Announcing NATSIMO LIFECYCLE: Recording Grants

Eligibility

The applicant/s must be able to confirm that they:

• Are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
• Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Are accepted as such by the community in which they live or formerly lived.
• Project activity must start and finish between July 1 2024 and June 30 2025.
• An applicant can submit a maximum of one application to the Lifecycle Recording Grants

Who can apply

• Open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwriters, producers, solo artists, bands, ensembles, electronic artists, and composers.
• Acts with at least 50% of members who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
• Your activity must meet the following definition of contemporary music: “Australian contemporary music is any genre or subgenre of music currently composed, written, produced by Australians and licensed, recorded, presented, and distributed through commercial and non-commercial activity. For the purposes of Music Australia’s initial investments, the focus will be on musical works that are new, original, and relevant to contemporary Australia.”
• You are an Australian resident.
• The applicant(s) is/are over the age of 18.
• You have an active ABN.

For the purpose of this program:

• the artist refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians and performers who are recording new original music.
• act refers to two or more artists working together to record or perform new and original music (eg a band or group) 
  

Who can’t apply

You cannot apply for this grant if:

• You have already applied to this fund for another band or musical project.
• Your funding request covers activities already funded by other funding opportunities.
• You have unacquitted or overdue grants funding from APRA AMCOS and Music Australia.
  

Types of projects funded under this grant

Funding can support recording activities for long-form releases (e.g. an album).

Eligible Activities for Funding

You can apply for a lump sum amount of $20,000 to support activities, including:

• Artist and creative worker fees.
• Flights, accommodation, per diems, and ground transport costs.
• Studio hire, equipment hire, audio engineer fees, and session musician fees.
• Recording, mixing, and mastering.
• Pressing and manufacturing.

Ineligible Activities for Funding

You cannot apply for funding for the following activities:

• Projects that do not adhere to proper protocols when collaborating with First Peoples' artists, Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property, or communities. For guidance, contact the NATSIMO team at [email protected].
• Activities that do not compensate creatives/artists at industry-standard rates.
• Private tuition, training, certificates, degrees, or other ongoing courses of study in government or private institutions, including work intended for academic assessment.
• Reimbursement for expenses already incurred or other retrospective funding.

• Equipment purchases or hire costs unrelated to the applicant’s funded activity and not aligned with the program’s aims and priorities.
• Grant writing fees.
• Promotional activities.
• Recording costs incurred before the advertised project start date.
• National and international touring.

Protocols

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding. 

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts 

All applications involving First Nations artists, communities or subject matter must adhere to these Protocols, and provide evidence of this in their application and support material. More information on the First Nations Protocols is available here. 

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework 

All successful applicants are required to comply with all Australian law relating to employing or engaging people who work or volunteer with children, including working with children checks and mandatory reporting. Successful organisations who provide services directly to children, or whose funded activities involve contact with children, will additionally be required to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. 

Assessments

Applications will be assessed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Industry advisors contracted by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office.

Application Criteria

• Project Title
• Project Description: Describe your project, who’s involved, etc (summary)
• Project Activity Timeline (table)
• Artist Bio (max 250 words)
• 3x Links to examples of work (PDF or text document with links – could be demos etc)
• Confirmation from all project collaborators
• 3x Support Letters
  

Support Material

You must submit support material with your application. Industry advisors will review your support material in conjunction with your budget and other evidence provided. This helps gain a better understanding of your activity and arts practice. It is strongly advised to include evidence of confirmed activity, such as signed letters of confirmation and/or signed letters of support.

You may also include the following support material with your application:

• How cultural protocols have been or will be observed and permissions obtained (if relevant to your activity).
• Evidence of your practice relevant to the activity for which you are seeking funding. This can include a website link, audio or video links (maximum duration 10 minutes in total), images, and/or written material.
• Biographies and CVs for key artists, personnel, or other collaborators involved in the activity (no longer than 2 A4 pages in total).
• Information on Risk management (included within form).
• We prefer to receive information via web links (URLs). You may submit up to three URLs per application, such as a link to your website, a video or audio file, and scanned documents demonstrating your matched funding and letters of confirmation.
• If you are unable to provide URLs, you may upload support material as attachments (up to two PDF or Word documents). You may collate documents to include multiple pages.

We do not accept support material submitted by post. If you need help submitting material online or are unsure what support material to provide, please contact NATSIMO at [email protected].

ACQUITTAL

Acquittals must be completed thirteen (13) weeks from application date

How many times can I apply?

One application per person can be submitted. Multiple applications for the same project will not be accepted.

When will I receive payment of the grant if my application is successful?

You will receive your grant payment within two weeks of accepting your funding agreement. We will not adjust payment timelines to suit the circumstances of individuals.

When is the deadline to submit my application?

The deadline for applications is Friday, 26 July 2024, at 11:59 am AEST. We strongly recommend submitting before this. Administrative and technical support is only available during office hours (Monday-Friday) from 9 am to 5 pm AEST. Late applications will not be accepted.

Can I send my application by post?

We do not accept applications submitted via post. Any material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your application online, please contact NATSIMO at [email protected]

Can my application be updated once it has been submitted?

We can re-open your application form if you wish to make changes before the close date however, once the round has closed, no further changes to applications can be made or will be accepted. You can request us to reopen your application form before the closing date by contacting NATSIMO at [email protected]. Once the application form has been re-opened, you must submit the form again in order for your application to be accepted for assessment.

How do I get an application form?

Grant applications can be found and are submitted through SmartyGrants at this link. If you are using the system for the first time, you will need to create a SmartyGrants account before filling out a grant application form.

Does my project have to start and end by a specific date?

Yes, your project must start after 1 July 2024 and end by 30 June 2025.

How can I get assistance with my application?

NATSIMO staff are available to assist you in understanding the purpose of the grant, application requirements, and submitting your application. Staff can assist over email, phone, and Microsoft Teams. Please note, we cannot review application drafts.

Additional support options can be discussed where needed. Where the additional support required is beyond the scope of what our staff can provide, we may recommend speaking to an appropriate organisation for further assistance.

If I receive a grant, will my tax be affected?

Grants paid by APRA AMCOS may be considered part of your income in a financial year and may be subject to tax. You must determine your own taxation liabilities. We suggest you consult your financial adviser or contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 28 61.

Can I include in-kind support for the project in my budget?

Yes. In-kind support refers to resources, goods, and services (for example, use of a venue, materials, and people’s time) provided by yourself or others either free of charge or below market value. Detailing in-kind costs in the budget is important as it gives assessors a full understanding of the viability of your project and levels of support you are receiving.

Will receiving a grant affect my Centrelink payment?

Grants can be considered income by Centrelink. The amount is generally assessed as a lump sum and could affect your Centrelink payment for the financial year. Artists who are running a business (even on a small scale) may have their grant treated differently.

Applicants should contact Centrelink on 13 24 68 for advice.

Additionally, Centrelink’s Financial Information Service (FIS) is an education and information service available to everyone in the community and may be of benefit to applicants who also receive assistance through the social security system. To contact FIS, phone 13 23 00.