Toronto Arts Council: Music Projects Program (Canada)

The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. The Music Program is strongly committed to the development and performance of works by Canadian artists.

Funding Information

• The maximum grant available in this program is $15,000. The TAC Music Projects program will fund up to 50% of the project budget. Applicants may receive less than the full amount requested. The budget must indicate a range of revenue sources, which may include donated goods and services.

Eligible Expenses

• Expenses can include:
  • artist fees, production and technical fees, marketing and outreach costs, administrative costs, childcare costs, etc. This program requires the payment of artist fees at or above industry standards.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be incorporated non-profit organizations or unincorporated collectives operating on a not-for-profit basis.
• A collective is defined as two or more artists, curators or programmers working together under a group name, either on a single project or on an ongoing basis.
• For collectives of two artists, both must be City of Toronto residents. For collectives of more than two artists, the majority of members must be City of Toronto residents.
• Organizations and collectives must be located in the City of Toronto. A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet this requirement. Organizations with a regional Toronto office must have operated in the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the deadline.
• The activity for which the funding is requested must occur within the City of Toronto.
• Artists must be professional. A professional artist is 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.
• Community Music-based organizations/collectives must be led by professional artistic leadership.
• 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.
• Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Music program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. Grant recipients must submit a final report on their previous Music project before submitting a new application to the program.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Projects that have been started or completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively.
• Organizations/collectives that receive Toronto Arts Council operating support.
• Ongoing operating costs, such as permanent staff salaries and general administration of an organization. This program is not intended to support an organization or collective’s ongoing activities.
• Educational and religious institutions, unless there is a clear demarcation at both the program and budget level between their regular activities and their arts activities.
• Schools that are part of Ontario’s public or private education system.
• Costs related to equipment purchase, capital projects (such as building purchase or renovation), fundraising activities, deficit reduction, publishing and archiving projects, awards and award ceremonies, projects conceived for the creation of a film or for competitive purposes, art therapy.
• Individuals; the creation, composition or recording of individual music works.
• Activities taking place outside of the City of Toronto (such as touring, travel, accommodations).
• Music Videos and projects conceived for the creation of a film or digital works led by media artists.
• Professional Development and/education.

For more information, visit Toronto Arts Council.