Music Festival Reopening Fund
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has put in place many initiatives to provide financial support to the culture, heritage, and sport sectors, including, among others, investments through the Reopening Fund which is intended to complement the Budget 2021 Emergency Funds.
The intent of the Music Festival Reopening Fund is to provide assistance to professional music festivals to stimulate their economic recovery by supporting the presentation of their events and encouraging the return of in-person audiences. $7 million has been allocated to the Canada Music Fund (CMF) for this program, consistent with the objective of fostering an environment where a diversity of Canadian music artists connects with audiences everywhere.
Applications are assessed taking into account the quality of the project and its potential to re-engage live audiences, as well as the impact it may have on the artist’s career, the employment of technicians and other cultural workers, and service providers.
Funding is subject to availability of funds and submitting an application does not guarantee funding.
This program is now closed to new applications, having passed the May 6 deadline.
Program Guidelines
Who Can Apply?
Who Can Apply
- Applicants must be Canadian-owned music festivals who meet the CMF’s objectives. Since applicants may be new to the CMF music festivals with no funding history who otherwise meet the objectives of the CMF and the Reopening Fund will be permitted to apply.
- However, targeted festivals cannot be **funded by other programs participating in the Canadian Heritage (PCH) Reopening Fund, including, among others, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) and the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) program. This restriction only applies to the part of the funding related to the Reopening Fund and not to regular activities.
- Those festivals with annual revenues greater than $10 million are not eligible for the CMF Re-opening Fund and must submit their application to the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI).
The following applicants are ineligible for this Music Festival Reopening Fund program:
- Foreign-owned companies (i.e. firms not owned and controlled by Canadians) operating in Canada, and their related associations.
- Festivals whose annual revenue exceeds $10,000,000.
- Applicants who have applied to or will otherwise receive funding from the Reopening Fund component offered by other funding organizations such as CAPF and BCAH should contact FACTOR before starting an application.
- For the purposes of this program, festivals whose primary format and/or programming is non-musical (e.g. food, dance) will not be considered eligible.
How To Apply
The link to apply for Music Festival Reopening Fund is contained within the program guidelines.
Still have questions? Email live@factor.ca.
Wish to view the now-closed Support for Live Concerts program guidelines? Click here.
Wish to review the now-closed Support for Live Music Events program guidelines prior to a completion report? Click here. For the SLME FAQ, click here.
Wish to review the guidelines and FAQ for the now-closed Emergency Support Fund for the Live Music Sector program? Click here.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has put in place many initiatives to provide financial support to the culture, heritage, and sport sectors, including, among others, investments through the Reopening Fund which is intended to complement the Budget 2021 Emergency Funds.
The intent of the Music Festival Reopening Fund is to provide assistance to professional music festivals to stimulate their economic recovery by supporting the presentation of their events and encouraging the return of in-person audiences. $7 million has been allocated to the Canada Music Fund (CMF) for this program, consistent with the objective of fostering an environment where a diversity of Canadian music artists connects with audiences everywhere.
Applications are assessed taking into account the quality of the project and its potential to re-engage live audiences, as well as the impact it may have on the artist’s career, the employment of technicians and other cultural workers, and service providers.
Funding is subject to availability of funds and submitting an application does not guarantee funding.
This program is now closed to new applications, having passed the May 6 deadline.
Program Guidelines
Who Can Apply?
Who Can Apply
- Applicants must be Canadian-owned music festivals who meet the CMF’s objectives. Since applicants may be new to the CMF music festivals with no funding history who otherwise meet the objectives of the CMF and the Reopening Fund will be permitted to apply.
- However, targeted festivals cannot be **funded by other programs participating in the Canadian Heritage (PCH) Reopening Fund, including, among others, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) and the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) program. This restriction only applies to the part of the funding related to the Reopening Fund and not to regular activities.
- Those festivals with annual revenues greater than $10 million are not eligible for the CMF Re-opening Fund and must submit their application to the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative (MFESI).
The following applicants are ineligible for this Music Festival Reopening Fund program:
- Foreign-owned companies (i.e. firms not owned and controlled by Canadians) operating in Canada, and their related associations.
- Festivals whose annual revenue exceeds $10,000,000.
- Applicants who have applied to or will otherwise receive funding from the Reopening Fund component offered by other funding organizations such as CAPF and BCAH should contact FACTOR before starting an application.
- For the purposes of this program, festivals whose primary format and/or programming is non-musical (e.g. food, dance) will not be considered eligible.