It seems like funding for everything is getting rolled back lately, and unfortunately, the arts may be among the first to go. In this case, the Canada Music Fund (CMF) might be on the chopping block.
$16 million of annual federal funding that supports Canadian artists in their endeavors is about to expire. Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to table his first federal budget on November 4, and Canadian musicians are doubtful whether investments in the CMF will be sustained.
What’s happening with arts funding?
In a press release, Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) President Andrew Cash outlined the lack of financial support for artists and industry workers, especially amid the slow death of broadcast radio, and halted revenue from streaming services refusing to adhere to Canadian regulations.
CIMA and independent music organizations across the country, like MusicNL, are urging people to pressure the government with a click-to-email campaign.
The funding at risk of being cut supports Musication and FACTOR, two non-profit organizations that invest in Canadian-owned music companies and artists directly.
Proponents of these grants say that localizing support for artists and creatives is essential for many industries in Canada, and importantly, for supporting our communities, cultivating a vibrant, unique culture, and gaining recognition in a global entertainment economy.
How does government funding for music work anyways?
The Canada Music Fund is intended to “ensure that a diversity of Canadian music artists connect with audiences everywhere.” The government of Canada designates FACTOR for the Anglophone music sector, and Musication for the Francophone music sector.
Individual initiatives provide artists and industry professionals “financial assistance to undertake activities central to the development of Canadian artists, the promotion of their music and the expansion of their audience.”
This might encompass grants to offset the inflated costs of marketing, album production, recording, or touring.
Collective initiatives are based on community skill-building, enabling artists and industry professionals to develop business skills, which is advantageous when navigating a highly competitive market.
Locally, MusicNL distributes the majority of any awarded federal funds, having allocated approximately $418k in 2024 to Newfoundland-based creatives for artist development, professional development, and market access.
ArtsNL, however, is a separate, provincial funding body that also financially supports select musicians and industry staff within our province. ArtsNL funding will be unaffected by the federal budget review.
What does this mean for NL music?
Many familiar favourites in the scene were only able to produce some of your beloved Fogtown classics thanks to government grants.
St. John’s-based indie rock band The Way East received a grant from MusicNL to create their first record, set to come out in the new year. Lead vocalist Christopher Hibbs, a musician who’s navigated the NL scene for almost 20 years, offered his comment on the financial strain of creative projects and what receiving a grant made possible for the band.
“It gave us an opportunity to kind of push the barrel a little bit further, it gives you the ability to work with award-winning recording engineers, producers,” said Hibbs.
“It also gives you the ability to work with the community. I think that’s probably one of the most important things that we know. It gave us the opportunity to take money that was given to us to now employ other people locally.”
It’s difficult to predict what might happen if Carney’s government does indeed reduce arts funding significantly. However, many people are not optimistic.
“Things are changing, you know… we all know about what happened to the folk festival. It’s [funding] from these organizations like Factor Canada, for example, who help with Music NL Week, which is soon coming up,” Hibbs explained.
Hibbs also discussed the double-edged sword of DIY production, saying that “…I sometimes wonder if that is the reason why. Is it different things like that – they figure that the money is not needed? Because there are other resources, so they’ll figure it out. Artists will always figure it out because they’re creative, they can do it.’”
While we love and appreciate DIY here in the Newfoundland scene, many musicians believe that this should not be the only option for artists across Canada.
This story is still developing as the federal budget is imminent. The Muse will provide updates as it progresses.
