The first program of the $15 million, provincially supported, BC Music Fund, has officially launched. The Sound Recording Pilot Program is designed to support long term sustainability of British Columbia’s sound recording industry, and to help support BC studios in attracting Canadian and international business.

Administration of the BC Music Fund is being carried out by Creative BC, who will announce additional programs on October 18, 2016, to compliment the four streams the Fund aims to support and promote. Those streams are music company development, live music performance, distant location tour/export market development, and industry development. To date, no grants have been distributed.

“British Columbia has become a hub for creation and innovation, and we are proud of the musical talent and technical expertise we have in our province,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training in a release. “Creative BC’s Sound Recording Pilot Program, funded as part of the BC Music Fund, will help increase sound recording activity in our province, and encourage more artists to produce their work here in British Columbia.”

The sound recording program will aid record labels, or other eligible applicants, by allowing them to recuperate 50% of expenditures associated with recording activities up to a maximum of $75,000. Eligible sound recording projects must have a budget of $3,000 or higher.

The Sound Recording Pilot Program has a total budget of $500,000, and applications will be evaluated on a first come, first served basis until the budget is fully committed, or until November 30, 2016. At that point, Creative BC will reassess the structure of the program.

Creative BC is holding information sessions on the program on August 10 and August 11. Interested applicants are invited to attend the sessions in Vancouver to learn more about the application process and the BC Music Fund. Transcripts of the sessions will be made available on Creative BC’s website for those unable to attend.

Interested parties are also invited to provide feedback though the BC Music Fund Pilot Program Survey. The survey will help Creative BC assess the program’s overall benefit to the community, and provide insights for the development of additional future programs to support the BC music sector.

Creative BC has also set up a BC Music Fund mailing list to keep the industry informed with news about the fund’s progress and additional programs.

The BC Music Fund was announced by Premier Christy Clark last February, during a release event for Music Canada’s report BC’s Music Sector – From Adversity to Opportunity. The report encouraged decisive action from the provincial government, municipalities and stakeholders to put BC’s music sector firmly back on the map and secure the benefits it can generate, and it is very encouraging to see that action take shape with the launch of the Sound Recording Pilot Program.