June 30, 2011
Dear Member,
Tomorrow (Friday, July 1) marks the start of the new round of the CIRAA Groundbreaker Grant program application period. The application period for gigs played in June will be open from July 1 to July 10.
Please note that we have made a few revisions to the rules in order to respond to frequent questions and comments from our membership regarding the types of gigs that are eligible and also to provide some clarity with respect to the fact that we are targeting grassroots-level recording artists with this micro-grant.
In particular, we want to bring your attention to a key rule change, which is that we no longer require a gig to have a cover charge in order to be eligible. We revised that rule as a direct response to member feedback appealing to us to recognize other gig compensation models such as pass-the-hat, pay-what-you-can, percentage of door, etc. We recognize that these forms of payment are common for grassroots-level artists, and we have, therefore, decided to accommodate the inclusion of such gigs as eligible.
The revised rules are as follows (you can also view them at www.ciraa.ca/grant.php):
- 1. Only registered CIRAA members may apply. Membership to CIRAA is free and easy. Join at www.ciraa.com/register.php.
2. Applicants must meet the definition of an emerging artist as defined by the CRTC (ie. artists that have achieved a Top 40 radio single at commercial radio are not eligible).
3. Artists who have previously received financial assistance from the Radio Starmaker Fund are not eligible.
4. Twenty (20) $100 micro-grants are awarded monthly to artists who have played a live show during the previous month.
5. Artists that receive a Groundbreaker Grant may no longer apply for gigs played in that venue.
6. Only gigs that are open to the public are eligible.
7. Gigs that take place at a private residence are not eligible. (* While CIRAA supports the concept of house concerts, verifying the validity of such gigs is difficult, and therefore CIRAA must exclude them from consideration at this time.)
8. Only gigs played within North America are eligible.
9. Artists must perform a minimum of *60% original music at gigs (* Jazz and Classical genres are exempt from this rule).
10. Applications must be submitted on behalf of the act; i.e. the solo artist or band performing the gig. Grants will not be awarded to side players or guest musicians.
11. Artists can receive up to $1,200 in Groundbreaker Grants per year (twelve micro grants of $100 each).
12. The submission period for applications is from the 1st to the 10th of each month.
13. During the submission period, artists may only apply for gigs played during the previous calendar month. Artists may submit a separate application for each eligible gig played during the previous calendar month and may receive more than one Groundbreaker Grant in one month.
14. Grant winners will be selected in a lottery draw. The names of the artists drawn in the lottery selection will be announced through social media, starting on Twitter (www.twitter.com/theciraa), at 4 pm on the next business day after the 10th of each month. The full list of grant winners each month will also be made available to CIRAA members through their Account page.
15. CIRAA reserves the right to verify the information that has been supplied about the gig, including from third parties.
16. CIRAA may cancel any membership should we determine that false information was provided and reserves the right to decline submissions that do not meet the submission requirements.
Feel free to contact Dave Cool, Director of Member Services, Dave Cool, at dave@ciraa.ca with any questions or comments regarding the CIRAA Groundbreaker Grant program.
Wishing you a Happy Canada Day!
Aisha Wickham Thomas
Executive Director
aisha@ciraa.ca
@theciraa on Twitter
Facebook page
CIRAA GROUNDBREAKER GRANT WINNERS FOR JUNE 2011
The Canadian Independent Recording Artists' Association (CIRAA) is pleased to congratulate the winners of the June round of the CIRAA Groundbreaker Grant program:
Kill Matilda for their May 20 gig at Clyde's (Pointe-Claire, QC)
Shawna Caspi for her May 12 gig at Moonshine Cafe (Oakville, ON)
Norine Braun for her May 28 gig at Rhizome Cafe (Vancouver, BC)
Ryan Cook for his May 13 gig at Cafe Babylone (Quebec, QC)
Life in Vacuum for their May 29 gig at Wunderbar (Edmonton, AB)
The Reason for their May 24 gig at The Odeon Event Centre (Saskatoon, SK)
Ernesto Cervini for his May 31 gig at The Rex Hotel (Toronto, ON)
Jenavive for her May 14 gig at East Longview Hall (Longview, AB)
Matt Epp & The Amorian Assembly for their May 13 gig at Baba's Lounge (Charlottetown, PEI)
A.A. Wallace for his May 27 gig at Pepper's (Saint John, NB)
B-Lines for their May 21 gig at Funny Button, Seattle
Mindwaves for their May 13 gig at Hunter's (Charlottetown, PEI)
Sikadime for his May 21 gig at The Vintage Sports Lounge (Niagara Falls, ON)
Suzie Vinnick for her May 6 gig at Library & Archives Canada - Auditorium (Ottawa, ON)
Not Even Death for their May 28 gig at Underworld (Montreal, QC)
Mark Martyre for his May 26 gig at Kontakt Cafe & Lounge (Etobicoke, ON)
Chris Gheran for his May 22 gig at Bonnington Centre (Nakusp, BC)
The Consonance for their May 1 gig at On The Rocks (Edmonton, AB)
Cliff Stevens for his May 5 gig at Centrepoint Theatre (Ottawa, ON)
Friendlyness and the Human Rights for their May 12 gig at Ebar (Toronto, ON)
The CIRAA Groundbreaker Grant is generously supported
by XM Canada
