Closed
Source verified August 4, 2026
OMIF — Live Music
Supports live music events in Ontario
Funding available
$ 10,000 - $ 125,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Ontario-based live music presenters and promoters presenting eligible music festivals and concert series.
See full eligibility
Overview
OMIF – Live Music supports Ontario-based businesses and organizations that produce or promote live music events featuring Canadian artists, including eligible music festivals and concert series. It provides direct grants and matching contributions to increase live music experiences in Ontario through performances, venue or site rental, and production costs.
Find open grants for your business
Explore open funding programs that match your business and project.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop workforce skills
- Launch or market a product/service
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Minimum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- From $ 25,000 to $ 1,000,000 in revenue
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Black Canadians
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Startups
- Women
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Producing or promoting live music events featuring Canadian artists.
- Eligible music festivals and concert series.
- Live-streaming and virtual performances.
- Designing and producing video and multimedia stage shows.
- Business development and capacity building activities.
Documents Needed
- Activity Budget; Activity Details and Plans for each proposed activity; Year-Over-Year Operating Budget.
- Business Plan for requests of $50,000 or more.
- Articles of Incorporation; Financial Statements for the two most recently completed fiscal years.
- Back-up confirmation to support confirmed or pending financing; Signed Related Party Transaction form.
- Signed Applicant Affidavit.
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Ontario-based live music presenters and promoters presenting eligible music festivals and concert series.
- Domestic music promoters and presenters, including festivals, with revenues under $1M based on the average of the 2 most recent fiscal years.
- Domestic music promoters and presenters with revenues over $1M who do not meet the eligibility criteria for Experience Ontario.
- Companies primarily engaged in the development, delivery, marketing and staging of live music events, concerts and tours in more than one venue in Ontario.
- Music festivals that are independently incorporated, the primary activity of the applicant, in operation for more than one year, and where the applicant assumes the primary operational and financial risk.
Who is not eligible
- Festivals, except where music is the primary activity and the festival presenter meets the requirements outlined in the guidelines.
- Federal, provincial, municipal governments and/or their agencies, and universities or colleges.
- Unincorporated or unregistered artists and organizations.
- Venues and clubs, unless acting in capacity of promoter for more than one venue.
- Domestic music promoters and presenters (including festivals) with revenues over $1M based on the average of the 2 most recent fiscal years who meet the eligibility criteria for Experience Ontario.
Eligible expenses
- Canadian artist fees; venue or site rental; production and presentation costs, including audio and visual support, technical and stage crews.
- Designing and producing video and multimedia stage shows, live-streaming and virtual performances, advertising costs directly related to eligible performances, and public relations services directly related to the promotion of the performance(s).
- Business development and capacity building activities, including staff training and development, market intel or analysis, business or financial planning, and digital innovation.
- Accessibility improvements to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, directly associated with the event programming.
- Administrative and overhead costs directly used in the delivery of the planned activities, eligible labour costs directly related to the proposed activities, and capital expenditures such as the purchase of equipment, materials and software required for an activity.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Expenses incurred outside of the approved activity period; expenses not in the original budget and which did not receive pre-approval by Ontario Creates.
- Costs relating to international artists; costs related to musical theatre and other theatrical performances.
- Staff and labour costs not directly related to the activity; staff benefit costs; occupancy costs unless otherwise stated in the guidelines; real estate costs and leasehold improvements, or capital costs related to permanent structures.
- Cost of alcoholic or cannabis-related products; fees relating to the compilation engagement report, review engagement, or audit of applicant financial statements; fees relating to the procurement of services of grant writers for preparing government funding applications; cost of General Liability insurance; taxes that are recoverable by the recipient; related party transactions which did not receive pre-approval by Ontario Creates.
- Touring/performance activities supported through the OMIF Music Creation stream.
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Selection criteria
- Applicants proposing a higher percentage of Ontario-based expenses will be considered more favourably.
- Applicants contributing a higher percentage of non-government funding will be considered more favourably.
- The quantity and quality of the activities selected will affect the number of applicants funded and the amount awarded.
How to apply
- First-time applicants are encouraged to contact the Ontario Music Office a minimum of two weeks ahead of the application deadline to discuss their eligibility and/or funding restrictions.
- Applications must be submitted electronically through the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal (OAP) at https://apply.ontariocreates.ca.
- Applicants who do not have a user account on OAP should go to https://apply.ontariocreates.ca/login.aspx and click on Register.
- Applicants are encouraged to begin the application process well in advance of the deadline and can save and edit information until the completed application is submitted.
- The use of AI technology must be disclosed and outlined in your application.
- Late applications will not be considered for funding.
Processing and Agreement
- Successful applicants will be required to deliver an interim report and final report through the Online Application Portal by the identified deadline(s).
- Execution of the Ontario Creates transfer payment agreement, delivery of interim report(s) and subsequent approval, and delivery of the completed activities and all deliverables outlined in the funding agreement and subsequent approval generally trigger payments.
- Recipients will be required to provide Ontario Creates with a satisfactory report evaluating the completed initiative.
- A cost report is required as part of the reporting process.
- Ontario Creates reserves the right to request receipts to demonstrate actual expenses incurred by OMIF recipients.
Additional information
- All Ontario Creates decisions are final.
- Ontario Creates reserves the right to alter program guidelines with general public notice to all potential applicants, and to refuse any application for any reason.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the OMIF — Live Music Program
What is the OMIF — Live Music?
OMIF – Live Music supports Ontario-based businesses and organizations that produce or promote live music events featuring Canadian artists, including eligible music festivals and concert series. It provides direct grants and matching contributions to increase live music experiences in Ontario through performances, venue or site rental, and production costs.
How much funding can be received?
OMIF — Live Music Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $125,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the OMIF — Live Music program?
To be eligible for the OMIF — Live Music program, you must:
The applicant must be Ontario-based, Canadian-owned, and in operation for at least two years prior to application.
The applicant must have its principal place of business in Ontario for at least one year prior to the deadline and be incorporated in Ontario or federally, or prepared to incorporate immediately if the application is successful.
The applicant must have minimum annual revenues of $25,000 from core business activities as a live music presenter and/or promoter; exceptions may be considered for companies led by BIPOC or Francophone individuals and applicants that otherwise meet the provincial definition of diversity.
What expenses are eligible under OMIF — Live Music?
Producing or promoting live music events featuring Canadian artists.
Eligible music festivals and concert series.
Live-streaming and virtual performances.
Designing and producing video and multimedia stage shows.
Business development and capacity building activities.
Who can I contact for more information about the OMIF — Live Music?
You can contact Government of Ontario by email at omo@ontariocreates.ca or by phone at 416-572-0436.
Where is the OMIF — Live Music available?
The OMIF — Live Music program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the OMIF — Live Music a grant, loan, or tax credit?
OMIF — Live Music is a Grant and Funding