Stadium in Arlington Aug. 15-16, and tickets are sold out—resale options remain. Hollywood Power Play: Paramount CEO David Ellison reportedly threatens to move operations out of California if antitrust talks don’t progress by Oct. 1, with Texas among the possible destinations. Local Arts Call: Workforce Solutions Alamo opened submissions for a 2027 Fiesta Medal design contest (and a mascot contest) with a Sept. 30 deadline.

Texas Film & Community: Austin has officially renamed the Alamo Drafthouse Mueller to the Matthew McConaughey Cinema, with Aug. 10 declared “Matthew McConaughey Cinema Day,” celebrating the hometown star’s impact on movies and the local community. Houston Arts & Culture: “Hello Houston” spotlights the Houston Jazz Legacy Project and its mission to preserve the city’s jazz history, plus a conversation on Texas Southern University’s landmark endowment for breast cancer prevention. Music & Entertainment: Charlize Theron will be honored at the amfAR Dallas gala on Oct. 24, with proceeds supporting HIV research and global health initiatives. Sports & Local Events: The U.S. Air Force Band of the West is bringing free performances to multiple Texas cities in September, including Longview, Tyler, and San Antonio-area stops. Food Safety: Taylor Fresh Foods (Taylor Farms) recalls jalapeno-containing prepared items due to possible salmonella contamination. Tech & AI Buzz: Mark Zuckerberg lays out Meta’s vision for “personal superintelligence,” arguing AI should empower individuals with personalized tools. Rodeo Spotlight: The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo rides into Fort Worth on Aug. 15, with events featuring Black cowboys and cowgirls.