Touring, Touring, It's Never Affordable

Ask a touring musician when they'll be hitting the road next, and you'll likely get a response somewhere along the lines of “As soon I can" or "When my Keno numbers come in". Taking an act on the road really is an expensive gig in this country of ours. It's next to impossible for an artist to put together a Canadian tour without spending the treasury of a smaller nation traveling around by plane, train & automobile.

In BC, we have vast forests, mountains and water standing (or flowing) between tour stops. Not that nature is a bad thing; in fact I owe those lovely trees for helping clear up my asthma, but most musicians don't have the money to go sightseeing 6 months out of the year. They need cash to cover touring expenses, and here in BC we are lucky to have some support from the government. No, seriously.

Every year, the province has funded a program called MITAP, or Music Industry Travel Assistance Program. The program “provides travel funding opportunities for ARTISTS and music industry BUSINESS purposes.” (www.musicbc.org)

Good news, right? Absolutely! But don’t go buying your ruby-encrusted stage pants and moon rock guitar picks just yet. This cash may be up for grabs, but like any funding program, there are many, many applicants vying for a piece of the pie. As a former employee of Music BC (that’s right, I’m an insider), I can tell you that the applications are judged fairly, and the grants go to as many well-deserving artists & companies as can be funded. Unlike Keno, it’s not the luck of the draw here. There are a few iron-clad details that you must provide in order to be approved for funding.

A Marketing Plan is essential. Let me re-phrase that. A good marketing plan is essential. A simple way to get started is to lay out some Goals & Objectives, then figure out how you’re going to get there by filling in the blanks. Ask yourself “Why am I touring?” Goal: Sell 1,000 copies of your new album. How: Combination off offstage/retail & online sales. I like to think of the old 4P’s adage for how to fill in the blanks: Product (your album) Price (what are you going to charge) Place (where is it available) & finally, the big one: Promotion (how the heck will people even know I have an album). A sample marketing plan is available at www.musicbc.org (they think of everything don’t they?)

A Budget is the next thing you’ll need. What will this tour cost me & how much revenue can I generate? If this is your first tour, then you have some research to do. First, decide how you’re going to travel. Is ol’ Betsy the family minivan going to make it to Regina? Or would a combination of flying, van rentals & hitch hiking be more suitable? (I don’t recommend thumbing. We all remember what happened in Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Crunch some numbers, and make sure you understand what the “eligible expenses” are. Last time I checked, there is no line item for Kokanee.

A Press Kit is something you should already have if you are serious about this business. Include things like your bio, news clippings, a photo, and I like to include a Fact Sheet, comprised of a few bullet points about the artist. Don’t bury the information in paragraphs, because it won’t get read! My advice is to keep everything reasonably brief, and stick to the important facts. Did you know that over 90% of press kits sent out by artists end up in the trash? Wonder why? Most kits I have come in contact are full of unnecessary information that doesn’t matter to the recipient. I mean, it’s great that you won your school talent search at age 9, but that doesn’t matter to me if I’m evaluating you on an investment-basis today.

The Music – it’s what we’re here for, right? First impressions have never been more crucial than with grants. I know you believe in your music, otherwise why would you be making it? But think about how many songs are out there, and how little time there is to listen. The 2-minute clarinet intro, while it may sound great on your hi-fi, is not going to grab the listener’s ears. Pick a song that cuts to the chase, showcases your talent, and will leave the listener asking for more. At the risk of sounding like a worn-out cliché “Give ‘me the goods” in the first 30 seconds. Chances are, if whoever is judging your music isn’t wowed 30 seconds in, they aren’t going to wait around for something to happen.

The Application Form MUST be properly filled out. This might seem like a no-brainer, and I apologize if I’m making you feel like a 2 year-old being taught to diffuse a landmine, but you’d be surprised how many applications are turned away because of the paperwork. Read the application form twice before you even put pencil to paper. Understand the guidelines, and if you need help, ASK! I hate paperwork too, but it seems you can’t order a triple cheeseburger these days without filling out a waiver first.

So, I hope this article will shed a little light on the money that’s out there for touring artists. The common illusion is that this money is free. It’s true, you don’t have to pay it back, but there’s a lot of work you have to do before they’ll just cut you a cheque. Think of it like this: Bill Gates or Mr. Peanut or some other rich person is looking for a new project to invest in. You’ve got 5 minutes to convince them to invest in your music career. Why should they choose you over every other artist?

