The Artist Development (AD) program is open for submissions. The next application deadline is Thursday, May 27, 2021, 5:00 p.m. ET.
Please note that we made some important changes to this program to ensure it is aligned with its intended purposes. Refer to the most current Artist Development Program Guidelines for any upcoming applications. See an overview of the program changes below:
Deadlines
There are four deadlines per FACTOR fiscal year for this program:
- May 27, 2021, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- August 12, 2021, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- October 7, 2021, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- February 3, 2022, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Please note artists may only apply to one juried program (either Artist Development or Juried Sound Recording) within a 12-month period. For example, if an artist applies to the Artist Development program for the May 27, 2021 deadline and is unsuccessful, the same artist may not apply for Artist Development or Juried Sound Recording until the May 2022 deadline. However, successful Artist Development recipients can apply for a second Artist Development or Juried Sound Recording at the next deadline.
The top 20 applications below the successful funding threshold will be invited to reapply at the next deadline window without the 12-month waiting period. These applicants will be notified of their exemption alongside the communicated jury results.
Important note: It is not possible for FACTOR staff to attach materials to an application once it has been submitted. It is your responsibility to ensure all mandatory documents have been uploaded prior to submitting the application.
Who Can Apply?
- This program is intended to provide development support to emerging artists.
- Artists who have commercially released music no more than 3 years prior to the application deadline are eligible to apply.
- Artists with an established track record and ongoing market momentum should review the Juried Sound Recording program.
Not Eligible To Apply
- Artists are not eligible to apply if they have commercially released music more than 3 years prior to the application deadline. For example, if an artist released a track on a streaming service or a physical album for sale prior to May 27, 2018, they would not be eligible to apply for the May 27, 2021 deadline.
- Artists are not eligible to apply if the artist (or a label on the artist’s behalf) has received $10,000 or more from FACTOR in the past
- An artist who has been previously funded outside of the eligibility period via Artist Development as a solo artist or member of a different group and has now embarked on a solo career or changed their name does not qualify for the AD program, as they are considered previously funded.
- An artist may receive a maximum of two grants in the lifetime of the program.
Eligible Activities
- Eligible activities and costs in this program can include touring and showcasing: airfare, vehicle rental, gas, hotel rooms, registration fees, third-party personnel costs, marketing, advertising, virtual performance costs.
Application Materials
- Your assessment track should be a new, recently recorded, original song or composition that has either never been commercially released at the time of application or was commercially released within the 3 months prior to the program deadline.
For an overview of the important information you need to know before applying: program eligibility, program description, required application materials, assessment process, and eligible costs check out the Artist Development Program Guidelines.
Tips and Resources
- Our Application Process page is a great guide to help you through the entire process.
- Artist Development Application Questions include all questions in an application for the AD program.
- Check out our Jury Assessment Preparation Guide to make sure your application is ready for our jury.
- When submitting a new application to a juried program, you have the option of including additional material for the jury to review. This can include letters of support from members of your team that you are working with, promotional photos, video links, press clippings, and anything else you think could help bolster your application.
- Don’t forget to include all artist development activities in your artist development plan, which is incorporated into the application on the portal.
- Use our Pop-up blocker tutorial to make sure you can see our pop-up windows on the portal.
First-time Users
If you have never applied to FACTOR before, you should first create and submit an Applicant Profile and an Artist Profile. Your profiles will automatically receive a provisional rating which allows you to start your project application.
Note, once you create these profiles you must click on Request Review in order to submit them to our system. At this point, you will be assigned to a specific Project Coordinator that will be your main contact at FACTOR going forward. This person can answer questions and help you through the logistics of the application process.
To find out more about FACTOR profiles check our Profiles and Ratings for Artists page. You can refer to our Applicant Profile and Artist Profile tutorials to create your profiles. Also, check our How To Apply page for a step-by-step guide to applications.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact your Project Coordinator or reach out to us at general.info@factor.ca.