Ontario Music Investment Fund (OMIF) – Live Music
The OMIF Live Music stream supports businesses and organizations that produce or promote live music events in Ontario featuring Canadian artists, including eligible music festivals and concert series. The Live Music stream will provide funding to increase the number and quality of live music experiences (e.g. events, festivals and concerts) that can be experienced by residents in and visitors to Ontario.
Offered by Ontario Creates
Amount
Up to $125,000
Up to 40% of the company's two-year average of total annual revenue (to a maximum funding cap of $125,000) per funding cycle; minimum request $10,000; OMIF contribution may not exceed 50% of the total approved budget
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
Domestic Music Promoters and Presenters (including festivals) must have revenues under $1M. Please see Appendix 1 for more detail re: eligibility criteria by company type.
In order to be eligible, applicants must demonstrate the following general criteria:
- Be Ontario-based;
- Be in operation for at least two years prior to application;
- Be able to demonstrate that the company’s principal place of business has been in Ontario for at
least one year prior to the deadline;
- Be Canadian-owned;
- Be incorporated in Ontario or federally (or prepared to incorporate immediately if the
application is successful);
- Be in a sound financial position;
- Have minimum annual revenues over $125,000 from core business activities as a live music
presenter and/or promoter; and
- Be in good standing with Ontario Creates at time of application submission.
*If revenues between $25K - $125K see the Music Futures stream for eligibility *NEW* Have minimum annual revenues of $125,000 from core business activities* as a live music presenter and/or promoter;
Applicants with revenues under $1M who meet the eligibility criteria for OMIF as well as Experience Ontario may not receive funding from both programs for the same event in the same activity window.
First–time applicants and applicants intending to apply to both OMIF and Experience Ontario are encouraged to contact the Ontario Music Office (OMO) a minimum of two weeks ahead of the application deadline to discuss their eligibility and/or funding restrictions. Applicants that fail to do so may have their application deemed ineligible/incomplete if eligibility is not clearly established in the application.
Domestic music promoters and presenters with revenues over $1M who do not meet eligibility criteria for Experience Ontario may be considered eligible for OMIF support.
Domestic Music Promoters and Presenters (including festivals) with revenues between $125K - $1M (based on average of 2 most recent fiscal years) and Domestic Music Promoters and Presenters with revenues between $125K - $1M who do not meet eligibility criteria for Experience Ontario.
Companies that are primarily engaged in the development, delivery, marketing and staging of live music events, concerts and tours in more than one venue in Ontario for which they have primary responsibility for music programming. These companies take the primary risk (operational and financial) of programming, promoting and producing live music performances. They contract with multiple musical artists and/or owners or managers of performance venues, arrange for marketing, promotion and ticketing, and stage the events, either supervising directly or through subcontractors.
Eligibility Requirements
- Have core business activities that include developing and delivering live music events; and,
- Program (book) and promote live musical acts and artists at two or more separate performance
venues in Ontario.
A music Promoter/Presenter who is currently programming in only one venue may be eligible to apply to the Live Music stream if they intend to program for two or more separate venues (at different physical locations) as part of this application.
Music Festivals may also be considered in the promoter/presenter applicant class provided they meet
the following requirements:
- The music festival applicant is independently incorporated; or
- The music festival is the primary activity of the applicant
- The music festival has been in operation for more than one year
- The applicant is taking on the primary operational and financial risk associated with presenting
the music festival.
Note: Performing entities that solely self-promote their own events are not considered eligible Promoters/Presenters under the OMIF. Such entities must demonstrate a track record of promoting live music events featuring other artists.
Eligible Revenue
- Net earned revenues from the staging of live music events (in any location)
- Any other earned revenues from music-related business activities, including sponsorships,
commissions and fees (excluding grant revenue) All applicants are required to demonstrate that their primary business is music-related, and sources of revenue are derived from music-related activities. The Ontario Music Office reserves the right to deem ineligible applicants that do not sufficiently articulate this requirement in their application. Applicants must submit proof that all of the above criteria have been met.
Eligible applicants who meet the eligibility criteria for OMIF as well as Experience Ontario may not receive funding from both programs for the same event in the same activity window. First–time applicants and applicants intending to apply to both OMIF and Experience Ontario are encouraged to contact the Ontario Music Office a minimum of two weeks ahead of the application deadline to discuss their eligibility and/or funding restrictions.
