$2500 Assistance Available
The Live Music Workers Fund will provide financial relief to qualified independent and self-employed workers in the live music sector. Successful applicants will receive a one-time payment of $2500. This fund is being administered by Unison, a registered Canadian non-profit that provides counseling, emergency relief, and assistance programs for those in the Canadian music community who face personal or professional challenges due to hardship, illness, or economic difficulties. What makes me eligible to apply for financial assistance? Music industry professionals who earned a minimum of 55% of their income from music-related activity for at least two consecutive years (prior to the pandemic), acknowledging that little to no work in the music community has taken place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants are independent, self-employed live music workers living outside Quebec who identifies their primary occupation in the music community as one or more of the following:
The portal temporarily closed as of November 1/22 to catch up on a backlog of submissions, and is expected to re-open sometime after December 1/22.
Building off the existing Unison Financial Assistance Program, The Live Music Workers Fund will provide financial relief to qualified independent and self-employed workers in the live music sector. Successful applicants will receive a one-time payment of $2500.
What makes me eligible to apply for financial assistance?
- Music industry professionals who earned a minimum of 55% of their income from music-related activity for at least two consecutive years (prior to the pandemic), acknowledging that little to no work in the music community has taken place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LIVE MUSIC WORKERS FUND
You should apply for the Live Music Workers Fund if you are an independent, self-employed live music worker who lives outside Quebec and identifies their primary occupation in the music community as one or more of the following:
- Artist
- Booking Agent
- Composer
- Concert Photographer
- Concert Recording Engineer
- Consultant
- DJ
- Event Production/Festival
- Artist Manager/Management Company
- Marketing/Communications
- Merchandiser
- Musician
- Production Company
- Promoter
- Publisher
- Publicist/Public Relations
- Retailer (Instruments and Supplies)
- Songwriter
- Stagehand/Roadie
- Technician
- Tour Management/Operator
- Talent Buyer
- Venue Staff
- Videographer
INDUSTRY ASSISTANCE FUND
You should apply for the Industry Assistance Fund if you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Live Music Workers Fund, but still identify as a Music Industry professional, including (but not limited to):
- Association
- Consultant
- Distributor
- Graphic Artist
- Marketing/Communications
- Publisher
- Producer
- Trade Publication
- Publicist/Public Relations
- Music Educator
- Music Photographer
- Record Company
- Recording Studio
- Recording Engineer
- Retailer (Instruments and Supplies)
- Video
- Other
The first step to apply to the fund is to register with Unison: https://unison.smartsimple.ca/
A step-by-step tutorial is available here (PDF)
Applicants who do not qualify for financial support under the Live Music Workers Fund program will be verified and processed through the already existing Unison Financial Assistance Program. All eligible applicants, no matter their occupation in the Canadian music industry, will be supported by Unison.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage for the commitment of support to the Canadian live music industry. Unison will be distributing this funding to qualifying live music workers across the country as part of The Live Music Workers Fund program.
Applicants who reside in Quebec will apply for the same funding from the Foundation Des Artistes. Their application is now live here: https://frtsssc.ca/en/
Additional associations identified to provide direct financial assistance to independent and self-employed workers in the live performance sector are:
- The AFC (Theatre sector and technical disciplines): https://afchelps.ca/
- Canadian Dance Assembly (Dance): https://www.cda-acd.ca/
- La Fondation des artistes (All sectors and disciplines within Quebec): https://fondationdesartistes.ca/en/
Applications will close (at latest) March 31, 2023.
Regina Musicians Association 