Funding | Arts Board | Music FAQ
This section provides an informal guide to making an application for funding from the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand. It needs to be read alongside the current Funding Guide, which lists the funding programmes and priorities and has copies of the application forms. The Funding Guide can be ordered or downloaded on this site.
Common questions
What do I put in my budget?
For specific budget advice for your artform and funding programme, refer to our budget guidelines for music applications.
For generic budget advice, e.g. how to treat GST, please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
Which funding programme is right for my project?
Thinking about exactly what you would spend any funding received on will help you decide on the most appropriate programme. For instance, if you require funds for fees to attend a conference, it is likely to be Creative and Professional Development. If you request funds to write or record songs or compositions, apply under New Work. And if you want assistance towards performing or touring your work, it is probably best submitted under Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development.
How much money should I apply for?
Creative New Zealand usually does not fund the full costs of projects and we don't generally have limits on specific amounts that can be requested. However, as a guideline for Creative and Professional Development projects, our contribution towards travel expenses and fees for short-term conferences and seminars is generally up to $4000. For longer-term individual overseas professional development, including post-graduate music study overseas for a maximum of a year, grants of up to $8000 are awarded depending on the extent of the project.
To calculate equivalent full-time wages in the New Work funding programme, we suggest $2000 per month for emerging artists and $4000 per month for established artists. Classical composers may find it helpful to refer to the Composers Association of NZ (CANZ) scale of fees, which can be downloaded from the website (www.canz.co.nz).
For recording grants, emerging artists who have released a debut recording may apply for assistance of up to $5000 for a subsequent new album recording. Practitioners with established track records in performing and/or recording can apply for up to $15,000 for recording projects. If a record company is involved, there is an expectation that it would also be making an investment. This amount should be shown in the budget.
It's important that you're realistic and that you specify exactly what you require the money for. We recommend that you itemise all projected expenses and forms of income, including any voluntary work/donations, or any sponsorship you have received, and include relevant written quotes in your budget. It can also be useful to look at the website for examples of grants we have awarded in the past.
Is funding only for experienced musicians? How do I get a track record?
The priority across all artforms is to support work by artists who have proven they can "do it†and are committed for the longer-term. However, a track record for an emerging artist may come from having a self-funded debut CD recorded that has achieve b.net airplay, or from successful public concerts/gigs that are building up a live following and may be generating some CD sales.
Am I eligible to apply in the February round for funds to pay for a South Island tour that starts in April?
Creative New Zealand does not fund retrospectively: that is, reimburse you for expenses incurred for projects that start, or are substantially progressed, before the grant decisions are made. It is worth remembering when you are planning your project that there is a three-month assessment period between the closing date of applications and the notification of the grants. Although the project should not be completed before this time, we appreciate that you will be preparing for and working on the project during this time. For instance, you could submit an application for the February round for funding towards manufacturing and distribution costs for a new recording scheduled for release after May, even if the recording is scheduled to take place in April.
Does Creative New Zealand fund music videos?
No, this is the business of NZ On Air. You can check out its website (www.nzonair.govt.nz) for details of the music video grant scheme.
What if my application is late? Can I send support material in after I have sent my application?
Applications that arrive after the closing date will not be considered unless they are clearly postmarked with the application closing date. It's in your best interests to send your entire application, including all support material, by the deadline. Due to the sheer volume of applications, we cannot guarantee to match up support material with your application if it arrives separately.
Also, remember to send two copies of the application along with five copies of artistic support material such as CD recordings. Remember to label all material carefully with your name and the project name. We do not return any support material unless you enclose a stamped addressed envelope or courier package with your application. We cannot guarantee the safe return of support material, so please do not send anything that is irreplaceable.
Who assesses my application?
Your application is given first to the Music Adviser for comment and then copies are circulated to all five practitioner Music Assessment Committee members for evaluation before the meeting. The committee members meet to view all support material and discuss the applications. They make recommendations of grants to the Arts Board, which makes the final decisions. Committee members are considered to be experts in their field and hold a two-year term - four funding rounds. We try to have a balance of music practitioners who each have current specialist genre knowledge. We do accept nominations for these positions. Arts Board members, who chair the Committee meetings, are political appointments and serve a three-year term.
My project seemed to meet the criteria and I fulfilled all the requirements, but I still didn't receive a grant. Why not?
Unfortunately, we receive hundreds of applications each round and the budget is unable to support them all. Creative New Zealand assesses the applications by general criteria, such as on their artistic merit, and by particular criteria for each funding programme, as described in the Funding Guide. There may not be a specific reason why your project didn't receive funding and it is often a reflection on the limited funds available rather than on the quality of your project. As we can't personalise every letter that is sent, you can always discuss the outcome with a programme adviser, who may be able to suggest ways to improve your application for the future.
Can I re-apply in the next funding round?
You cannot resubmit the identical application. If you are interested in re-applying with a similar concept, you should contact the programmer adviser to discuss its potential for revision and restructuring.