Associated Corporations must apply to the fund under a single application. The annual eligible revenue from each company must be combined to establish an aggregate annual eligible revenue figure for the group of Associated Corporations.
About the funding
Funding is provided in the form of direct grants towards a share of the costs of eligible activities.
Contributions are non-refundable except in the case of recipient default. The OMIF contribution may not exceed 50% of the total approved budget.
Eligible applicants may apply for up to 40% of the company's two-year average of total annual revenue (to a maximum funding cap of $125,000) per funding cycle. The minimum OMIF amount that can be requested is $10,000.
Generally, the following milestones will trigger payments:
Show all funding details
- Execution of the Ontario Creates transfer payment agreement (please see the Program Policies
for a copy of the template agreement);
- Delivery of interim report(s) and subsequent approval; and
- Delivery of the completed activities and all deliverables outlined in the funding agreement and
subsequent approval.
Eligible activities/costs may include, but are not limited, to:
- Canadian artist fees*.
- Venue or site rental.
- Production and presentation costs, including audio and visual support, technical and stage
crews.
- Designing and producing video and multimedia stage shows, including special effects and onsite
signage.
- Costs associated with live-streaming and virtual performances.
- Advertising costs, in all media, that is directly related to eligible performances.
- Engaging public relations services for activities directly related to the promotion of the
performance(s).
- Business development/capacity building activities (e.g. staff training and development, market
intel/analysis, business/financial planning, digital innovation).
- Costs related to accessibility improvements to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) directly associated with the event programming (e.g. ramping, accessible viewing areas).
The application should include a list of artists to be engaged, accompanied by artist contracts or documentation that supports current contractual relationships. If final details/contracts are not available at the time of application, applicants should provide evidence to support the likelihood of securing the artists, performances and/or venues (as indicated in the proposed live music activities).
*Note: A Canadian group is defined as having more than one member, at least half of whom are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
*NEW* Export and travel-related activities must be applied for separately in the Global Market Development - Music stream.
Eligible Administrative & Overhead Costs
- Costs for items such as staff salaries, office space and corporate services that are directly used in
the delivery of the planned activities (to a maximum of 25% of the total activity costs).
Eligible Labour Costs *
- New Position: The cost of a new position that is being created as a result of the proposed activity
(salaried or contract) may be included as a distinct line item in the activity budget. In the description of the activity, applicants must include an explanation of why the new position is necessary for the undertaking of the proposed activity. If the position is intended to continue beyond the initial OMIF-supported period, a rationale must be provided for how the position will be sustained by the applicant.
The Ontario Music Office recognizes that the specific individuals to be hired for proposed roles may not be known as of the time of application. As such, OMIF recipients will be required at the interim and/or final reporting stage to provide specific details (e.g. full name, job description, hours worked) regarding new employees/contractors included in activity budgets. Please provide as much detail as possible at time of application submission.
- Current/Ongoing Position: A portion of salaries or wages for existing staff or ongoing contract
employees (whether part-time or full-time) that are assigned to work on the proposed activities may be included as part of the “administrative and overhead expenses” section of the budget.
Please list separate budget lines for each position.
All labour costs included must be undertaken by Ontario-based staff or contract employees and must be directly related to the proposed activities. Costs related to consultants based outside of Ontario may be considered where a business rationale is presented to demonstrate the necessity of hiring from outside Ontario and the benefits to the applicant company/organization.
Eligible Capital Costs
- Budget allocations towards capital expenditures such as the purchase of equipment, materials
and/or software are eligible if required for an activity (such as digital infrastructure and innovation).
- Equipment, Materials, and Software: if purchased, amortization value for inclusion in budget
must be calculated using the straight-line method with a prescribed useful life of 24 months; if rented, actual rental cost can be included.
Similar programs
| Program | Type | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artists in Communities and Schools Projects | Grant | Planning: maximum $7,500 | Open |
| Exhibition Assistance | Grant | Up to $2,000 | Open |
| Indigenous Artists in Communities and Schools Projects | Grant | Indigenous Artists in Communities: maximum $15,000 | Open |
