Music Creation and Audio Recording Grant Program

Deadline: 02-Sep-2025

The Toronto Arts Council’s Music Creation & Audio Recording Program offers grants to practicing professional artists to assist them in the writing and production of their original music.

This program will support new work in any/all genres of music and artists working in any genre in the creation, writing and production of their original music.

Funding Information

Artists may apply to one of three categories for funding:
- Creation (maximum grant $5,000)
  - For artists looking for funding to support the writing/composition phase of new work. Grants awarded in this category can assist with paying yourself (and additional contributors, as applicable) artist fees to create and compose original music, and other project costs (e.g., the cost of copying and preparing performing parts, etc.). Recording costs are eligible only if they are directly related to the writing process.
- Recording – Demo/EP (maximum grant $4,000)
  - For artists looking for support to create a short form recording in a home-based or professional facility, provided that it is not your own. A short-form recording is any recording that is considered substantially shorter in length compared to the standard in your artistic community, and is often for the purpose of demonstrating newly developed work for others in the music community (labels, funders, presenters, promoters and/or festivals) or for limited/online release direct to your audience. Grants for Demo/EP recordings can assist with artistic costs, production costs, mixing, editing, and mastering by professionals other than yourself; you cannot pay yourself fees of any kind.
- Recording – Full-Length (maximum grant $10,000)
  - For artists looking to undertake the production of a full-length audio recording in one or more professional facilities that regularly charge a fee to a variety of artists to record and produce work. The applicant must be the originator of the majority of the material for the recording. Grants for full-length audio recording can assist with producer costs (if not self-produced), guest artist costs, and costs associated with recording, mixing, editing, mastering, packaging, design, and manufacturing costs (maximum 1,000 units), provided the work is completed in professional facilities. You may also include web design and online media management costs to a maximum $1,000 if they are associated with the proposed recording project.

Ineligible Costs

Projects where the applicant is not the originator of the music
Expenses Incurred outside the City of Toronto are not Eligible for funding.
Compilations
Projects where the artist or group of artists is not in a decision-making position regarding all phases of the project
Spoken word, narration, poetry or libretto projects
Activities that are completed before the results of this competition are announced
Artist/production fees claimed by applicants
Expenses beyond the manufacturing costs of the first 500 units (demo/EP recording)/1000 units (full-length recording), such as rehearsal, second print-runs, promotion or marketing expenses
Expenses related to web design and online media management beyond $500 (demo/EP recording)/$1000 (full-length recording)
Projects seeking funding solely for manufacturing, online media management, and web design costs
Projects in the name of record companies/labels, mangers, agents, lawyers
Activities that take place outside the City of Toronto
Purchase of equipment, computer software instruments, etc.
Travel and touring
Professional development, training or study
Fundraising or benefit activities

Eligibility Criteria

Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (Landed Immigrant) or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status and, if requested, be able to provide verification documentation. (Grant recipients must have a Social Insurance Number.)
Be a current resident of the City of Toronto who has lived in the City for at least one year prior to making this application
A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet the residency requirement.
Be a professional artist who has maintained an independent practice for at least one year. TAC defines a professional artist as someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices their art; seeks payment for their work; and has a history of public presentation.
Professional artists who are pursuing graduate studies may not apply for work related to their degree.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Collaborative proposals (involving a co-applicant) are eligible. For these proposals, one of the applicants must identify a principal applicant. Co-applicants are subject to the same 3 eligibility criteria as single, individual applicant. If the application is successful, the grant payment will be payable to the principal applicant, as listed in the application. Similarly, a T4A slip will be issued to the principal applicant.
Currently, this program accepts applications only from individual artists. If you are interested in applying as a band/ensemble, it is suggested that one member (preferably lead) submit an application on behalf of the group. Please note, if a grant is awarded, a direct deposit and T4A slip will be issued to the primary applicant.