Australian and New Zealand art music composers are invited to apply for a $5,000 (AUD) Art Music Fund grant to help them bring exciting new works to life. Eleven grants will be allocated to nine Australian and two New Zealand composers, respectively.
The Art Music Fund is an initiative of APRA AMCOS, in partnership with the Australian Music Centre and, for the first time, SOUNZ.
The funding is available for the creation of commissioned work that is innovative, displays professional compositional craft, and represents a benchmark of excellence in its field. The intention is to support composers to create works with a long artistic and performance life - whether it is presented in a concert hall, via live stream, filmed, as a recording, installation, or other formats.
What you need to know
Nine grants are available for Australian composers; two for New Zealanders.
We understand that circumstances can change pretty fast these days, and projects might need to adapt from their original timeline or format, et al. Don't worry, the application process allows for flexibility around your project.
What do you need to apply?
We are looking for new commissioned work that is innovative, displays professional compositional craft and represents a benchmark of excellence in its field.
Applications must incorporate both the creation of the composition and subsequent performance of it, extending its life and reach.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate partnerships between the composer and ensembles, performers, presenters, producers, recording companies, etc.
What music styles are supported?
The Art Music Fund supports a wide range of music styles including: notated composition; electroacoustic music; improvised music (including innovative, original jazz); sound art; installation sound; multimedia, web and film sound and music; and theatrical, operatic and choreographed music.
Please read the full guidelines including eligibility requirements, criteria and assessment details (AU website).
In the six previous rounds of funding, supported projects have included Sandy Evans' acclaimed Bridge of Dreams, Lisa Cheney's charming The Owl and the Pussycat and Eve de Castro-Robinson's powerful climate piece Clarion. Recent world premieres include 2020 recipients Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey's Witness Stand, which had its world premiere on the Swan River at the Perth Festival in February 2021 and was recently part of Festival Homo Novus in Latvia; composer Jodi Rose’s The Global Bridge Symphony had a world premiere of the Signal on the Silver Bridge at Only Connect NyMusikk Festival in Norway.
"It's a pleasure and honour to continue to partner with APRA AMCOS and now SOUNZ Aotearoa New Zealand for the 2022 Art Music Fund. We are proud to support our Australian music creators to develop and present new innovative compositions, telling our stories," said Catherine Haridy, CEO, Australian Music Centre.
"SOUNZ is excited to be partnering with APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre in this wonderful opportunity for composers. We are delighted that the number of grants has increased to award two composers from Aotearoa New Zealand in 2022. We are looking forward to the new works that result from these grants," said Diana Marsh, Chief Executive, SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music.
Applications close 16 February 2021 at 7pm NZDT.