This guest article was written by Megan Jane, Manager of Marketing and Communications, Creative Saskatchewan
Looking to release a new sound recording? Creative Saskatchewan can help cover your costs!
Creative Saskatchewan is the economic development agency for Saskatchewan’s creative industries, including music, and we exist to propel YOUR creative endeavour. As a SaskMusic member, you may be familiar with our Sound Recording Grant program. If not, here’s what you need to know: this grant supports the production of commercially viable sound recordings for commercial release.
If you can make the case that your music career is in a place where releasing a new recording is the next logical step, you’ve got the songs written and perfected, and are now ready to enter the studio, this could be the program for you! With an increased FIVE deadlines this year (up from the previous single deadline), it will be easier than ever to plan and execute your project.
Our investment for this program is broken into two funding streams:
Single or Extended Play (EP) Sound Recording
This stream assists with the production of a collection of songs that are intended for release as an EP recording package and/or as individually released singles.
A minimum of one to six professionally recorded songs must be produced, with a total recording length of less than 40 minutes running time. If the genre standard results in a longer running time, this needs to be addressed in the application. As with all our grants, the project must be intended for commercial release.
In this stream, applicants are eligible for a maximum of 50% of eligible expenses up to $10,000 per project.
Full Length (LP) Sound Recording
This stream assists with the production of a full-length sound recording. There needs to be at least six songs, with no less than 30 minutes total running time. Again, the intent is for commercial release.
Applicants applying under this stream are eligible for a maximum of 50% of eligible expenses up to $15,000 per project.
Eligibility
As with all of our programs, entrepreneurs applying for funding must meet our general eligibility criteria (outlined in the General Program Guidelines) and the grant-specific criteria (in this case, outlined in the Sound Recording Guidelines).
Have you read both sets of guidelines and still have questions about eligible activities? Here is a list of some commonly supported expenses associated with this funding stream:
- Recording and mixing at a Saskatchewan studio
- Musician fees for both stakeholders (band members) and hired musicians (session players)
- Mastering at any facility (either in or out of province)
- Manufacturing in any format (CD’s, vinyl etc.) at any facility (either in or out of province)
- Album artwork (photography and graphic design)
- Marketing expenses to promote the recording
We know some artists have out-of-province producers or studios in mind specific to their sound/genre and that’s okay! If recording out of province makes the most sense for your upcoming release, you can still apply to Creative Saskatchewan for the other eligible expenses associated with the project.
How do I apply?
If you’re a first-timer applying for one of our grants, we encourage you to set up a one-on-one consult with a Program Advisor to walk you through the process and eligibility requirements. They are YOUR resource, and excellent at what they do.
We also encourage applicants to reach out to the good folks at SaskMusic for questions about your business and marketing plan, they will be happy to answer any industry-specific questions you may have.
When you’re ready to apply, head over to our online Grant Management System (GMS) to fill out an application form. You will be asked for your personal and business information and your project proposal. You will be required to include a business and marketing plan to account for a return on investment for the people of Saskatchewan, and your goals. Once our team and industry experts have reviewed and assessed the application, applicants will be notified if they are eligible for funding.
Don’t fear the process – embrace it!
Regardless of the outcome, the application process is a fabulous opportunity for any business owner to better understand their own strategy. For new entrepreneurs, we recommend reaching out to the SK Start Up Institute – they are a free resource to Saskatchewan business owners and offer one-on-one advice on a plethora of topics such as market research, business planning, marketing, legal, and more.
Finally, as the old saying goes, “nothing worth having comes easy.” Those thousands of dollars in funding (that you don’t have to pay back!) are worth spending the time to fill out an online application. Don’t take our word for it, just take a look at our awards last year here and our most recent commitments here. You can do this!
Grants for all aspects of your business
We understand that making good music is your passion, but a true entrepreneur understands that to achieve commercial success, there is more to it than having strong vocals and wicked guitar riffs. That’s why we provide grants that cover the full spectrum of business success (and yes, you can apply to more than one, in fact, we encourage it!)
Below we’ve highlighted a few more of our programs that may be of particular interest to musicians – we’ll take a deeper dive into each in future articles:
You’ve played some local gigs and built a local fan base. Now you’re ready to take your show on the road and perform for new audiences. Whether it's around the province, across the country, or overseas, this grant supports eligible musicians in generating revenue and building their careers.
Market & Export Development Grant
This program helps cover costs associated with marketing, such as music videos, advertising, hiring a publicist, promotional materials not for sale, and more.
This program helps cover the costs of travel expenses to specific market opportunities, for example, if you have been invited to showcase at a festival or conference.
If you’re looking to expand or make the business side of things run more efficiently, this program is for you.
This program can support your efforts to better understand, interpret, and capitalize on market forces affecting your sector. For example, conducting market research, or exploring new technologies.
If you or someone you know is operating in Saskatchewan’s music sector, know that when the time is right, we are here to support your flywheel.
Additionally, for service folks that operate in this space, keep us in mind if our programming might help musicians with the costs associated with your service offering. For example, musicians hiring a Saskatchewan marketing firm is an eligible expense in our Market and Export Development grant.
More information can be found on Creative Saskatchewan’s website, creativesask.ca. Our team can be reached during regular business hours at office@creativesask.ca or by calling (306) 798-9800. We’re pretty social too! Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @CreativeSK.
