The BC Arts Council is has announced the launch of a new pilot program for individual artists.

The Microgrant Pilot Program is intended to support professional artists and cultural practitioners in B.C. to adapt either an existing work or their professional practice to respond to emergent needs or changes in the arts and culture sector.

The goal of the program is to help individuals in the sector with their creative development and the sustainability of their practice, including the use of new technologies or digital opportunities. Grants should be in alignment with the strategic directions of the BC Arts Council.

Awards of up to $1,500 are available.

The pilot has made possible by a generous donation from the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation, the timing of which has allowed us to match funds and use this initiative in support of the BC Arts Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awards will be available to support:

• Activities that are related to a pre-existing and/or in-progress body of work or practice. These activities may include, but are not limited to:
  • exploring new technologies;
  • developing alternate production/presentation/distribution strategies; or
  • acquiring new skills, and/or developing new relationships relevant to your project/practice.
• Activities that are projected to occur in the immediate future; ideally in the three (3) months following confirmation of the funding.

To provide funds as quickly as possible to artists, applications will be accessed on a rolling basis. The program has a final deadline of June 30, 2020.

On June 1, 2020, the B.C. government announced a renewed investment of $7.5 million for Amplify BC to stabilize, support, and sustain B.C.’s music industry during the pandemic. The Province’s music fund, delivered by Creative BC, returns for its third year.

Amplify BC programs will deliver funding through four streams serving B.C. artists, live music presenters, music companies and the development of the music industry. 

Click here for more information.

SOCAN's new Encore! initiative aims to compensate artists for their online performances.

Encore! will ease the financial burden on SOCAN writer members and their publishers created by the pandemic. A total of approximately $200,000 is available each quarter for the program for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown in Canada.

To receive an Encore! payment for a live music event on Facebook or Instagram:

• At least ten songs/compositions must be performed live, or a live performance of at least 30 minutes must take place, on Facebook or Instagram ,from March 15, 2020, to March 7, 2021 (inclusive).
• At least 100 people must have accessed the online event.
• A set list of all music performed has to be sent via SOCAN’s Notification of Live Music Performance (NLMP) form at socan.com, with the “venue” identified as Facebook or Instagram.
• Claims must be made within 90 days of the Facebook/Instagram concert occurring.

Each online concert will be eligible for a total payment of $150, with shares of royalties going to all rights holders of the music performed.

Check the FAQs here.