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FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry

Support for early-career Canadian artists

Offered by
Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTR)
Official source: factor.ca

Source change captured

Funding available
$ 5,000
Up to 75% of project cost
Deadline
Unspecified
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Only artists rated General may apply.
See full eligibility

Overview

FACTOR's Artist Development supports early-career Canadian artists with up to $5,000 for one year of development in the music industry. Eligible activities include sound recording, touring, and marketing to help artists advance their commercial careers.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding
$5,000
Maximum share of project costs
75%
Financing goals
  • Increase performance through digital transformation
  • Reduce environmental footprint
  • Access new markets
  • Launch or market a product/service

Eligible candidates

Location
  • Canada
Eligible Industries
All industries
Annual revenue
All revenue ranges
Organisation size
All organization sizes
Audience
  • 2SLGBTQI+
Legal structures
Non-profit, Sole proprietorship, Public or Parapublic institution, For-profit business
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
Culture and Arts, Business Associations, Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
Business owners / entrepreneurs, Artists / creatives, Minority groups
Scope
National, International

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Availability timeline

2026
Periods: 2

Latest changes

FACTOR deadlines updated

FACTOR’s deadlines page now shows material timeline changes, including removed deadline sections and a July 23 submission deadline for Artist Entrepreneur.

See more

FACTOR’s Deadlines page changed materially: two deadline sections were removed, including Artist Development and Juried Sound Recording: Single/EP, and Artist Entrepreneur now appears as open to new applications with a July 23 submission deadline. The Artist Development program page also now shows its deadline as May 7, 2026, replacing the earlier open-application wording. The Deadlines page continues to list other program dates such as June 4 and October 22, 2026 for Business Development and September 10 for Juried Sound Recording: Album.

Official source: factor.ca
July 12, 2026

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Only artists rated General may apply.

Who is not eligible

  • Previous recipients of Artist Development funding.
  • Artists who commercially released music more than three years before the application date or have received more than $10,000 from FACTOR in the past.
  • Professional songwriters.
  • Record labels may not apply on behalf of an artist, and artists signed to companies funded by FACTOR or Musicaction in the company programs already supporting those activities are not eligible.
  • Francophone artists who are recording primarily in French and primarily developing their careers in a French-language market, unless the project is explicitly intended for the English-language market.

Eligible expenses

  • Sound recording costs, including graphics, pre-production facility fees and rentals, producer fees, production, engineer, hired musicians, studio, rentals, mixing, and mastering.
  • Touring and showcasing costs, including fees and commissions, work permits and VISAs, rehearsal space, accommodations, rentals, fuel, parking, travel, and registration fees.
  • Marketing costs, including basic press kits, mail and couriers, print ads, publicist, radio tracker, radio and TV ads, and website development and maintenance.
  • Video production costs, including actors, dancers, animation, art direction, crew, cinematographer, director, driver, editor, insurance, lighting rental, location rental, pre- and post-production, producer, props, rentals, transportation, and writer.
  • Artist Donated Services, up to $500.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

  • Other donated services, in-house costs, and in-kind transactions beyond the allowed Artist Donated Services amount.
  • Costs incurred by a manager, producer, or publisher and then charged back to the artist.
  • Costs incurred by a record label and then charged back to the artist.

Activities funded

  • Sound recording.
  • Touring.
  • Showcasing.
  • Video content production.
  • Marketing.

How to apply

  • Step 1
    • Create a User profile in the FACTOR portal.
  • Step 2
    • Create an Artist profile and submit it for review.
  • Step 3
    • Create an Applicant profile and submit it for review.
  • Step 4
    • Open your Project dashboard and create a new project.

Documents Needed

  • Current audience information.
  • Artist biography.
  • Artist development plan.
  • Assessment track MP3 and lyrics, if applicable.
  • Parent or Legal Guardian Consent Form, for applicants under 18.

Selection criteria

  • Applications are assessed and scored by a jury of music industry professionals.
  • FACTOR averages the juror scores and funds as many of the highest-scoring applications as possible within its budget.

Processing and Agreement

  • The top-scoring applications are reviewed by FACTOR staff, who assess the eligibility of the projects and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for approval.
  • Assessment time is up to 12 weeks from the deadline and may be affected by the number of submissions and juror availability.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

  • FACTOR is committed to promoting diversity and inclusiveness within the Canadian music sector through its programs and operations.
  • Application deadlines for the 2024-25 period are available to view on the website, emphasizing planning for upcoming submissions.
  • FACTOR employs a structured approach to funding, consisting of components and programs that align with the commercial strategy of the applicant.
  • Program guidelines for each funding stream can be downloaded in PDF format for detailed information and submission guidance.

Contacts

info@factor.ca
877-696-2215

Official sources

Our Programs

Program guide

Artist 2 and 3 Rating CriteriaArtist DevelopmentArtist Development (2026)

Application form

Artist Development Application QuestionsArtist Donated Services FormDirect Deposit FormEmployee Time AllocationJuried Sound Recording: Album Application Questions

Supporting document

Applicant Profile TutorialArtist Development - Tips for RecipientsArtist Development Program Midterm Report2024-2025Business PoliciesCost Report Artist Development

Other relevant PDF

User Profile Tutorial
Add helloDarwin as a preferred source on Google

Frequently Asked Questions about the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry Program

What is the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry?

FACTOR's Artist Development supports early-career Canadian artists with up to $5,000 for one year of development in the music industry. Eligible activities include sound recording, touring, and marketing to help artists advance their commercial careers.

How much funding can be received?

FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry program?

To be eligible for the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry program, you must: Only General-rated artists may apply. Artists must have commercially released at least one track and it cannot be more than three years old at application. Artists may apply to only one juried program during the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

What expenses are eligible under FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry?

Sound recording costs, including graphics, pre-production facility fees and rentals, producer fees, production, engineer, hired musicians, studio, rentals, mixing, and mastering. Touring and showcasing costs, including fees and commissions, work permits and VISAs, rehearsal space, accommodations, rentals, fuel, parking, travel, and registration fees. Marketing costs, including basic press kits, mail and couriers, print ads, publicist, radio tracker, radio and TV ads, and website development and maintenance. Video production costs, including actors, dancers, animation, art direction, crew, cinematographer, director, driver, editor, insurance, lighting rental, location rental, pre- and post-production, producer, props, rentals, transportation, and writer. Artist Donated Services, up to $500.

Who can I contact for more information about the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry?

You can contact Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTR) by email at info@factor.ca or by phone at 877-696-2215.

Where is the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry available?

The FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry program is available across Canada.

Is the FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry a grant, loan, or tax credit?

FACTOR funding for the sound recording industry is a Grant and Funding