Call for Applications: Music Creation Projects (Canada)

This program supports music creators at all career stages, working in all music genres/styles. The program has two categories:

• Self-directed creation: Projects where the applicant is an individual creator who is requesting support for composing/writing a new piece of music or body of work (for example, a song set). The applicant is taking their own initiative and making their own decisions about the music to be created.
• Commissioning: Projects where the applicant is an individual composer/songwriter working with a commissioner. The commissioner can be an individual artist, music group or non-profit arts organization, choreographer or dance company, who makes a commitment to give the proposed commissioned work a première.

Priorities

• The program’s priorities are to support:
  • projects that display exceptional creativity in composition and song-writing
  • projects that enhance the range of music available to performers and the public
  • projects that, in addition to the above, may contribute to arts education, public participation and community involvement in the arts in Ontario (for example, composition for children’s choir)

Funding Information

• Self-directed creation: maximum $4,000
• Commissioning: maximum $20,000

What this program funds?

• Composition/creation of new original work.
• This may also include:
  • creation of a companion piece or additional movements, intended to accompany an earlier composition
  • completion of a larger-scale work under development (for example, an opera)
  • music incorporating other media or art forms.

Eligible Activities

• Self-directed creation:
  • composition of original lyrics and/or music, including time to create a body of work
  • mentor consultation, collaborations with other artists and research
  • creation of electronic music, where the process involves sampling and manipulation of recorded materials
• Commissioning:
  • projects where a composer is contracted by an ensemble, arts organization, music education organization or an individual artist wishing to commission and première a new work.

Ineligible Activities

• projects that are a part of the applicant’s course of study/academic work
• commission projects where the applicant is also the commissioner of the work
• commissions by musical performing organizations or dance companies with composers who are their own artistic directors/leader, administrative head or members of the board
• commissions by librettists/lyricists/writers for the musical setting of their own texts
• commissions by educational institutions for their own faculty
• commissions by record companies/labels, managers, agents and lawyers
• commissions by religious institutions
• film or television soundtracks
• video production, including of promotional and music videos
• incidental theatre music and arrangements
• revisions, rewrites or rearrangements of existing work

Eligibility Criteria

• Individual applicants must be 18 years of age or older to apply.
• Individuals: professional composers, songwriters and music creators, who are Ontario residents
  • Eligible songwriters must be creating music and words, or the music in partnership with a lyricist or poet. They cannot write only the song texts.
  • Others may be involved in the creative process. This could include commissioners where applicable, musicians, band members, lyricists, etc.)
• For applicants applying for music commissions only:
  • Composers are the applicant and commissioners of the new music are required participants.
  • Commissioners can be professional individual artists (music performers, choreographers) music groups, not-for-profit arts organization or dance company. Commissioners not entirely comprised of professional musicians, such as community orchestras or choirs, are also possible.
  • Commissioners where music performance is not a primary activity, (e.g. an art gallery), are eligible. However, commissioners must describe their music programming curation and the context in which the new work will be presented to the public.
  • Projects with commissioners located outside Ontario are eligible. The world première may occur elsewhere, but any plans for the first Ontario performance must be provided.
  • Commissions suitable for young performers are eligible if the impact on learners or its potential for future use by the music education community can be demonstrated.

Ineligible Applicants

• ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations. Note: an individual may apply to create with others
• professional composers or songwriters who are currently enrolled in composition or songwriting courses or a music composition degree program at a university, college or conservatory (composition/songwriting workshops are permitted), are not eligible to apply in the Self-directed creation category
  • However, they may apply in the Commissioning category, provided they can demonstrate that the professional contract to create a new composition for the commissioner is independent of their studies.

For more information, visit Ontario Arts Council.