CONTEMPORARY MUSIC TOURING
PROGRAM
The Contemporary Music Touring Program (CMTP) supports national touring activity
undertaken by Australian musicians performing original contemporary music. It provides
travel support of up to $15,000 for artists and their manager for tours in Australia that
include performances in regional and remote areas. Up to an additional $15,000 can be
requested for tours that meet the conditions for TRAX funding (see below).
Closing dates
In 2015, applications to the CMTP program closed on 1 September.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks
after the closing date.
For 2016, the closing dates are at midnight on the:
 2 February 2016, for projects starting after 1 May 2016
 4 October 2016, for projects starting after 1 January 2017
Who can apply
Funding on a tour by tour basis is available to enable professional musicians to tour live
music performances within Australia. Touring musicians must be performing original
Australian contemporary music. Funding can be provided to performers, managers,
agents, and music networks on behalf of professionals working in the Australian music
industry.
Who can’t apply
You can’t apply for a grant if:
 you received a grant, or administered a grant, from the Australia Council in the
past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted
 you owe money to the Australia Council.
What can you apply for
Under the CMTP performances of original Australian contemporary music can include a
wide range of different musical styles.
Applications must contain one tour only. The tour must comprise of performances in at
least three venues outside of the performer’s hometown and must include at least one
performance in a non-metropolitan area. Tours that include a majority of regional
destinations or assist performers from regional areas are a priority for funding.
Additional TRAX funding is available for tours where over 75% of the itinerary is to
remote and/or very remote locations. The Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia
(ARIA) helps determine the regional and remote reach of the tour. To find out if you meet
the ARIA rating to qualify for TRAX funding, begin a grant in the Australia Council’s
online system. When you get to the ‘Outline your project’ section, the system will
automatically look up the ARIA code once you enter the details of the state, town and
postcode of the location you are searching for. Alternatively, contact the Australia
Council to speak with a Grants Officer for assistance.
Joint tours, where two or more independent performers are undertaking the same tour
itinerary, are eligible under this program. These should be submitted as a single
application. In such cases, the funding cap of $15,000 still applies (unless the tour is
eligible for additional TRAX funding).
We encourage the inclusion of additional activities which extend opportunities for
community participation, such as workshops, master classes and all-age performances.
What can't you apply for
You can’t apply for the following activity:
 a tour to less than three venues
 tours to metropolitan venues only
 overseas tours or overseas performers
 tours which are primarily school-based (except for applications seeking TRAX
funds where the school is the primary venue of a remote or very remote location)
 a series of performances at one festival
 competitions, such as ‘Battle of the Bands’ events
 attendance at conferences.
Peer assessment
Applications to the Contemporary Music Touring Program will be assessed by a panel of
peers drawn from the Music sector.
Assessment criteria
Peers will assess your application against the following five criteria.
 The calibre of the artists and arts workers involved and the quality of the
music
In assessing this criterion, the assessment panel may consider:
o the strength of the artistic support material provided
o the track record the key artists involved, including their achievements, as
evidenced by their biography and professional profile.
 Contributions to development of Australian culture in regional Australia
In assessing this criterion, the assessment panel may consider:
o proposed additional community activities included in the tour itinerary,
such as workshops, master classes and/or all-age performances
o any partnerships or collaborations with local personnel or organisations in
touring locations
o benefits provided through tour to people in touring locations (e.g. local
emerging artists, audiences).
 Regional extent of the proposed tour
In assessing this criterion, the assessment panel may consider:
o the geographic locations of the proposed itinerary, including ARIA codes.
 Realistic and logical budgeting and touring
In assessing this criterion, the assessment panel may consider:
o how viable and achievable the project is (as evidenced by the budget and
itinerary)
o the quality of the marketing/audience development strategy, including
evidence of demand in proposed locations.
 Support received from other sources
In assessing this criterion, the assessment panel may consider:
o the resources supporting the project (including financial and/or in-kind)
o the strength of the people, presenters and partners involved (including
confirmations).
Support material
Additional material can be submitted to help support your application. Peers will review
support material to gain an understanding of the quality of your work, and where relevant,
the skills and role of other artists or partners involved.
You can submit the following support material with your application:
1. Artistic support material
You can submit up to three URL’s (a website link on the website) to written material,
images, video or audio as a recent example of your work. Peers may review up to:
 10 pages of written material
 10 images
 10 mins of video or audio recording
To find out more about support material, including advice on how to get examples of your
work online click here.
In some circumstances we will accept support material in another format. Please contact
staff for further advice.
2. Additional artist information
You can include a brief bio or curriculum vitae summary of any additional artists involved
in your project. All bios should be included as a single document and a maximum of two
pages in total.
3. Letters of support
Where appropriate, you can include up to five letters from proposed participants in
support of your project. All letters of support should be included as a single document
and a maximum of five pages in total.