Stephanie G. Mathis Musicians can find it difficult to earn money by doing what they enjoy, especially now that COVID-19 is continuing to affect the global touring industry. There are many ways for musicians to diversify their revenue streams. Grants can be a great way to fund music projects.
In Australia, several music grants can help artists fund their projects. Extra funding is available as a direct reaction to the pandemic to support you during this difficult time.
What are music grants?
Grants are often financial gifts given by foundations, educational institutions, and governments. Many grants are available for Australian musicians, but they must meet strict criteria.
How to apply for music grants in Australia
It would be best if you considered a few factors before you apply for every grant in the music industry on the continent. It’s not a good idea to apply for every grant with the same pitch. Each grant has a unique purpose and is designed for a specific audience. There are grants for touring and other grants for recording.
It’s also important to present yourself professionally, just as you would for any business. It’s important to be clear about your goals, what steps you will need to take to reach them, any challenges you may face, and the uniqueness of your art. Having recommendations from other industry workers can be powerful in taking your application from an amateur to a professionally-viable level.
Please don’t underestimate how much time it will take to complete the application. It takes time to find references and research for an accurate budget. If you take the time to get it right, you will be ahead of most other applicants. Don’t forget to spell-check and proofread!
Australian Music Grants Available
This is a list with over 50 grants for music available in Australia. This list is not complete. The list of Australian entities that offer music grants is always growing. This is a great place to begin if you are looking for ways to fund your music.
There are a number of “Quick Response Grants” available on a national and international scale. Unlike most grants, you can apply for these grants a few weeks before you need the money or start your project.
Australia-Wide Grants: COVID-19 Specific
Crisis relief grants are being offered as a direct response by Support Arts, which are champions for mental and physical health in the music industry.
Levis, which offers its Levis Music Prize every year in conjunction with Bigsound Festival, has altered its structure so that it can assist more Australians and New Zealanders through the Levi’s Music Relief Fund at this time.
Grants for Australia-Wide
Australia Council for the Arts has a strong presence in the Australian music industry. The Arts Projects For Individuals and Groups initiative awards grants between $10,000 and $50,000 to individuals and groups each year for touring, recording, and marketing.
The Contemporary Music Touring Program provides grants to musicians who perform original contemporary music. The Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund is for touring in remote and regional communities. Applications close on the 2nd of March.
Fellowships can be awarded to established artists or arts professionals. If you’d like to spend 10 days in the beautiful Adelaide Hills creating your next release, check out the UKARIA residency ($10,000).
The PPCA Sound Recording Partnership offers $15,000 in grants for recording. The PPCA runs a Performance Trust Foundation that can cover a range of expenses, such as tuition and venue/PA rental.
The Martin Bequest Scholarship is open to creatives between the ages of 21 and 35. It gives young artists a chance to study, explore, and develop their talents through travel within the country or abroad.
We hope that travel restrictions will ease soon so we can reopen the Residency, International Arts Strategy Results, and International Development Opportunity grant programs. These programs aren’t just for musicians; they are open to all.
The Partnership, an initiativPartnershipy Josh Pyke and Select Music in partnership with WonderliPartnershipnment, APRA/AMCOS, offers $7,500 to unsigned artists. The money can be used to tour, record, or give you time to write.
The APRA AMCOS is the best place for songwriters and composers to apply for the APRA Professional Development Awards and Art Music Fund grants.
ABC and Triple J offer several grants to artists from all genres, including rock, hip-hop, and jazz. The ABC is offering a commission to create theme music that will be used throughout the network. You can find all the information about the Australian Music Fund by clicking here.
The Tomorrow Fund is not exclusive to the music industry but offers grants of up to $1m to those who are working to impact their community positively.
The criteria for these grants are very diverse and culturally oriented, which is great to see.
Grants for regional artists
Playing Australia Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund supports touring in regional areas. If you are an artist living in a remote region, the Regional Arts Fund offers grants such as RAF project grants or RAF quick response grants. Both of these grants are open right now.
Below, you will find more information about grants available to regional artists at the state level.
Grants for Indigenous Artists
A range of grants are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bands and musicians. First Nations Contemporary Music Program supports the development of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and other artists through professional industry opportunities, such as mentoring, training, performing, recording, and promotion.
The Musicians Support grant offers up to $15,000 to support the creation of new work (such as EPs, albums, videos, singles, and more).
Creative Koori Projects is now accepting applications for funding from First Nations artists in NSW.
The Queensland Government’s Backing Indigenous Artists Initiative will invest $12.6m in artists of all disciplines over the next few years.