And now, to add the illusion of official-status to this article, an interview with Amanda Schweers, Executive Assistant at Music BC:

NS: Hi Amanda, I was wondering if I might be able to ask you a few questions about the Music Industry Travel Assistance Program?

AS: YES!

NS: How many applications came in for the last deadline? (Sept)

AS: We had 52 applications for the May deadline, and 45 applications for the September deadline, so it’s already been a record breaking year for number of applications to the MITAP Artist program. Which also means that the percent that we can approve for funding is getting lower, as with more applications, we do not receive more funding. This September deadline, we were only able to award 17% of the total requested

NS: What are some well-known facts about MITAP that people might not know? (basically, what is it?)

AS: It’s a grant! That means you don’t have to pay us back the money. It is a Travel Assistance Grant Program that is administered by Music BC, but fully funded by the Province of British Columbia. You don’t have to be a member of Music BC to apply for this program, it is open to all BC residents. We have two levels of funding for this program, 1 is for Artist grants, and the 2^nd is for Business travel grants. Band/solo artist going on tour? You can apply for up to $2000 for a domestic tour, and up to $4000 for an international tour. Playing a showcase at a music industry event like CMW or NXNE? You can apply for up to $1000 for a showcase being held in Canada, and up to $4000 for a showcase being held outside of Canada. Going on a promotional tour, stopping at radio stations, etc? You can apply for up to $1000 for within Canada, and up to $4000 for international travel for a promotional tour. For Business travel, BC based companies representing BC artists can receive up to $1000 in funding to attend conferences like CMW or NXNE to represent their artist(s).

NS: What type of applications are approved?

AS: All genres, and all levels of experience. MITAP is about assisting the careers of BC artists in the early stages of their careers, as well as down the road when they could use the support to take it to another level. MITAP is about celebrating BC talent, and helping these artists, and BC companies with travel costs. While these grants are not for much money, many times an extra $1000 in your budget can determine whether you go or not. The jury will be looking for great applications that show how their initiative will greatly benefit their career. From there, it is up to the juror to decide on the best of the bunch.

You have to have a solid application though to even be considered for funding. Essentially, your application has to speak to the jury on your behalf, so you need to be clear, professional, and provide the details. Select a couple songs on your album you would like the jury to listen to, have a realistic marketing plan, show how this tour fits into your marketing plan, include a promo package with a good photo, press clippings, a good bio, etc. Make your supporting material, for any application for funding or support, the same as what you would send to a music industry company. Make sure it’s professional, and well-presented. This advice applies to both the MITAP Artist program, and the MITAP Business Travel program.

NS: Who is eligible?

AS: MITAP Artist program (Tour/Showcase/Promo): BC based artists who have released their album in BC no more than 24 months BEFORE their initiative, and have at least 3 confirmed tour dates outside of their region (ie. Outside the okanagan)

MITAP Business program: BC based companies attending music industry conferences representing BC based artists who have released their album in BC no more than 24 months BEFORE the initiative.

And always make sure your application form is complete! That means write in your entire address, sign the back page, etc. We ask for these details because they are important in evaluating your application, so please, only send in a completed application form or you won’t go on to the jury. And please read the application form which lists all of the criteria and guidelines.

NS: When is the next deadline & can you apply early?

AS: February 15^th, 2008 – last deadline for this fiscal year. Yes you can apply early, but you still will hear back if you were approved after the deadline. If you’re leaving for your tour for example on February 2^nd, you gotta make sure we RECEIVE your application (not postmarked) by February 1^st so your application will be eligible.

Make sure we receive your application at the Music BC office no later than 5pm(pst) on Friday February 15^th, 2008. We do not receive postmarked applications after that date. Must be received by 5pm in our office. We also do not receive faxed or emailed applications. All of the support materials for your application must be received by the deadline date.

NS: Thanks Amanda. This program is very beneficial to artists and companies in BC. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.

The next deadline is Feb 15^th, 2008. That should be plenty of time to put an application together. As long as you meet the requirements and get your application in before you leave for your initiative, you are eligible. Even if you don't get it, you can keep applying until you do. So what is there to lose? Don't ask, don't get, that’s what Mr. Peanut & I always say.