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, and
- Single-Event Performance Travel Grants.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
This program accepts applications from:
Individual music artists: 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: They must be made up of professional artists, and they should have a professional performance history of at least two years.
Music or arts organizations or ad hoc groups dedicated to Aboriginal music: 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.
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.
Grant Amount
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.
Application Form
Aboriginal Peoples Music Program (pdf, 250 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
For the Single-Event Performance Travel Grants component, you may apply online by selecting GO! Grants Online .
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
February 2008