Funding Your EP/Album Recording – Canadian Music Grants Guide

Federal Funding: Canada Council & Industry Programs

At the national level, the Canada Council for the Arts funds diverse creative projects across disciplines. Its Explore and Create program supports innovative new work, including music recordings. Although Canada Council grants don’t list fixed maximums for music projects, they encourage comprehensive proposals covering creation and production. (For example, the Explore and Create grant is “open to all artistic disciplines, including music”).

Beyond public grants, industry organizations offer targeted recording support. The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) is a major funder of recording projects. FACTOR has three key programs:

1. Artist Development: covers general career-building activities (including recording demos), funding 75% of eligible expenses up to $5,000.
2. Juried Sound Recording – Single/EP: provides 50% funding up to $25,000 for an EP or single project (1–6 songs under 30 minutes).
3. Juried Sound Recording – Album: provides 50% funding up to $10,000 for a full-length album.

For each FACTOR program, applicants must have a profile on the FACTOR portal and submit demos, a budget, marketing plan, etc. For example, a Single/EP application requires an MP3 demo and an artist bio, while an Album application requires MP3 demos of two tracks, lyrics, an album title and track list, and a detailed budget. These programs are competitive and use industry juries for selection.

Provincial Funding (Ontario Arts Council)

If you’re based in Ontario, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) offers grants for recording projects. The relevant programs are:

• Music Creation Projects (composition/writing): supports songwriting and composing new works (up to $4,000 for self-directed projects, $20,000 for commissioned works). Note: this fund explicitly does not cover recording; it’s for creation of the music itself.
• Music Recording Projects: specifically funds recording of music by Ontario artists. It has two streams: Demo/EP Recording (a short release under 25 minutes) and Full-Length Album (25+ minutes). Grants are up to $4,000 for an EP/demo or up to $10,000 for an album.

The Music Recording Projects grant covers studio costs (recording, mixing, mastering), artist/producer fees, studio rental, copyrights/royalties, artwork and packaging for CDs/vinyl (up to 1,000 units), and even a portion of marketing or publicist fees. It also covers small-scale equipment purchases. However, it does not cover touring, live shows, video production, or major equipment purchases. For example, OAC’s guidelines list eligible expenses like “recording, mixing, mastering”, “artist and producer fees”, and “packaging artwork and design”, but explicitly exclude live performance costs or travel.

Key points for OAC applications: You must be an Ontario resident and a professional artist. Applications (submitted online via OAC’s Nova system) typically require a project description, budget, support docs (résumés/bios), and audio or score samples. OAC provides deadlines twice a year (e.g. May and Nov for recording projects).

Municipal Funding (Toronto Arts Council)

In Toronto, the Toronto Arts Council (TAC) offers the Music Creation & Audio Recording grant for individual artists. This program has three categories with fixed maximums:

• Creation (composition/writing) – up to $5,000.
• Recording – Demo/EP – up to $4,000.
• Recording – Full-Length – up to $10,000.

These figures match OAC’s funding for recording. TAC explicitly defines each: Creation grants fund songwriting and composition (recording allowed only if directly part of writing), whereas the Recording categories fund production of an audio demo/EP or a full album. For example, TAC notes Recording – Full-Length covers studio production, mixing, editing, mastering, packaging and manufacturing (up to 1,000 CDs), with the requirement that most work happens in professional facilities.

TAC also allows website and online costs as part of your project budget. You can include up to $500 (EP/demo) or $1,000 (album) for web design and online media management related to your recording project. This means you can claim the cost of building or updating your music website in your application. About My Sound makes this easy: you can create a polished artist website or EPK in under 5 minutes and then include those costs in your TAC grant budget. Having a professional online presence (site, EPK with press photos, bio, music samples) strengthens your application. In short, TAC explicitly encourages it, and you should take advantage of tools like About My Sound to quickly build one.

TAC’s eligibility criteria include Toronto residency (at least 1 year) and being a professional artist (one year of practice, seeking payment for your work, history of performances, etc.). Applications (via TAC’s online portal) require audio support materials (two tracks total ≤5 min) and a clear project description and budget.

Provincial and Industry Grants Beyond Ontario

While this article focuses on Ontario, other provinces have similar arts councils (e.g. BC Arts Council, Alberta Foundation for the Arts) with music grants. For instance, BC Arts Council offers Individual Project Funding, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts funds music projects. Also consider private and non-profit funds: the Starmaker Fund (industry-funded) helps with marketing/touring for emerging artists, and the SOCAN Foundation provides development grants (though often for travel or classical music commissions). Check local resources for specific programs in your province or territory.

Application Tips and Requirements

1. Eligibility and Timing: Carefully check each grant’s eligibility (residency, career stage, genre). For example, many programs require you to be a Canadian citizen/permanent resident and a professional musician (often defined as at least 1 year of practice or having earned performance fees).
2. Project Scope: Tailor your proposal to the grant’s focus. For recording grants, outline your EP/album plan, timeline, collaborators, and release strategy. Provide a detailed budget listing eligible expenses (studio time, mixing, mastering, manufacturing, promotion, etc.). Avoid ineligible costs: don’t budget for tours, concerts, or purely promotional videos for these grants.
3. Artistic Samples: Most grants require audio examples. Prepare high-quality demos of your new songs. Include them on your website or in your EPK. Many grants (OAC, TAC, FACTOR) ask for MP3 files or streaming links. Also include lyrics or score excerpts if applicable. About My Sound can host your audio and bio on a custom domain, giving reviewers easy access to your work.
4. Professional Materials: Write a clear project description and artist bio. Gather any required documents (resumes, past recordings, letters of support). Even if not explicitly required, include a link to your official website or EPK in your application – it shows professionalism. An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) is especially valuable; it compiles your bio, photos, press quotes, music links, and contact info. You can build a complete EPK and website in minutes with About My Sound. Grant panels appreciate seeing that you have an organized, public portfolio.
5. Leverage Available Funds: Note that TAC explicitly lets you spend grant money on web design. If awarded, you could allocate some of the budget to About My Sound’s platform to get a custom site. Similarly, OAC’s Music Recording Project even allows a modest portion for "packaging and design". Always link your budget items to the grant’s stated eligible expenses.
6. Write Clearly: Explain why the grant is critical to your project. Include what makes the project creative or needed. For example, if you are an emerging songwriter in a genre, emphasize how this grant will help you showcase new work to audiences. Be concise and align your goals with the grant’s priorities (e.g. OAC prizes “exceptional creativity” and TAC seeks “original music” in all genres).
7. Review and Feedback: Have someone else review your application. Use the grant’s guidelines checklist. If possible, attend information sessions or contact program officers with specific questions. Finally, give yourself time: applications often take weeks or months to prepare, and funding decisions can take several months after the deadline.