Overview

Music Works Grants supports Victorian-based contemporary music industry artists or industry professionals across all genres and career stages to undertake projects with creative and/or commercial outcomes. Funding can be used for the creation of new works, collaboration and partnerships, professional development, marketing, tour support, and more.

Focus Areas

Uncovering Talent ($5,000) is for first-time grant recipients and encourages applications from early career artists. It is for music industry professionals to undertake creative projects and professional development opportunities.

Download guidelines here

Evolve and Export ($10,000-$20,000) encourages innovation in music creation and reaching new markets. It is for music industry professionals with a proven track record to undertake creative projects and professional development opportunities.

Download guidelines here

Streams

Each focus area has three streams:

1. First Peoples Stream
   Victorian First Peoples applications will be assessed in alignment with Aboriginal self-determination by a First Peoples assessment panel.
2. Deaf and Disabled Stream
   Victorian deaf and disabled music industry professionals or music industry businesses or organisations will be assessed by a panel of music industry peers with lived experience of Deafness and Disability.
3. General Stream
   All other applications will be assessed by a panel made up of a diverse range of music industry peers.

Music Works 2024 - Applicant drop-in session - 4 April 2024

Funding available

Individuals or groups/organisation can apply for:

• Uncovering Talent - fixed grant of $5,000
• Evolve and Export - funding amounts between $10,000-$20,000

Access costs

• If you are applying for the Deaf and Disabled stream, you can apply for an additional amount of up to $1,500 (Uncovering Talent) or $3,000 (Evolve and Export) on top of your general project costs to cover additional specific access expenses that will help you reduce barriers for Deaf and Disabled artists/industry workers involved in your project.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you’re an individual or group/collective that meets Creative Victoria's general eligibility and the following program eligibility:

• You’re a Victorian based contemporary music industry professional (individuals, collectives/groups, or micro to small organisations), including artists/bands, managers, promoters, labels and other music industry business and organisations.
• You have an active ABN.
• Unincorporated associations and collectives will need to either apply under auspice, or have an individual apply on behalf of the group.
• You’re only submitting one application (including under auspice). Auspice bodies may apply on behalf of multiple applicants.

Note: The Uncovering Talent focus area is for applicants who have never received Creative Victoria funding before except for direct recipients of grants from the COVID support programs listed in the guidelines.

Please speak to program staff if you are unsure about your eligibility.

How can I apply?

General information on how to access the Grants Portal, including how to register and Grants Portal FAQs, can be found here.

You will need to determine which focus area and stream you are applying under.

For Uncovering Talent:

• First Peoples creatives stream: CLOSED
• Deaf and Disabled creatives stream: CLOSED
• General stream: CLOSED

To access and continue working on your saved applications, please click here to return to the Grants Portal directly.

For Evolve and Export:

• First Peoples creatives stream: CLOSED
• Deaf and Disabled creatives stream:  CLOSED
• General stream: CLOSED

To access and continue working on your saved applications, please click here to return to the Grants Portal directly.

Music Works applications are submitted via the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions Grants Portal.

Who can I talk to?

For help with translations please call the Translating and Interpreting Service

• Phone TIS National 131450
• Visit the Translating and Interpreting website

Guidelines and tools - Uncovering Talent

Guidelines and tools - Evolve and Export

After you apply

Once you submit your application on the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions Portal you’ll receive an email acknowledgment.

You’ll be notified by email of the outcome approximately 13 weeks after the published closing date.

See Information for applicants

Successful applications

If your funding application is successful, you’ll receive a funding agreement outlining the conditions for funding, payment information and reporting requirements.

See Information for current recipients

Notification of funding outcomes

There’s a high level of demand for Creative Victoria funding, so we recommend that you plan for contingencies if your application is unsuccessful (e.g. other funding sources). Please don’t make commitments based on the assumption that you’ll receive funding until you’ve received written confirmation of your final funding outcome.

Funding recommendations are subject to approval by the Minister for Creative Industries. Feedback on your application is provided at Creative Victoria’s discretion and may not be available when you receive notification of your funding outcome.

Payment of grants

Program funding payments are conditional on you meeting your obligations under your Funding Agreement with the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, including fulfilling any payment milestone outcomes or deliverables set out in the Funding Agreement.