Visit Fort Worth Announce Film and Music Leadership

Visit Fort Worth is doubling down on its commitment to film production and music entertainment by naming two team members to leadership roles over these areas.

Tom Martens has been named vice president of creative, film and music. Martens will oversee all branding and design for the tourism organization, support the Fort Worth Film Commission and manage the Hear Fort Worth music association. Reporting to Martens, Taylor Hardy will serve as film commissioner and will lead efforts to attract productions while building a more film-friendly community through programs like the Fort Worth Film Collaborative jobs program and partnership with Lone Star Film Festival.

“Tom and Taylor will accelerate our efforts to grow music and film in Fort Worth. They each have a strong record of innovation and supporting these important areas of our economy,” said Mitch Whitten, chief operating officer of Visit Fort Worth. “We are excited about what they will do next.”

Courtesy of Visit Fort Worth

Martens is a 13-year veteran of Visit Fort Worth and has earned national recognition for his creative marketing, including activations at festivals such as SXSW and campaigns such as The Unexpected City. He helped create Hear Fort Worth and shaped its mission to help local musicians tour with travel grants and to create jobs by advocating for the music industry in the city. Under his leadership, Fort Worth was the first music-friendly city certified by the governor’s Texas Music Office. Tom has forged numerous partnerships that create jobs and support for local musicians including busking on the grounds at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and pre-concert sessions on Dickies Arena’s Simmons Bank Plaza. The SoundCare partnership with JPS Health Network markets affordable healthcare options to the creative community. He is a graduate of the University of North Texas.

Hardy assumes the role of film commissioner after building the organization for the past nine years under founding commissioner Jessica Hill, who recently left Visit Fort Worth for the private sector. In addition to working with hundreds of productions, Hardy has played an integral role in Film Commission infrastructure and programs such as community mixers and marketing campaigns to promote the local workforce.  She launched the Film Fort Worth social media channels and grew the Instagram page to have the largest following of any film office nation-wide. The Film Commission offers a robust website for locations and crew. Hardy has been with the organization for nine years, beginning as an intern while studying film, television and digital media in TCU’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication.

Film production has become a pillar of economic development in Fort Worth, creating more than 30,000 jobs, generating tens of thousands of hotel room nights and delivering a $700 million impact in its first nine years. Notable productions filmed here include Miss Juneteenth, 12 Mighty Orphans, The Chosen and TV series from 101 Studios and Taylor Sheridan such as 1883, Landman and Lioness.

Visit Fort Worth identified music as a vital part of the city’s entertainment offerings and has championed local music performance and production. Music is a top tourism experience, requested by conventions, sports events and featured at venues and restaurants across the city. Hear Fort Worth’s efforts have been cited as best practices by the Texas Music Office at its annual Texas Sounds and Cities conference, which started in Fort Worth. With Hear Fort Worth support, local musicians have been featured on national stages at AmericanaFest in Nashville, SXSW in Austin, Folk Alliance in Kansas City and Windy City Smokeout in Chicago.

In their roles at Visit Fort Worth, Martens and Hardy will also support marketing needs for teams dedicated to attracting and hosting conventions and sports events.