Contemporary Music Fund

The State Government has extended its commitment to the Contemporary Music Fund with an additional $3 million over 4 years through to 2025. This is welcomed support for WA’s contemporary music industry and will aid its recovery from the effects of COVID-19.  

The CMF's objectives are to:

• capitalise on available opportunities for the contemporary music sector
• contribute to the development of markets for WA music locally, nationally and internationally
• ensure a strong representation of musicians and music professionals from Aboriginal, regional, cultural and gender diverse backgrounds
• accelerate the recovery of the WA contemporary music sector following the effects of COVID-19.

The CMF consists of invitation-only Targeted Initiatives and the Short Notice Activity Program (CMF SNAP).

CMF Short Notice Activity Program

The Contemporary Music Fund Short Notice Activity Program (CMF SNAP) is a grant program that supports short notice opportunities for individuals, bands and music industry professionals. 

Please note:

The CMF SNAP round opening on 9 January 2024 will include a special GDC category for funding of up to $15,000 for game composers to travel to the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco in March 2024. Applications for this category close on 30 January 2024. Funding will be prioritised in line with the Contemporary Music Fund objective of ensuring a strong representation of musicians and music professionals from Aboriginal, regional, cultural and gender diverse backgrounds, with women being encouraged to apply. DLGSC will take into account any pre-existing GDC funding commitments by Screenwest.

The program’s key focus is to capitalise on available opportunities by supporting applicants to respond to short notice, career building opportunities where the time frame is out of the applicant’s control and the activity cannot be funded under the Arts Projects for Individuals/Organisations grant programs.

Eligibility

Funding rounds

Applications to the CMF SNAP are open from 11 July to 7 December 2023 and 9 January to 6 June 2024, and you can apply at any time during those periods. You must submit your application at least 28 days (including weekends and public holidays) before your activity start date.

Applicants can apply for up to $5000 for professional development opportunities, up to $10,000 for national and regional touring/showcasing opportunities and up to $15,000 for international touring/showcasing opportunities. 

This program may fund up to 100% of your activity costs and applicants can apply once per financial year.

Contemporary music projects that do not meet the eligibility requirements of the CMF SNAP, can apply to the Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups or the Arts Projects for Organisations grant programs, as applicable. 

CMF Targeted Initiatives

2018—2021 CMF Targeted Initiatives (selection)

• Safer Venues WA — improving inclusivity and personal safety in contemporary music venues 
• GirlsRock! — Expanding opportunities for girls and women in the music industry
• Regional Recording Program — Producing professionally engineered recordings of regional and remote WA artists 
• BIGSOUND – Supporting travel costs for WA artists selected to present at BIGSOUND showcases
• WAMCon — Supporting West Australian Music (WAM) annual music conferences.

2021—2025 CMF Targeted Initiatives (selection)

• Stompem Ground Festival — Revitalisation of historic festival in Broome 2022
• AFL Grand Final — Musical entertainment for the historic Perth Grand Final 
• RTRFM The View From Here — Music video series in iconic WA locations 
• APRA AMCOS Regional Sessions — Regional tour of professional development workshops for emerging songwriters across regional WA 
• 2023 European Song Contest (Eurovision) — Supporting Voyager to represent Australia at the 2023 Eurovision Contest
• FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup Fan Festival — Programming local artists to perform at the FIFA Fan Festival.