Music Commission News

The Capability Grants Programme is pleased to announce its newest grant recipients.

A contestable fund from the NZ Music Commission, the Capability Grants Programme supports music industry upskilling, training and development opportunities. The Programme is part of the government’s NZ Music COVID Recovery Package and the wider Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme being implemented by Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Music businesses, organisations, collectives and individuals have been invited to apply for up to $25,000 towards new initiatives, or building on existing initiatives, that support industry, technical and business capability in Aotearoa’s music sector. This includes upskilling projects, training and development opportunities, creating digital tools and resources, and promoting inclusivity, accessibility and wellbeing.

Since the Programme opened for applications in April 2021, more than 70 initiatives and projects across Aotearoa have been supported – with 19 new recipients successfully applying for funding in the final two application rounds.

These recipients are:

Naked Accounting to provide a free financial upskilling initiative for up to 25 musicians to support sustainable, flourishing musical careers.

Creative Capital Arts Trust to deliver a free artist development workshop series for emerging Wellington musicians.

Woodcut Productions Limited for a new 12-week Music Producers Mentoring Programme to provide training and skills building for emerging Music Producers to create music in a commercial setting.

Babybelles to create a series of short videos supporting and supplementing young music students aged 5 to 12 years old with their music learning.

Zeal Education Trust – Taranaki for music production programmes to provide young people with practical experience and skills in live sound and lighting, and Djing.

SongCatcher to deliver a creative songwriting programme focused on children aged 7 to 11 years old in Wanaka and Queenstown.

MoveSpace for a new workshop series aimed at educating and upskilling young emerging artists in Tāmaki Makaurau.

To The Front Te Papaioea to expand with the first To The Front programme in Te Papaioea Palmerston North.

RDU 98.5FM to deliver a 10-month programme on synthesis and synth programming.

MENZA in support of its Creating Safer Spaces in Music Education initiative.

Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa to deliver its Te Ara/The Way music mentoring workshops for disadvantaged rangatahi.

Hamilton Live Music Trust for upskilling workshops and classes with a focus on female and non-binary musicians in the Waikato.

Creative Sounds Society for Soundcheck professional respect training for Palmerston North musicians and music professionals.

Mukukā Musowa for a series of artist development workshops to support musical artists of African descent.

Jesse Austin-Stewart to create a Music Technology Disability Accessibility digital resource to address various aspects of accessibility in music technology.

Zeal Education Trust – Hamilton towards its free music production programmes in Live Sound, Vocals and Beat Making for young people aged 13-18 years old.

Parachute Music for a Producer Development Residency programme.

Rising Sounds to provide mentoring sessions for local artists in South Auckland.

Neck of the Woods to undertake a research project into the Web3 opportunities for Aotearoa’s music venues.