The Lone Star State's digital media landscape has received a new member in its hall of fame, as Governor Greg Abbott applauded Lubbock for becoming the second city in Texas to be recognized as a Digital Media Friendly Texas Certified Community, according to a press release by the Texas Governor's Office. This achievement was announced after Lubbock had successfully cleared a multi-tiered certification process laid out by the Texas Film Commission, which is designed to bolster digital media production across various sectors, including animation, visual effects (VFX), video games, and extended reality (XR).
"Texas is a leader in innovation, and the Digital Media Friendly Texas Certified Community program will further cement our dominance in America and across the world," Governor Abbott said, believing the initiative to further solidify Texas's position on the global stage of digital media, as mentioned in the same press release. When the wind of digital media swept through the plains and the cities, it found fertile ground in Texas, which embraced this evolving industry with both history and foresight. The Texas Film Commission has been instrumental in marketing communities' unique resources and attributes directly to industry companies and professionals, aiming at sewing the seeds of new investments and local job growth in this expanding field.
Joining in the celebration, Speaker Dustin Burrows recognized the partnership with Texas Tech University as crucial for churning a steady stream of digital media talent into the local job market. "The City of Lubbock is honored to be recognized for its contribution to Texas' thriving digital media market and looks forward to attracting more talent and investments to our community through this certification," Speaker Burrows told the Texas Governor's Office website.
Senator Charles Perry chimed in with his remarks on the importance of this designation for West Texas, not just for Lubbock. "This designation shines a spotlight on the talent, resources, and grit that make Lubbock special, opening the door for new investments and good jobs in cutting-edge industries like animation, virtual reality, and video games," as per a statement to the Texas Governor's Office website. In his view, this opens a door that lets in the possibility for growth in digitally-driven fields—a beacon not only shining light on the present circumstances but on the promise of economic vibrancy yet to come.
Meanwhile, Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer and the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance President and CEO, John Osborne, expressed their excitement for the future growth of the digital media industry, which is inclusive of burgeoning sectors like esports, emphasizing local support for educational and professional advancement. "Being the second city in Texas to receive the prestigious Digital Media Friendly Certification is a testament to Lubbock’s outstanding professionals working in digital media and the support they receive here at home," Mayor McBrayer stated, as reported by the Texas Governor's Office.
The Digital Media Friendly Texas certification not only spotlights the communities who achieve it to the digital media companies eyeing investment opportunities but also encourages the local job market to grow in a direction that bridges the digital divide through digital literacy. As part of the Governor's Economic Development & Tourism Office, the Texas Film Commission has brought in more than $2.5 billion in local spending and has been attributed to creating over 189,000 production jobs statewide from 2007 to 2024.
