Funding

Market Access Fund 

The purpose of the Market Access Fund is to support Manitoba artists and music industry professionals in growing their business activities in export markets through showcases at music industry conferences and showcase festivals, targeted and confirmed business meetings, and collaborative songwriting trips. The Market Access Fund is made possible by the financial support of the Government of Canada, Province of Manitoba, and Manitoba Film & Music. See the Market Access Fund page for more information.

Manitoba Film & Music

Manitoba Film and Music offers a series of music funding programs to help expand the already impressive Manitoba music scene. As a Government funding agency, we encourage music recording artists and songwriters in the Province of Manitoba to develop and promote their skills with assistance through the following funding programs. Visit Manitoba Film & Music for more information, deadlines, and application forms.

Produce | This program is designed to support the production of culturally relevant and commercially viable music recording products by the Manitoba music recording industry. Applicants may apply under one of three different program levels.

Produce - Out-Of-Province Artists | This program is designed to encourage non-Manitoban artists to travel to Manitoba and utilize Manitoban recording studios, producers, and recording professionals. This program is also intended to increase business and experience for Manitoban music recording industry professionals.

Promote | This program is designed to assist Manitoba recording artists to market and promote a completed music recording project. This can include hiring a publicist,  marketing teams, creation of a website, advertising, as well as content and music video creation.

Perform | This program is intended to provide Manitoban artists/groups with tour support funding to develop audiences outside of their hometown. This includes performances and tours across Canada, through the United States, or internationally.

Build | This program is designed to encourage the growth and development of competitive, sustainable and commercially viable companies within the Manitoba music industry by providing financial support for costs associated with increasing capacity, improving industry skill levels and developing infrastructure.

FACTOR

FACTOR (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) is a public/private partnership that supports the production of sound recordings by Canadian musicians and helps Canadian music companies make recordings available to a wider public.

With funding and services designed to assist the spectrum of musical expressions and talent, FACTOR is committed to reflecting the diversity of the Canadian population in its programs and operations while also promoting inclusiveness within the broader Canadian music sector.

For more information, head to FACTOR​ to find out if your project can become #FACTORfunded.

Artist Development | The Artist Development Program offers a $5,000 subsidy toward a year of artist development activities such as recording, touring & showcasing, video production, and marketing.
 
Artist Entrepreneur |  Artist Entrepreneur funding is allocated once a year for recipients to undertake a suite of activities fostering the development of the artist and the promotion of their music.
 
Collective Initiatives | This program is comprised of three components that help finance music industry events, showcases, and productions that have a collective benefit for the Canadian music industry.

Company Envelope: Mid-Tier | Mid-Tier Envelope funding, for music companies to undertake various business development activities.
 
Company Envelope: Top-Tier | Top-Tier Envelope funding, for music companies to undertake various business development activities.
 
Funding for National Service Organizations | Funding for National Service Organizations helps to ensure that NSO's support Canadian music entrepreneurs to build a strong and competitive industry.
 
Juried Sound Recording: Album | The JSR program contributes toward the cost of acquiring, producing and marketing a full length album. Submissions are assessed by an independent jury of industry professionals.

Juried Sound Recording: Single/EP | The JSR: Single/EP program contributes toward the cost of creating up to five songs as singles or one EP. Submissions are assessed by an independent jury of industry professionals.

Live Performance | The Live Performance program subsidizes the cost of domestic and international performances including showcases and tours.

Songwriter Development | The Songwriter Development program provides a $2,000 subsidy toward a year of songwriting initiatives.

Sponsorship | The Sponsorship program allows FACTOR to support worthy music-related events that are looking for a smaller amount of support, or that do not quite fit other program mandates.

Support for Eligible Music Companies | This program provides funding for business development activities that support the promotion of the company, domestic and international business travel, and songwriting initiatives

Video | The Video program contributes to the cost of producing music videos for eligible Canadian sound recordings by artists rated 2 and 3.

Musication/Fondation Musication

Ce programme est destiné à la production d’un album ou d’un DVD musical. L’album doit avoir un minimum de huit plages (d'au moins 60 secondes chacune) ou un contenu musical de 30 minutes. musicaction.ca

Production d'un album

Manitoba Arts Council

The Manitoba Arts Council (MAC) offers a broad range of grants and services to professional artists and arts organizations in all art forms. The grants offered by MAC are housed in the 6 streams of activity listed below. Visit Manitoba Arts Council for more information, deadlines, and application forms.

Create | The Create program supports the creation of new work or development of works in progress in all disciplines by professional artists and arts groups.

Indigenous 360 | The Indigenous 360 program supports artistic and cultural activities by Indigenous applicants including artists, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous-led arts groups and Indigenous-led organizations.

Share – Tour | The Tour program supports touring activities across Manitoba by professional artists, arts groups, and arts organizations in the performing arts.

Share – Present | The Present program supports the presentation of work in all disciplines by professional artists, arts groups, and arts organizations.

Learn – Residencies | The Residencies program supports creation or research-based residency opportunities for professional artists in all disciplines. Applicants may apply for travel to have time and space in the Riding Mountain Artists’ Residency, the Churchill Artists’ Residency, or a residency opportunity of the artists’ choosing.

Learn – Travel/Professional Development | The Travel/Professional Development program supports professional artists and arts/cultural professionals in all disciplines for activities related to the development of their practice or careers.

Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts provides support for the development of individuals, groups, small ensembles, orchestras and other professionals working in the Canadian music community. In addition to tours, concert production and festival programming, the Music Section funds a variety of related activities such as residencies and the commissioning of Canadian compositions. Of particular interest to Manitoba Music members are the programs which support touring, festival travel, and audience and market development. Visit Canada Arts Council for more information, deadlines, and application forms.

