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Alberta Foundation for the Arts: Music Individual Project Funding

Deadline: Monday, March 3 2025
Funding
Alberta Foundation for the Arts: Music Individual Project Funding

This funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific music project.

Deadline information
Individual eligibility criteria

The AFA celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible programs for all, free of barriers and discrimination. We recognize the unique contributions all artists make towards our community, and encourage applicants representing diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

To be eligible for individual project funding, you must be a resident of Alberta. This means you:

  • are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person with an open work or study permit from inside Canada
  • have had your primary residence in Alberta for at least one full year before applying
  • ordinarily live in Alberta for a least six months of each year with the exception of attending a formal program of study

You must be in good standing with the AFA with no open or outstanding projects or reporting to apply. Previous grant recipients must ensure all final reporting has been approved by the AFA before new applications are accepted.

Applicants, including ensembles or collectives, must not be incorporated under either provincial or federal legislation.

Collaborating artists, ensembles, and collectives

Collaborating artists, ensembles, and collectives are eligible to apply to this program if all project co-owners meet the individual eligibility criteria as defined above.

The AFA defines project co-owners as:

  •  those who share in the ownership or copyright of the created work
  •  those who have a significant financial stake in the project

For the purposes of this funding opportunity, in addition to the lead applicant, co-owners include, but may not be limited to, the following:

  •  ensemble and band members
  •  song writers

Unless identified as retaining ownership or copyright of the work, contributors who are not normally considered co-owners include, but may not be limited to, the following:

  •  session musicians
  •  producers
  •  arrangers
  •  Mentors, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers

Project co-owners must select a lead applicant to submit the application. The lead applicant must ensure all co-owners are listed in the application and is responsible for submitting the complete application before the program deadline.

If the project is approved for funding, the lead applicant is also responsible for receiving and managing any funds and completing any related reporting for the project.

If you are unsure whether an artist should be listed as a co-owner in your application, please contact your Arts Development Consultant as listed on the AFA website.

Types of projects

Through this opportunity, you may apply for project funding to support artistic activities in:

  • art production
  • marketing
  • research
  • training and career development

Art Production includes the development, creation and production of any music work. Projects should be confined to a distinct phase of a work, such as:

  • composition projects (including commissioned work)
  • demo recording projects not intended for sale, including full production and basic press kit expenses
  • commercial recording projects intended for sale, including support for pre-production and song development (basic recording)

Alberta individual artists that have been contracted by commissioners to create a specific work (such as a composition) are eligible to apply for project support through this funding opportunity.

A commercial recording officially begins with pre-production of the album in a recording studio and is completed when the final manufactured recording is submitted to the AFA. If a recording is only intended for digital release, you must clearly state this in your application.

For any recording project, the AFA gives preference to projects recorded in an Alberta-based recording facility.

Marketing includes a program of activity for a specific period that promotes, advertises, or disseminates work created by Alberta music artists, and/or develops audiences for the artist's work.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

  • marketing and promotion of a commercial release
  • costs associated with performances at special events by invitation
  • promotional tours

Research includes a program of activity for a specific period of time that supports or results in the development of a music project.

Training and career development includes a course or program of study to develop an artist's training in music or arts administrator’s training in music administration.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

  • workshops
  • master classes
  • retreats
  • mentorship programs
  • professional courses of study in performance, recording arts, or composition
Eligible expenses

You can receive up to $18,000 to support your project. You may apply for up to 100% of eligible expenses that are directly related to carrying out your proposed project.

These expenses may include, but are not limited to the following:

For art production projects:

  • session musician fees
  • commission fees
  • production
  • royalties

For marketing projects:

  • promotion and publicity

For training and career development projects:

  • tuition or training fees

For all project categories:

  • transportation and accommodation
  • administration and contract fees
  • basic living/subsistence expenses (housing, local transport, food, childcare, dependent care) up to $3,000/month
  • other expenses and supplies considered by the AFA to be reasonable and necessary
Ineligible expenses

Additional expenses and activities that are ineligible for AFA project funding include:

  • expenses for capital purchases, such as buildings or property, or for capital development, and studio construction or renovations
  • recreational training projects
  • artistic activities or projects undertaken in order to fulfill credit or thesis requirements
  • artist, producer, and engineer fees for principal ensemble members
  • recording studio rental fees for studios owned by principal ensemble members
  • manufacturing expenses (CD pressing and artwork)
  • contracts for ongoing activities or artists pursuing projects similar in scope to usual activities with commissioner
  • expenses already incurred prior to the application submission, including grant writer fees
 
For more information and to apply, visit the Alberta Foundation for the Arts website.Â