Sound NSW Unveils New Recording, Touring Grants

The New South Wales government sets aside $3 million in funding by way of grants to support local acts’ recording and touring ventures.

Sound NSW this week unveils the Touring and Travel Fund and Recording and Promotion Grants which, reads a statement, will give a leg-up to the homegrown contemporary music sector to “deliver more new and original music, enable touring opportunities, and open doors for career-defining professional development.”

The Minns government injects $2 million into the Touring and Travel Fund, which is designed to address the “time-sensitive nature of venue availability and performance opportunities.”

Successful candidates can lock onto quick response grants of up to $2,500 per person for domestic activity and up to $7,500 per person for international pursuits.

Applications for the Touring and Travel Fund open on 20 March and close 20 May 2024.

Also, Sound NSW’s $1 million Recording and Promotion Grants program supports contemporary musicians across the state to record and release new, original creative projects.

Artists across NSW are invited to apply for grants up to $25,000 (for short-form releases, such as a single or EP); up to $50,000 (for long-form releases, such as an LP); and up to $25,000 matched-funding for acts signed to a major label.

Applications for the Recording and Promotion Grants open 20 March and close 17 April 2024.

The Labour government is “determined to rebuild the touring circuit, up and down the NSW coast, through our inland tours and suburbs,” comments minister for the arts John Graham. “This fund will do just that.”

The grants and other initiatives and campaigns, says Graham, is delivery “on our commitment to bring music back in NSW with this much-needed investment. These fast-response grants will support more new and original music from our musicians, enable tours across Australia and the world, and move NSW a step closer to being a global powerhouse for contemporary music.”

Among Labour’s election pledges was the formation of Sound NSW, a dedicated office within the state government committed to the growth, development and promotion of contemporary music in the sstate.

Earlier this year, Emily Collins was confirmed as the head of Sound NSW, working alongside an advisory board, comprised of artists and industry figures including chair Jessica Ducrou and deputy chair John Watson.

“Recording, releasing and performing new music is essential to the contemporary music industry and the growth and sustainability of artists’ careers, but the upfront costs are often greater than the income generated for many musicians,” comments Collins in a statement announcing the new grants.

“Sound NSW is excited to help bridge this gap by providing this vital funding, removing these prohibitive barriers and supporting NSW artists to do what they do best – making great music.”

Visit nsw.gov.au/sound-nsw for more.