Music Festival Travel Grants
Deadlines
- 15 February, for festivals taking place between 1 June and 30 November
- 15 September, for festivals taking place between 1 December and 31 May
If either of these dates falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Your completed application and all support material must be postmarked on or before the deadline date.
The Canada Council will not accept applications postmarked after the deadline, incomplete applications, or those submitted by fax or email.
Program Description
Music Festival Travel Grants assist professional Canadian musicians to perform at Canadian festivals, outside their province or territory of residence, at which they have not previously performed. This assistance is designed to introduce artists at an early stage of their career to a wider public and experienced artists to new audiences.
Festival are generally defined as curated non-profit, professional arts festivals where music is the main or a major component, which feature a number of artists and last more than one day, but take place within a concentrated time period and typically utilize more than one performance venue.
Eligibility
Professional artists who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada may apply.
Professional solo musicians, groups, bands, ensembles and collectives performing repertoire from classical and non-classical traditions are eligible.
The Canada Council for the Arts defines a professional artist as someone who:
- has specialized training in the field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
- is recognized as a professional by her or his peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
- is committed to devoting more time to the artistic activity, if financially feasible, and
- has a history of public presentation.
Please note that orchestras and choirs that wish to apply to this program must first meet the professional definitions and eligibility criteria of the Canada Council’s orchestral and choral programs.
- Applicants may submit a maximum of one request per deadline.
- Festivals may prepare and submit applications on behalf of professional artists to a maximum of five applications per deadline. Eligible applications will include both the signatures of the artist (original signature) and the presenting festival (facsimile signature acceptable) on the form, accompanied by a signed contract from the festival.
- The performance must be part of a Canadian festival held outside the artists’ province or territory of residence. Residents of large provinces or territories may be admissible for in-province travel.
- Travel to festivals that take place within an 800 kilometres radius of the artists’ place of residence are not eligible.
- The artists must be performing at the festival for the first time.
- Artists must receive a professional fee for their appearance(s).
- Artists must perform in ticketed venues or, if attendance at the festival is free, on the main stage.
All Canada Council for the Arts programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists or arts organizations and artists or arts organizations of diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.
Grant Amount
There are no minimum or maximum amounts that may be requested or received through this program. Grants will vary according to individual requests and the peer assessment committee's evaluations.
Applicants may not be awarded the full amount requested. Retroactive funding is not available.
Eligible Expenses
The grant covers the estimated cost (using the most economical means) of round trip travel between the artists’ place of residence and the festival location.
Only artists’ travel costs are eligible. The festival or the artists are responsible for the travel costs of tour managers and technicians, extra baggage charges, instrument transportation costs, instrument rentals, etc.
Artists are free to travel any way they choose or to combine the festival appearance with other performances. Where artists choose or need to travel by other means, the equivalent of the excursion airfare will generally be awarded.
Application Form
Music Festival Travel Grants (pdf, 174 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
Music Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P. O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414 and contact one of the following Music Officers:
- Richard Davis, Non-Classical Music, ext. 4294
- Karen Barber-Ing, Classical and New Music, ext. 4243
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
September 2005
Application Form
Click here to download the application form (PDF Acrobat format). This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.