Aus Govt offers up $100K funding pool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office has received crucial funding from the Australian Government for 50 one-time Sustainability Fund grants.
With a funding pool of $100,000, songwriter and composer members can apply for grants of $2,000. Applications open today with submissions due 20 July.
Leah Flanagan, National Manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office, said the Fund was created to support the creation of new music during a very challenging time.
“Financial stress impedes music creators from doing what they do best. The $2,000 might be used for purchasing studio equipment or finishing an album or EP; it might also help to pay household bills or recoup lost touring income,” said Leah Flanagan.
Watch Leah Flanagan announce the new Sustainability Fund grants:
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said:
“The Australian Government is providing $100,000 of funding under the Indigenous Contemporary Music program to the APRA AMCOS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office. The funding will support talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators across the country, from our cities to regional and remote communities, with cash grants to help them manage the challenges of COVID-19.
“I encourage interested musicians to contact APRA AMCOS to find out more about how they can receive this vital support.”
The Sustainability Fund was launched on May 15 this year in response to COVID-19 to “provide direct financial support to songwriter and composer members in the creation of new music”.
APRA’s board has now also announced a ‘top up’ to the general Sustainability Fund of $200,000, which will be allocated to members from the current applicant pool.
APRA AMCOS has said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members who have have already applied to the Sustainability Fund, and were successful, are not eligible to apply again through this funding round. However, members who applied to the Sustainability Fund, but were not successful, will be considered for this round of funding and not need to re-apply.
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.