The Music Works program is Creative Victoria’s investment in growing and enriching our State’s constantly evolving contemporary music industry at every level.

Funding supports a variety of innovative projects, including new ideas and approaches that will expand Victoria’s reputation as a world-class destination for contemporary music.

Any Victorian based contemporary music artist or industry professional across all genres and career stages can apply for funding for projects with creative and commercial outcomes.

Your proposal must demonstrate the impact that this project will have on you and the broader Victorian contemporary music sector. It can include activities such as collaboration and partnerships, the creation of new works, audience engagement and exploring opportunities.

The program 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.

Funding available

Individuals or groups/organisation can apply for funding amounts between $4,000 and $40,000.

Access costs

• We encourage you to include access costs within your project budget to make activities accessible to a Deaf and Disabled audience (e.g. Auslan, captioning, audio description, materials in other formats)
• If you’re Deaf and Disabled and applying through the Deaf and Disabled creatives stream, you can apply for an additional amount of up to $5000 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. These additional access costs can only be allocated towards access initiatives and can’t be repurposed to cover general project costs.

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, including artists/bands, managers, promoters, labels and other music industry business and organisations.
• You’re only submitting one application (including under auspice). Auspice bodies may apply on behalf of multiple applicants.

Who can I talk to?

How can I apply?

Applications for this program are currently closed.

When the round is open, applications are made via a unique link the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) Grants Portal.

Find general information on using the grants portal, including how to register and FAQ about the Portal.

Guidelines and tools

After you apply

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

Our Grants team will then check that your application meets all the eligibility criteria, and we’ll assess it against the published aims and criteria.

You’ll be notified by email of the outcome approximately 12 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 high a 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, Precincts and Regions, including fulfilling any payment milestone outcomes or deliverables set out in the Funding Agreement.