What does this program support?

Toronto Arts Council’s Music Creation & Audio Recording program offers grants to practicing professional artists to assist them in the writing and production of their original music. This program will support new work in any/all genres of music.  Professional Development and Touring/Travel expenses are not eligible for funding.

Artists may apply to one of three categories for funding:

(1) Creation (maximum grant $5,000)

• For artists looking for funding to support the writing/composition phase of new work.  Grants awarded in this category can assist with paying yourself (and additional contributors, as applicable) artist fees to create and compose original music, and other project costs (e.g., the cost of copying and preparing performing parts, etc.).  Recording costs are eligible only if they are directly related to the writing process.

(2) Recording – Demo/EP (maximum grant $4,000)

• For artists looking for support to create a short form recording in a home-based or professional facility, provided that it is not your own. A short-form recording is any recording that is considered substantially shorter in length compared to the standard in your artistic community, and is often for the purpose of demonstrating newly developed work for others in the music community (labels, funders, presenters, promoters and/or festivals) or for limited/online release direct to your audience. Grants for Demo/EP recordings can assist with artistic costs, production costs, mixing, editing, and mastering by professionals other than yourself; you cannot pay yourself fees of any kind. Packaging, design, and manufacturing costs (maximum 500 units) are eligible, only if the work is completed in professional facilities.  You may also include web design and online media management costs to a maximum $500 if they are associated with the proposed recording project. Projects seeking funding solely for manufacturing, online media management, and web design costs are not eligible for funding. Do not include any fees related to you in the project budget. Grants awarded in this category do not fund costs associated with the writing/composition of new work.

(3) Recording – Full-Length (maximum grant $10,000)

• For artists looking to undertake the production of a full-length audio recording in one or more professional facilities that regularly charge a fee to a variety of artists to record and produce work. The applicant must be the originator of the majority of the material for the recording.  Grants for full-length audio recording can assist with producer costs (if not self-produced), guest artist costs, and costs associated with recording, mixing, editing, mastering, packaging, design, and manufacturing costs (maximum 1,000 units), provided the work is completed in professional facilities. You may also include web design and online media management costs to a maximum $1,000 if they are associated with the proposed recording project. Projects seeking funding solely for manufacturing, online media management, and web design costs are not eligible for funding. A small portion of the work may be completed in home-based facilities, but these costs are not eligible for support in this category. You cannot pay yourself artist fees.  Do not include any fees related to the applicant in the project budget. Grants awarded in this category do not fund costs associated with the writing/composition of new work.

who can apply?

To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:¹

• Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (Landed Immigrant) or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status and, if requested, be able to provide verification documentation. (Grant recipients must have a Social Insurance Number.)
• Be a current resident of the City of Toronto who has lived in the City for at least one year prior to making this application
  Note: A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet the residency requirement.
• Be a professional artist who has maintained an independent practice for at least one year. TAC defines a professional artist as someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices their art; seeks payment for their work; and has a history of public presentation.
• Undergraduate students are not eligible to apply. Professional artists who are pursuing graduate studies may not apply for work related to their degree.
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Collaborative proposals (involving a co-applicant) are eligible. For these proposals, one of the applicants must identify a principal applicant. Co-applicants are subject to the same 3 eligibility criteria as single, individual applicant. If the application is successful, the grant payment will be payable to the principal applicant, as listed in the application. Similarly, a T4A slip will be issued to the principal applicant.
  
  Can my band/ensemble apply?
• Currently, this program accepts applications only from individual artists. If you are interested in applying as a band/ensemble, it is suggested that one member (preferably lead) submit an application on behalf of the group. Please note, if a grant is awarded, a direct deposit and T4A slip will be issued to the primary applicant.

Additional Information

1. TAC recognizes that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from equity-seeking communities) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from equity-seeking communities are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the Program Manager in advance of submitting an application.