Since 2018, American Express has been pumping cashola back into the Aussie music industry through its Music Backers Program, and its existence could not be more welcome in 2020 if it tried.
There’s no denying the industry has taken an absolute pummelling this year, which is why the Music Backers Program is so vital. This year’s program will provide support through several initiatives designed to keep the music alive in Australia from grants of up to $50,000, to mentoring and studio time.
The incentive of the Music Backers Program is simple: keep the music playing. It also isn’t just applicable to musicians – it’s for anyone who works in the music industry, including individuals and businesses.
This year, the program has announced a new category: Nominate a Mate, as part of the $1 million Music Backers Fund for 2020.
The Nominate a Mate category is also open to fans of Aussie tunes.
Types Of Funding
There are heaps of ways to get a slice of the $1 million fund by applying for grants, nominating a mate and a few options that are yet to be announced.
Grants
Music acts, businesses and those in the music industry are invited to apply for grants between $2K and $50K. In the past, huge names like Bad Apples Music, Lime Cordiale, Young Franco, L-Fresh the Lion, Bakehouse Studios and a tonne more have received the coveted grants.
There are three tiers to the grants: getting your business back on track, enhancing your businesses or music career, or funding an innovation or growth project that will give back to the music community.
The grant applications go through a selection process where they are judged by a panel of industry heavyweights before the winners are decided.
Nominate a Mate
The no-frills explanation of Nominate a Mate is this: you nominate someone you know (see: a mate) who is doing glorious, music-related things (or who enjoys glorious, music-related things), and that mate could earn a clean $1,500.
If you know someone who has been sneaking their mixtape onto the playlist at every party they’re at, now’s your time to show ’em your unwavering support – if your mate wins, you also go into the draw to win 1 of 20 $250 Ticketmaster vouchers.
How To Apply For A Grant
The three tiers of grants are now open to artists, individuals and businesses from the music industry.
To find out more and apply, just head to the American Express site and register your deets.
Have a squiz at the TL;DR wrap-up video below:
So, whatever your pitch may be, the ultimate goal is to help the industry get back on track or simply stay afloat as the pandemic continues to take its toll on one of Australia’s most valuable assets – the tunes.
There’ll be more details coming in the following months so keep your ears (and to a lesser extent, eyes) glued to the site.
You can register to stay in the know here and don’t forget to give your mate a shoutout if you reckon they’ve earnt it.
