Frequently asked questions — Fall Economic Statement 2020

General

What is the Supporting Arts and Live Events Workers in Response to COVID-19 Initiative?

To support the planning and presentation of COVID-19-safe events in the arts and music sectors — including both in-person and digital — the Government will invest $181.5 million in 2021-2022 to help provide work opportunities for artists and cultural workers and stabilize the overall environment. These funds will:

provide work opportunities in the arts and music sectors and support the planning and presentation of COVID-19-safe events — both in-person and digital — in these sectors
provide a 1-year renewal of funding provided in Budget 2019 for the live arts and music sectors

As part of the $181.5 million, the Canada Council for the Arts will receive $116.5 million to invest in the arts sector as follows:

$50.5 million for a new digital innovation initiative enabling artistic groups, collectives and organizations to adapt or create works to be shared with virtual audiences
$66 million of new funding to stimulate increased research, creation and production of new work through the Explore and Create program

The Department of Canadian Heritage will deliver $65 million through 3 existing departmental programs: Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Canada Music Fund. This funding includes:

Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund: $40 million in new funding to support live arts and music events and their availability digitally
a 1-year extension of $25 million in funding, originally provided through Budget 2019, to maintain funding levels of these programs and foster stability in the sector

Why do the arts, music and live events sectors need additional COVID-19 funding?

Arts and culture, which employ hundreds of thousands of Canadians, is facing extraordinary challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in the near complete suspension of live events and arts presentations, affecting thousands of self-employed and freelance artists and event workers across the country.

The Government is committed to supporting Canadian artists and cultural workers through this difficult time. The goal of this additional temporary relief measure is to generate earning opportunities for artists and cultural workers in the arts and music sectors.

When will funding from this initiative be available?

Funding is for 1 year only and will commence as of April 1, 2021.

How can I apply for funding from this initiative?

1. Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts is accepting applications now. For more information, please visit the Digital Now page.

For the new funding to stimulate increased research, creation and production of new work through the Explore and Create program, funding is delivered through 2 program components:

2. Department of Canadian Heritage

The programs delivering the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund are accepting applications now. For more information, please visit the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund page.

Where can I learn more about the funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts through this initiative?

Find information on additional funding for the arts.

Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund — Department of Canadian Heritage

What are the objectives of the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

The Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund is an additional temporary measure created to help support arts, music and live events organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its objectives are to:

support the arts and cultural sectors in immediately contracting and employing artists and cultural workers, as part of the federal government’s overall efforts to help Canadians and Canadian businesses weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
provide arts and cultural experiences, both live and digital, to Canadians while restrictions on gatherings and travel continue across the country

How will the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund support live events and the live events sector?

The Fund will support new and distinct project activities for the presentation of live arts and music events before an in-person audience and/or digital sharing of these events.

How will the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund support artists and cultural workers?

The Fund will lead to the short-term contracting of workers in the live events sector, including artists, technicians and other supporting workers and service providers, by providing project support for live arts events that will be presented for in-person audience and/or shared digitally.

The Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund will prioritize projects that make significant commitments to income generating opportunities for workers in the live events sector.

How will funding for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund be distributed?

The $40 million in new funding will be distributed through grants and contributions as follows:

$5 million via Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
$20 million via the Canada Arts Presentation Fund
$15 million via the Canada Music Fund

The Canada Music Fund is delivered through the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) and the Fondation Musicaction (French only) (Musicaction) for the music industry’s Anglophone and Francophone markets, respectively.

How can my organization apply for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

To apply for the new funding, please visit the program web pages below where you will find the eligibility criteria and information on how to apply.

How much funding can my organization get from the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

The maximum amount per project is $100,000 per eligible applicant.

How can the money be spent?

Eligible expenses include costs related to the presentation of live arts or music events in compliance with public health requirements and/or digital presentation of these events.

For more information, please visit the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Fund page.

How much of my total project costs can the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund cover?

Given the considerable financial risk of presenting live events while public health measures are in place, the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund will fund up to 100% of eligible project costs.

