Setting the Stage provides micro-grants to CLMA members who are independent live music venues, promoters, or festivals, to support direct mentorship and one live performance for a local, emerging artist(s).

The goals of the program are:

1. to create enhanced opportunities for an emerging artist(s) through live performance and dedicated mentorship,

2. to offset risk for venues/promoters/festivals, and

3. to encourage fans to discover and engage with a new artist(s).

The program will help to address the market challenges that persist in some areas of the live music ecosystem, challenges that are directly impacting live music venues, and challenges emerging artists face as they try to grow their careers.

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Download the full program guidelines here.

Téléchargez ici le guide complet du programme.

Setting the Stage is open to CLMA members from anywhere in Canada who are independent Canadian live music venues, an independent concert promotion company, or a festival who have been in operation for a minimum of two years. Applications from promoters/festivals must feature a performance that takes place in a CLMA member venue.

About the artist(s):

Applicants will be asked to describe why they have chosen the emerging artist(s) they are applying to present and mentor. The selected artist(s) will be required to complete a section of the application. We know you support emerging artists and always have. This work is more important than ever today. [An emerging artist is someone in the early stage of their career, who has yet to establish themselves broadly within the music industry.] 

Mentorship:

Venues, promoters, and festivals have extensive knowledge and can help artists with their career development and guide them on how to build relationships across the industry. 

The mentorship aspect of this program is equal to the performance opportunity and should be fully considered in the application. Topics of discussion can be determined between the artist and mentor. Some ideas include (but are not limited to): tour routing, budgeting a concert, digital promotion, strategies for audience growth, event production, and showcase strategy.

The core component of the Setting the Stage program is a commitment of a minimum of 2hrs of direct (one-on-one/in-person) mentorship by the applicant organization with the emerging artist(s), and aminimum of 2hrs of direct (one-one-one) mentorship by an external industry member (ie. agent, manager, publicist, publisher, label, marketer) based on the emerging artist’s needs. 

Up to $500 of the grant can be allocated to the external mentor for their time, while another $250 of the grant to be applied to the applicant’s administrative costs for their portion of the mentorship. 

Live show:

Applicants must provide a show budget and marketing plan. Chosen artist(s) must be contracted at no less than union scale or higher. For promoter/festival applications, performances must take place in existing CLMA member *venues.

*Venues can join the CLMA to become eligible and/or to apply. 

A list of CLMA members can be found here.

In addition to the $750 mentorship allocation ($500 external, $250 internal), applicants may request up to 75% of expenses (up to a combined maximum of $3000) related to the artist fees, promotion, and production of the concert. 

The applicant is entitled and encouraged to combine multiple revenue sources, sponsors, and funders; however, no other potential partner shall have the same or more brand awareness as compared to RBC and the CLMA with respect to the emerging local artist concert, unless such partner’s name is part of the name of the venue itself. 

Successful applicants who are offered, and subsequently accept the Setting the Stage grant, shall sign and adhere to all requirements found in “the AGREEMENT”. Successful applicants agree to file a fully completed final report (including any and all requested documentation, including proof of funding recognition, expense invoices, and proof of payment).

Applicants will be evaluated by an internal committee of CLMA staff, who seek to ensure that successful applications reflect the spirit of the program, which is to create key performance and mentorship opportunities for emerging artists, while supporting independent venues. 

Collaboration is encouraged between artists, promoters, venues, festivals, etc., and should be outlined in your application. Only one application per venue/promoter/festival (or collaboration). 

Successful applicants will be members from a range of geographic locations across Canada who demonstrate their commitment to creating opportunities for emerging artists who may also be racialized and/or gender diverse.

Successful recipients will receive 50% of the award upon notice of success and 50% following the submission and approval of a final report.  

The final report includes two parts, “narrative” and “budget”. Completion of the final report and subsequent verification from the CLMA that conditions have been met is required in order to release the final payment. Recipients may be required to provide proof of payment (invoices and receipts). Aggregated report data from recipients will help the CLMA to build future programs and should be considered an equally important part of the overall program.