Regulatory Communication Audit
Your rules may be fine. Can the people who follow them find them?
Most cities don't have a rules problem.
They have a communication problem.
A business owner wants to add live music. An organizer is planning a street festival. They go to the city's website and find an undated fee table, a broken application link, and a noise rule that exists only as legal code. So they guess, or they give up.
The Regulatory Communication Audit shows a city exactly where that happens, and how to fix it. It measures how clearly you explain the rules you already have, never whether those rules are good.
152 of 153
fixes need no new law. Most are a matter of publishing, dating, or linking pages the city already owns.
WHAT WE FOUND IN 25 U.S. MUSIC CITIES
22 of 25
cities publish their sound rules only as legal code.
22 of 25
cities say nothing at all about street performance.
How it works
1.
We read your city like an applicant
Special events, sound, street performance, and venue licensing, checked page by page against your own ordinance.
2.
You get a clear, checkable report
A link to every page we opened, and a short list of fixes ranked by what will help most.
3.
Fix it, and we'll re-audit
Send us your updated pages and we'll re-audit at no charge.
For City Staff
See your pages the way the public does. Get a practical list of fixes your team can make without a council vote, and proof of progress when you're done.
For Venues and Advocates
Bring City Hall a neutral, credible document that points to fixable problems instead of policy fights. It's a constructive way to start a relationship you'll need for everything that comes next.
Request an audit for your city
We built this to be useful to every city. City staff, venues, arts councils, and advocacy groups can all request one. $495, including the full report and a free re-audit.
“The Sound Music Cities’ permitting audit provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate how effectively we communicate with and support San Francisco’s music and entertainment communities. At the Entertainment Commission, we believe education is the foundation of effective regulation, and that it’s our responsibility to make permitting requirements clear, accessible, and easy to navigate. The audit process was collaborative and constructive, and we’re incredibly proud that San Francisco earned the highest score among the 25 U.S. cities audited. This recognition is a testament to our team’s dedication and inspires us to continue improving how we serve the artists, venues, and businesses that make our city’s cultural life so vibrant.”
– Maggie Weiland, Executive Director, San Francisco Entertainment Commission
“The recent permit audit conducted by Sound Music Cities offered valuable insight into our strengths and blind spots—particularly in how we communicate the rules and regulations around live entertainment permitting. Clear, effective policies must be summarized and shared so both operators and regulatory agencies can ensure compliance and fairly address common violations caused by confusion over how, where, and when venues can operate.”
– Michael Ince, M.P.A., Director, Mayor's Office of Nighttime Economy, City of New Orleans
“Sound Music Cities’ permit audit was perfectly timed. As my team works to support Chattanooga's Creative Economy, their insights are helping us streamline communication with event organizers and constituents—ensuring our rules and regulations are clear, accessible, and barrier-free.”
– Monica Maples Kinsey, Deputy Administrator, Office of Arts, Culture & Creative Economy, City of Chattanooga
We've worked both sides of the permit counter.
We have led regulatory reform as city staff, and we have run venues and events that needed those permits. We know that clear, concise information is what makes compliance possible. When people can find the rules and understand them, they are more likely to follow them.
See how 25 cities compare
The 2026 Regulatory Communication Index: every city's results, the most common issues, and five steps any city can start tomorrow. Free with your email.