Explore and Create - Professional Development for Artists | The Professional Development for Artists component of Explore and Create supports the career growth of Canadian artists and artistic groups by encouraging participation in a wide range of development opportunities. Grants fund activities that contribute to the professional advancement of Canadian artists working in all artistic disciplines.

Explore and Create - Research and Creation | The Research and Creation component of Explore and Create supports the initial stages of the creative process. Canadian artists, artistic groups and arts organizations can apply to develop and make creative works. Grants provide support for creative research, creation and project development.

Concept to Realization | The Concept to Realization component of Explore and Create supports the full creative cycle – from the initial idea through to presentation, at any stage of the creative continuum. Canadian artists, artistic groups and arts organizations can apply to create projects intended for presentation. Grants provide support for artistic research, creation, project development, remounts, production, post-production and presentation.

Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples | The Travel component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing funds First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists, arts/cultural professionals (including artists’ representatives), cultural carriers, artistic groups, collectives and organizations working in all disciplines. Grants support travel costs to attend significant events within Canada or abroad that advance your professional development, enable you or the artists you represent to access new markets or build national and international presence.

Travel – Arts Across Canada | The Travel component of Arts Across Canada funds activities linked to Canadian presentation, exhibition, artistic collaboration, networking and building market opportunities for Canadian artists, arts professionals, artistic groups and arts organizations. Grants provide support to participate in significant events, build a national presence and for festivals and presenters to conduct research for Canadian artistic programming.

Travel – Arts Abroad | The Travel component of Arts Abroad funds travel linked to international presentation, exhibition, artistic collaboration, networking and new market opportunities for Canadian artists and arts professionals, artistic groups and arts organizations. Grants provide support to attend significant events outside of Canada and build international presence.

Canadian Starmaker Fund

The Canadian Starmaker Fund (previously known as the Radio Starmaker Fund) was created by Canada’s private radio broadcasters in partnership with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and 
Music Canada. The fund supports emerging artists with star potential from every region of Canada. The aim is to allocate funding in such a way that it directly impacts artists and supports their touring initiatives both in Canada and abroad in a way that will make a difference.

The Starmaker Fund also runs The Orion Program, which is a funding stream dedicated to supporting music creation by members of the Canadian music industry who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.

Artists must meet eligibility requirements including sales minimums. Visit Canadian Starmaker Fund for more information, deadlines, and application forms.

Winnipeg Arts Council

The Winnipeg Arts Council provides funding to professional Winnipeg artists through the following multidisciplinary grant programs:

Individual Artist Grant Program for Winnipeg Artists working in all disciplines | The Winnipeg Arts Council recognizes the individual artist as the primary source of creative activity in all artistic disciplines. The Individual Artist Grant Program is intended to support the creation of new work in any art form, or the development, production, curation, or exhibition of works of art by Winnipeg artists. Artists working as part of a collective to produce non-individual works such as Fringe Festival or other theatre projects should apply to the Project Grant program rather than the Individual Artist Grant program. Collectives must contact the Program & Arts Development Manager before applying to confirm eligibility.

Professional Development Grant Program for Artists & Arts Administrators | The Winnipeg Arts Council recognizes that the continued growth and development of arts professionals is essential to the cultural health of the community. The Professional Development Grant Program is designed to provide support to artists and arts administrators for activities that contribute to their professional development and enhance their careers in the arts. These activities may include: unique opportunities for short-term study (beyond basic training) in a formal or informal setting; attendance at events where the work of the applicant is to be presented or where the applicant is an invited speaker or resource person; or travel that is a component of such activities.

SOCAN Foundation

The SOCAN Foundation is dedicated to fostering musical creativity and promoting a better understanding of the role of music creators in today's society. The Foundation is an independent organization guided by its own board of directors, which consists of composers, songwriters and music publishers. Of particular interest to Manitoba Music members, is the International Showcasing program, which assists Canadian artists with a portion of travel and accommodation costs to perform at some foreign music conferences. Visit The SOCAN Foundation for more information, deadlines, and application forms.

Grants for Creators, Music Publishers and Individuals:

Travel Assistance | Grants are provided to SOCAN composers, writers, and music publishers across all genres of music to assist with travel-related costs for career-building or career defining activities in Canada or abroad. Priority for approval will be given to applications demonstrating the importance of the activity to the applicant’s career. Activities that receive compensation are not eligible.

Professional Development Assistance | Grants are provided to SOCAN composers, writers, and music publishers across all genres of music, for upgrading their skills and knowledge or acquiring new skills and knowledge to advance their careers.

Work Commissioning Assistance | Grants are provided to assist individuals, corporations, performers, ensembles, and presents in the commissioning of SOCAN members to create new works in all genres of music. The overall intent of this program it to reach beyond local, regional, provincial and federal arts council funding bodies, and encourage other members of our society (individual, organizations or companies) to commission new musical works.

Grants for Organizations:

Canadian Music Assistance | This program nurtures an environment supportive of Canadian music creators, Canadian music publishers and audiences. This program can include: Music Presentation events which can be a showcase, single concert, concert series or a festival; Education activities which can range from presenting workshops for songwriters, composers, writers and publishers to the introduction of Canadian music in schools; Publication activities, which may include research and writing towards the publication of books or journals (printed or electronic), production of performance scores (printed or electronic).

Work Commissioning Assistance | Grants are provided to assist individuals, corporations, performers, ensembles, and presenters to commission SOCAN members to create new works in the genre of concert / classical music. Please note that this grant is not intended to fund film scores. The intent of this program is to reach beyond local, regional, provincial, and federal arts council funding bodies and encourage other members of our community (individuals, organizations or companies) to commission new musical works.