International Pathways

Closing date: 31 March 2010
Assessment: May 2010
Projects may not start before: 15 June 2010

Closing date: 29 November 2010
Assessment: February 2011
Projects may not start before: 28 February 2011

International Pathways supports international touring by Australian musicians performing predominantly original Australian music. It assists with the development of markets and audiences through live performance where there is little likelihood of short or medium-term commercial success.

Tours must include a minimum of three paid performance opportunities.

For one-off showcases and festival performance opportunities, see the ‘Live on Stage – Music International Showcase Program’ initiative offered by International Market Development. For overseas skills development opportunities for professional artists and artsworkers, refer to the Music Board’s Skills and Arts Development (Individuals and Groups) grant category.

Amounts

International Pathways provides funding for costs associated with international touring up to a maximum of $20,000.

Total government funding (including your Australia Council request) must not be more than 50% of the total expenses.

If you have a record label, publisher or management company, please provide details of the support they are providing for the tour.

Assessment

A panel made up of Music Board members, peer advisers and a representative from Market Development will assess proposals and make recommendations to the Executive Director, Arts Development, for proposal. You will be notified of the decisions within ten weeks of the closing date for your funding proposal.

Individuals, groups and organisations are eligible to make proposals for funding.

Applicants must be Australian citizens or have permanent resident status in Australia. Proof of citizenship or residency may be required.

Organisations must be legally constituted, for example, incorporated, or a company limited by guarantee. Funding proposals may be accepted from non-Australian individuals or organisations if the purpose is to engage artists who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.

Funding proposals from youth groups/ensembles or semi-professional organisations (eg choral) will only be considered under exceptional circumstances. Only costs associated with professional artists and artsworkers will generally be considered in these cases.

Applicants must have a commercially available CD and touring experience.

Applicants may submit a maximum of three proposals in a three-year period, as calculated by closing date. Unsuccessful applications cannot be re-submitted.

Selection criteria

Artistic merit

This includes: the calibre of the artist(s); a record of successful professional performance; good live act, strong and clear artistic vision; and innovation in the work(s) or project in terms of exploring new processes, forms, interpretations or audiences.

Export readiness and the quality of the marketing strategy

This includes some or all of the following criteria as appropriate: overseas market knowledge and contacts; the extent of groundwork in, and commitment to, the target territory or market; recognition in the Australian market; current full length CD with national distribution; touring experience; good quality promotional material; media profile; preparedness to tailor the product; evidence of export market planning; management resources; demonstrated willingness to deal cross-culturally; short-term and long-term career development goals and objectives for your international tour.

Evidence that the activity is well planned and achievable

This includes available financial and human resources to successfully undertake the tour. Applicants should demonstrate strong tour management skills by providing a tour itinerary that is well scheduled in terms of performances, travel days and days off, fees paid and performance terms negotiated with promoters and presenters. Applicants should demonstrate that the activity would not normally be covered through other sources or agreements and should indicate any performance fees in the budget under 'income'.

Please provide the following support material with your application on the closing date:

• In hard copy, or as an attachment in the Support Material section of the online form, a day-by-day itinerary that includes details of performances, meetings, days off and travel days, including dates, cities, venues, presenters, who the meeting is with, and whether or not each performance/meeting is confirmed or pending with the details of the fees and contract negotiated.
• In hard copy, or as an attachment in the Support Material section of the online form, written confirmations of key performances from the venues and/or presenters and written confirmation of meetings with key industry people.
• In hard copy only, four copies of either a CD, a DVD or a data-disk. Please send no more than four copies. Your most recent commercial release is preferred. Please do not upload and audio material.
• In hard copy, or as an attachment in the Support Material section of the online form, one full promotional pack. The promotional pack should contain a biography, a high quality image and press releases. It is acceptable to provide a URL to your electronic press kit (EPK) or website.
• In hard copy, or as an attachment in the Support Material section of the online form, for proposals with creative content and/or stated intended outcomes relating to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists, communities or their activities, letters of support from relevant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists and/or communities.

Support material in hard copy will not be returned to you and will be disposed of 45 days after you are advised of the outcome of your application. If you wish support material to be returned to you, please contact staff before this time to make alternative arrangements.

Applications that are incomplete, or which do not contain all the required supporting materials, will be ineligible.

Additional material before the board meeting

For your application to be eligible for consideration for funding, you must submit the above support material with your application at the closing date.

You can submit updates, such as additional confirmations of key performances from the venues and/or presenters, written confirmation of meetings with key industry people or changes to your itinerary after the closing date. Updates need to be submitted by 18 May 2010 for the March closing date, and 24 Jan 2011 for the November closing date. All other support material needs to be submitted at the closing date.

Contact

For further information, or if you would like to discuss your proposal, please contact Andy Rantzen on (02) 9215 9115, Peter Keogh on (02) 9215 9108, or ring toll-free 1800 226 912.