Open Call: Creative BC Live Music Program (Canada)

Priorities 

• Grow capacity, sustainability, and innovation within B.C.’s live music sector
• Increase economic activity and jobs for B.C. musicians, live music companies, and industry professionals
• Support music tourism and performance opportunities for artists and audiences
• Support a broad range of live music presenters, including presenters from systemically excluded groups who experience systemic barriers to participation.

Program Streams

• Live Music: Presentation
  • This program supports B.C.-based live music presenters, funding live music performances for audiences and artists and enhancing music tourism throughout B.C. Funding will also support the capacity of the live music sector through business development activities.
• Live Music: Business Development
  • This program supports B.C.-based live music presenters, growing the capacity of the live music sector through business development activities. Funding will also support live music performances for audiences and artists, enhancing music tourism throughout B.C.

Funding Information

• Live Music Budget: $1.8 million, delivered across two streams (Presentation and Business Development)
• Grant Amounts: $2,000 – $50,000 for up to 50% of budgeted cash expenditures.
• Company cap: Applicants can be approved for a maximum of $50,000 per company, across the two funding streams. Requests over $20,000 must meet financial statement requirements.
• This program funds activities and related expenses incurred between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.

Eligible Activities 

• Live Music: Presentation
  • This stream provides eligible applicants with funding for live music events, including:
    • Music festivals
    • Concert series
    • Year-round programming
    • One-off live music events
• Live Music: Business Development
  • The types of projects eligible for this funding stream include, but are not limited to:
    • Capital infrastructure improvements
    • Audience development and market research
    • Improvements to business processes, policies, and procedures
    • Development of new products, services, or revenue streams
    • Staff growth and development
    • Development of knowledge and skills
    • Investment into creating sustainable and environmentally-friendly events and venues.

Eligible Applicants

• Applicants must be B.C.-based festivals, venues, event producers, or presenters that meet the following criteria:
  • Is a B.C.-owned and controlled corporation, registered business, or sole proprietorship with a valid GST number, that files B.C. tax returns. Applicants may also be not-for-profit organizations or charitable organizations with headquarters in B.C.
  • New companies and individuals acting as sole proprietors can apply but will be required to register their business upon successfully receiving a grant. New businesses are eligible to apply for funding
  • Core business activities include presenting live music in B.C., or fills a gap in their regional community (outside of Metro Vancouver or Victoria’s Capital Regional District)
  • Demonstrates an ongoing and sustained commitment to presenting live music and engagement within the local music community; and
  • Assumes risk in programming, producing, and promoting of these live music performances in B.C.
• Creative BC encourages applications from systemically excluded groups, including Indigenous Peoples (First Nations [Status/Non-Status], Métis, and Inuit), Black, People of Colour, People living with one or more Disability, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, women, non-binary and gender diverse people, and other groups who experience systemic barriers to participation.
• For previous recipients:
  • Final Reports: If an applicant has previously received funding from Creative BC, all prior Live Music final reports must be submitted prior to December 31, 2024, to be eligible for funding through this intake. Grant recipients from 2023/24 who have completed their projects are encouraged to submit final reports as soon as possible, as final reports for returning applicants will be reviewed before 2024/25 grants are issued.
  • Good Standing: The principals, directors, officers, shareholders and owners of all applicant companies must be in good standing with Creative BC, which means the applicant is not in default with respect to prior grants, and there are no outstanding amounts owed to Creative BC.
• Not eligible to apply:
  • Artists promoting or presenting their own tours or concerts
  • Municipalities, spaces, or events owned or operated by any level of government.

For more information, visit Creative BC.