Welcome to the 77^th Round of the Radio Starmaker Fund!

The website for the Radio Starmaker Fund is now back on-line and ready to accept applications. Below you will find information on our next application deadline. We encourage you to begin the application process as early as possible to avoid filing incomplete applications. The Vice-President of Programs & Applications, Jerry Leibowitz (jerryleibowitz@starmaker.ca), will be happy to help you with your questions should you need assistance. You can send him an email before you submit your application and time permitting, he will review your work and provide feedback. It’s always worth asking to have your work reviewed, even if it’s on the last day of the deadline. Please keep in mind that once an application is submitted, it can’t be changed.

New Details for Round 77:

RADIO STARMAKER FUND ANNOUNCES CREATION OF NEW ARTIST FUNDING PROGRAM FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOUR

The Board of Directors of the Radio Starmaker Fund announces the creation of a new program dedicated to supporting music creation by members of the Canadian music industry who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Effective immediately, this funding stream is available to eligible musicians who have not yet met Starmaker sales criteria. This will be a “stepping stone” program that recognizes the systemic barriers that prevent otherwise eligible applicants from qualifying for the established Starmaker programs. The program will fund a broad range of activities to help sustain racialized artists as they continue to develop and increase the audience and industry reach needed to apply to other Starmaker programs.

This is a ‘living program’, made to be able to adapt to and reflect the Board’s collective learning, community feedback and industry change.

The program is compromised of the following elements:

• Qualifying applicants are identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour – if you are a band rather than an individual, the majority of the band must be identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour.
• You must show full-length or bundle sales of at least 1,500 units to qualify. A full-length release contains at least 6 unique studio recordings – not including acoustic re-recordings, remixes, versions, etc. – and at least 30 minutes of music. A bundle contains at least 3 unique, previously unreleased studio recordings – not including acoustic re-recordings, remixes, versions, etc. – and at least 9 minutes of music. They can be either physical, digital or equivalent streams (750 single track streams from a full-length release or bundle will constitute one sales unit toward the achievement of the minimum sales threshold, as will 5 downloaded tracks from a release constitute one sales unit). We will accept proof via Soundscan/Music Connect, manufacturing invoices and net sales reports from distributors. International sales, streams and downloads will be counted towards eligibility. Multiple releases from the previous 5 years leading up to the deadline for the round can be combined to show eligibility. Alternatively, if you have been nominated for a Grammy, Juno or the Polaris prize shortlist for a release from the last 5 years, you will be considered qualified for this program. You can just enter the release which was nominated, list the sales as 1,500 units and attach proof of the nomination.
• The application process will be as follows: you will enter your artist information into the Starmaker website. Those details are provided on the right side of our homepage under the links for “Getting Started”. After completion, you will then have the option to be redirected to this program where you will submit a one-page business plan/proposal. You will be able to include attachments to the proposal, elaborating on proof of eligibility, breakdowns of expenditures or other key information. Brief details on domestic or international activity and momentum should be included in the proposal to illustrate why your request should be funded.
• Money can be requested for any music related expenses – recording, promotion, publicity, advertising, digital marketing, touring, videos, etc. The maximum overall request will be capped at $25,000 and artists will only be considered for one of these grants per calendar year.
• Artists who eventually qualify for the main Starmaker programs will still be able to apply for this annual $25,000 grant.
• All other Starmaker rules will apply.
• Start your Application by signing in to your existing Artist profile or starting a new Artist profile.

Domestic Touring/Virtual Performances – the Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund will continue to provide funding for virtual performances in light of the current circumstances facing artists in Canada under the following provisions:

• We will no longer limit the domestic numbers to 10 virtual performances and 1 virtual promotional performance per calendar year. Artists can allocate any number of virtual performances or virtual promotional performances out of the domestic show cap available during each calendar year. Virtual promotional performances will only be considered for an exclusive appearance that takes place on a website belonging to a promotional outlet for radio, retail, news and entertainment portals where no fee is charged and is less than 30 minutes in duration. That same performance cannot be used to apply for funding in multiple territories.
• You will continue to be allowed 1 additional “prep/pre-production” date per calendar year to develop and refine your ideas (identified simply as “Pre-Production Day”).
• These additional types of requests will continue the existing cap of 37 performances in the domestic touring program per calendar year.
• No international virtual performances of any sort can be included in a domestic touring application.
• Any virtual performances where an artist is using their own platforms, socials or outlets such as Twitch, etc. will only be considered under domestic touring. In these circumstances, it doesn’t matter if the performance (i.e. where the artist is actually located) is taking place inside of Canada or not. Outside of that, there are no restrictions on the platforms used for virtual performances.
• Virtual performances must be a minimum of 30 minutes of music or 10 songs.
• Other than virtual promotional performances, there can be a fee (pay wall) or no fee to the public for the performance.
• Proof of the performance can be provided with a screen shot or video proving it took place – screen shots need to include the beginning and end of the performance to show 30 minutes.
• If you are a group you may do the performance as a full band or stripped down to a few band members or solo.
• Virtual performances will remain valid during the restrictions on live touring during the pandemic.
• For funding to be considered, background on the event or performance and the reason it should be funded must be outlined in the text of the Touring Strategy section of the application.
• Paperwork and filing will remain the same – you must describe the show exactly as you would any tour subsidy request and file the same paperwork as in the past but instead of an agent’s summary of gigs played, you must upload a screen shot or video proving the performance happened.

International Touring/Virtual Performances – the Board of the Radio Starmaker Fund will now provide funding for international virtual and promotional performances under the following provisions:

• International virtual performances must be for ticketed performances, taking place on an outlet’s website in a particular territory. While the performance can be offered or sold to multiple outlets throughout the world outside of Canada, you can only apply in one international territory for a virtual or virtual promotional performance. That same performance cannot be used to apply for funding in multiple territories.
• The available number of dates for funding consideration will stay the same in all international territories but can be split as you see fit between in-person and virtual performances, as well as one Pre-Production Day per territory per calendar year.
• All the other information regarding domestic virtual performances will also pertain to international virtual performances, outside of what is stated in this section.

In-person performances – for the time being, we will consider funding live, in-person performances that take place at venues with a minimum capacity of 50 both domestically and internationally. That is down from 100.

All applications must be filed online prior to the next deadline of Thursday, November 19^th, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST. The ability to file an application will automatically be shut down at that time. Please ensure your application has been completed and submitted before this deadline. Thank you in advance.

Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation invites applications from visual art organizations or collectives for the 2020 Annual Facilitation Grant Program “The Sheila’s”

In 2020, the focus of facilitation grants will be the publication of well-researched, analytical examinations of the work of New Brunswick artists.  These grants are intended to support arts organizations realize a print publication by a reputable publishing house or collective in conjunction with an exhibition. They are awarded on the recommendation of independent assessment panels.

The Deadline for all applications is February 14^th, 2020.  Please consult the website for full application details.