Who is eligible to apply for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

Existing recipients of the following Canadian Heritage programs, including organizations that were eligible under the Emergency Support Fund (Phases 1 and 2), are eligible to apply:

Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
Canada Arts Presentation Fund
Canada Music Fund (via FACTOR and Musicaction)

Past program recipients that meet the applicant and activity eligibility criteria of Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage and the Canada Arts Presentation Fund are also eligible to apply.

Note that even if an organization is eligible to apply, submitting an application does not guarantee funding.

My organization previously received funding from Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage and the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, but not in the last fiscal year. Can we apply for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

Yes. Past recipients of Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage and the Canada Arts Presentation Fund are eligible to apply.

Is a qualifying organization such as a theatre or live music venue still eligible for this funding if it has been forced to close its doors to the public due to public health measures?

Yes. Organizations can apply for funding for live in-person events planned in anticipation of changes to public health measures and/or for funding to digitally disseminate an event.

I have never applied to a Department of Canadian Heritage program. Am I eligible?

Organizations are encouraged to contact their local Canadian Heritage regional office, or FACTOR or Musicaction for the live music sector, to learn more about the funding opportunities available.

My organization is not eligible. Can we partner with an eligible organization to apply?

Yes. To increase the reach of this investment, your business or organization is encouraged to partner with eligible applicants in the live events sector that can access the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund.

Can I submit applications for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund to more than 1 of the delivering programs or the Canada Council for the Arts?

You cannot receive funding from more than 1 Canadian Heritage program and/or the Canada Council for the Arts for the same project under the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund.

Applicants who are eligible for funding from more than 1 Canadian Heritage program or the Canada Council for the Arts may apply to each of these programs for distinct and separate projects.

What is the application deadline for the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

There is no deadline. Applications will be accepted continuously while funds are available.

Can I apply for funding for several unique activities at different periods during the year?

You may only apply once per program over the lifecycle of this initiative. An eligible project could include funding for a single event or for multiple events to be held from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

I have incurred costs prior to submitting my project application. Are those costs eligible expenses?

Funding will be available for activities to be carried out between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022. Expenses incurred before receiving written confirmation of funding approval are made at the risk of the applicant.

Do I need to submit a final report? What key information will I need to provide?

Yes. All recipients of Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund will be required to submit an abbreviated final report that provides key information, including the number of events held and number of individuals employed.

How long will it take to know if my request for funding is approved?

Canadian Heritage and delivery organizations (FACTOR and Musicaction) will work diligently to have the funds distributed as quickly as possible following the receipt of a complete eligible application.

What if my event is cancelled?

If a live event is cancelled and unable to be rescheduled, recipients will be able to apply the funding to eligible costs already incurred.

My organization is receiving other federal support funding (for example, Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Business Account, Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance for Small Businesses). Can we apply to the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

Yes. This additional measure is meant to complement the broad measures already announced by the Government (for example, Canada Recovery Benefit, Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Business Account, Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance for Small Businesses).

However, organizations may not claim funding from multiple sources to cover the same costs.

If I receive COVID-19 emergency support from my province/territory, will it have an impact on my eligibility and/or level of funding under the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund?

No.

One-year extension of Budget 2019 funds — Department of Canadian Heritage

How will the 1-year extension of the funds announced in Budget 2019 for the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, the Canada Music Fund and Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage help cultural workers?

Budget 2019 provided an increase to Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Canada Music Fund for 2 years. By maintaining a consistent level of funding to these programs for an additional year in 2021-2022, the 1-year extension of these funds will help stabilize the overall environment for live arts and music, and provide a foundation for additional activity supported through the Support for Workers in Live Arts and Music Sectors Fund.

How can my organization apply for the extension of the Budget 2019 funds?

There is no application process for the 1-year extension of the Budget 2019 funds. The $25 million will be part of the funds delivered via Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Canada Music Fund through their regular delivery mechanisms and deadlines.

What is the distribution of the Budget 2019 funds?

$7 million via Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
$8 million via the Canada Arts Presentation Fund
$10 million via the Canada Music Fund

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Date modified:: 2022-09-14

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