Aboriginal Peoples Music Program
Deadline
1 March
Program Description
The Aboriginal Peoples Music Program supports activities that contribute to the career and artistic development of Aboriginal musicians, and to the continued vitality of Aboriginal music.
Activities funded through this program develop professional skills of Aboriginal music artists; strengthen organizations dedicated to Aboriginal music; and support other activities that restore, preserve, invigorate and raise the profile of Aboriginal music and musicians.
This program has three components:
- Professional Development Project Grants;
- Community Presence and Preservation Project Grants;
- Single-Event Performance Travel Grants.
Please note that all activities previously eligible under the Aboriginal Peoples Music Program are still eligible for support through this revised program.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
This program accepts applications from:
- individual music artists;
- music groups, bands or ensembles;
- music or arts organizations or ad hoc groups dedicated to Aboriginal music.
Eligible individual applicants are professional Canadian Aboriginal musicians. This includes Métis, Inuit, Status and Non-status First Nations people. Applicants must have completed their basic music training and be recognized as professionals by other artists working in the same tradition. They should demonstrate a commitment to the development of their musical craft and career (as shown by their ongoing career activity), and have a history of public performance of at least two years. Basic training may include academic training in post-secondary institutions, mentorships, private instruction, workshops and periods of independent study.
Music groups, bands or ensembles led by eligible individual applicants may also apply. They must be made up of professional artists, and they should have a professional performance history of at least two years.
Organizations must be led by Aboriginal people and have a music or arts focus, or have a significant history of activity in the arts, particularly music. Ad hoc groups that have come together for the purpose of a project focusing on Aboriginal music are also eligible.
First-time applicants must contact the Music Section Officer responsible for this program before applying to confirm their eligibility. Applicants should be aware that meeting the eligibility criteria allows them to apply for a grant, but it does not guarantee funding.
Eligible and Ineligible Genres of Music
The Canada Council for the Arts supports music made for artistic and cultural purposes. It values distinctive artistic voices and supports excellence in established traditions of music, as well as innovation, experimentation and creativity in new traditions of music. As a result, music that is created to conform to the current demands and format expectations of the mainstream music industry is generally not eligible for support.
The Aboriginal Peoples Music Program is interested in music that has the expression of an Aboriginal worldview, either through musical form, language or lyrics, as a central feature.
Projects whose sole focus is music that is outside of the Music Section’s general principles for funding, such as mainstream rock, pop, R&B, rap, hip-hop, techno, new country and adult contemporary, may be considered ineligible. However, to maximize the impact of program funds, the Music Section will take the broadest possible view of eligibility. Potential applicants should contact the Program Officer to discuss the eligibility of their project.
Eligible Projects
Professional Development Project Grants support:
- activities for the professional career and artistic development of Aboriginal musicians and music groups, bands or ensembles, such as workshops or one-on-one mentorships that increase an artist’s ability to manage and direct his or her career, develop marketing skills or improve performance skills;
- activities that contribute to the health and vitality of Aboriginal music organizations, such as strategic planning and other short-term projects that increase the organization’s capacity to meet its mandate, or workshops and courses that ensure that key staff and volunteers have the necessary administrative and management skills.
Community Presence and Preservation Project Grants support activities that ensure the presence of Aboriginal music in communities, such as workshops to transfer music knowledge, or individual or community-based research projects that increase learning, appreciation and understanding of Aboriginal music.
Single-Event Performance Travel Grants support travel by Aboriginal musicians and music groups to give a performance at an important engagement that will have a significant impact on the artist’s career or raise the profile of the artist or music group, or where key industry personnel are in attendance. This event must be at least 800 kilometres away from the artist’s place of residence, and the artist must receive a professional fee for performing.
This program is broad in nature. Therefore, activities that have not been specifically mentioned may be eligible. Potential applicants should contact the Program Officer if they have questions about the eligibility of their project.
Eligible Expenses
To be eligible for support, the expenses must relate directly to the project. Eligible expenses may include:
- travel, accommodation and per diem expenses;
- Web site development costs;
- project promotion costs;
- honoraria for workshop leaders, mentors, resource people and elders;
- venue rental;
- translation and transcription;
- administration costs (to a maximum of 15 percent of eligible project costs).
Other reasonable project expenses directly related to the project will also be considered.
Ineligible Projects and Expenses
The following activities and expenses are ineligible for support from this program:
- the production and recording of CDs, CD-ROMs or DVDs for commercial release (for funding for this, please see the Music Section’s Grants for Specialized Music Sound Recording Program or the programs of the Media Arts Section);
- the production of films and documentaries (please see the Media Arts Section programs);
- music touring expenses (please see the Music Touring program);
- concert or performance fees for artists;
- the production of concerts;
- basic or pre-professional musical training;
- travel to board meetings and general assemblies;
- post-secondary studies;
- fundraising projects;
- capital projects, such as the construction of buildings or studios;
- the purchase of equipment or musical instruments;
- business start-up expenses;
- operating expenses of organizations, including salaries;
- subsistence or living expenses.
Value of Grant
The maximum amount of grants offered under all components of this program is $20,000. To be eligible for support, the expenses must relate directly to the project proposed.
For Single-Event Performance Travel Grants requests submitted at a time other than the 1 March deadline date, the maximum amount of grants is $2,500.
Grant amounts vary according to the requests and the evaluation. Please note that applicants are not necessarily awarded the full amount they request. Retroactive funding is not available.
Assessment of Applications
For applications received at the deadline date, a national peer assessment committee of professional Aboriginal artists and arts professionals is convened. This committee is chosen to ensure fair representation of gender, official languages, expertise and national representation. The Music Section Officer makes decisions regarding committee make-up.
For Single-Event Performance Travel Grants received throughout the year, a committee of officers from the Music Section is convened.
The decision to award a grant is based on the relative merit of an application compared with all others and on available funds.
Applicants will be notified of the results of the competition, in writing, within four months after the application deadline.
The Canada Council for the Arts does not release results by telephone or e-mail.
Application Form
Aboriginal Peoples Music Program (pdf, 250 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
This program information sheet provides a brief summary of the Aboriginal Peoples Music Program. For further details or to obtain an application form, contact Gerri Trimble, Music Section Officer.
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4103
TTY (TDD) machine for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
Fax: (613) 566-4409
Music Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
January 2005