Funding

The Impulse Program (Impulsprogramm) is a new funding program designed to provide support on short notice and via a simple application process for specific international live performances devoted to breaking into new target markets and have a reasonable expectation of a long-term, sustainable effect: showcase and festival performances, individual events, presentations, performances as a support act, and brief tours, provided that the activity promotes Austrian music internationally and can reasonably be expected to have a long-term impact.

Criteria:

Applicants must be either professionally active music organizations, such as booking or management agencies, labels, or publishing companies or Austria-based, self-marketing musicians, provided they are responsible for the commercial organization of the activity. Applicants for Impulse Program support do not have to have received a production grant from the Austrian Music Fund.

A single artist or group may receive one or more subventions per year under the Impulse Program, maximum €7,000 per year, to be used for:

• Transport and accommodation costs for musicians, technical crew, and music professionals
• Musicians’ performance fees
• External fees and promotional costs
• Rental fees for technical equipment and venues

A “green incentive” – an additional bonus of 10% of the grant – is available for projects incorporating environmentally friendly practices.

Please note: Financing through the Impulse Program is intended to cover costs incurred during the funded activity. If income earned from the activity (through fees, sponsoring, etc.) is enough to cover the costs, the activity cannot be supported!

Applications can be submitted at any time; deadlines for the jury meetings in 2025 are as follows:

• Call 2025-01: Submission deadline: January 22, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: February 10, 2025)
• Call 2025-02: Submission deadline: March 12, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: March 31, 2025)
• Call 2025-03: Submission deadline: May 21, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: June 10, 2025)
• Call 2025-04: Submission deadline: July 16, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: August 04, 2025)
• Call 2025-05: Submission deadline: October 22, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: November 10, 2025)

Application form (German)
Complete guidelines (German)

Contact: Paulina Parvanov
email: parvanov@musikfonds.at

The OMF+ program is designed to support artists, ensembles, and bands in establishing themselves on the music market or broadening their audiences. Subventions can be production-based (marketing an album, EP, or other release) or project-based (marketing a tour, fostering international collaborations, etc.). They are intended to support modern marketing strategies and market campaigns lasting up to 12 months in Austria and internationally. The inclusion of international market strategies positions OMF+ as a component of Austrian Music Export’s sustainable music export strategy.

OMF+ applicants must be professionally active persons or businesses (labels, publishing agencies, management, or self-marketing artists) with the necessary knowledge to strategically plan and execute the supported project. Up to 50% of total project costs can be covered by an OMF+ grant; the remaining 50% can be partially or completely covered by personal funds or labor. The maximum subvention per project is €10,000.

How to Apply

Eligibility is determined on the basis of a point system including criteria such as previous support from Austrian Music Export or the ÖMF, professionalism, and diversity. A previous production grant from the Austrian Music Fund is not a requirement to apply for an OMF+ grant (though it is a consideration).

Applications can be submitted via the online application form and will be evaluated in the course of two calls:

• Call 2025-1: Submission deadline May 21, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: June 23, 2025)
• Call 2025-2: Deadline: October 22, 2025 (announcement of the jury’s decision: November 24, 2025)

All further information and guidelines can be found (in German) on the ÖMF homepage.

The Austrian Music Fund (Österreichische Musikfonds) offers support for the domestic and international touring activities of artists and bands. This support is only open to acts that have already received a production grant (Produktionsförderung) from the fund, on the condition that the act cannot sufficiently finance the tour on their own. No more than 1/3 of the concerts may have taken place at the time the tour support is granted.

• Subsidized concerts must all take place within a 12-month period
• The concerts must be in direct connection with the production subsidized by the Austrian Music Fund.
• Concerts/tours in Austria must begin within 12 months after the release of the subsidized production and include a minimum of 3 concerts in three different Austrian states.
• International concerts/tours (and tours with both Austrian and international concerts) must begin within 36 months after the subsidized production and include a minimum of 3 concerts in different cities.
• No more than 1/3 of the concerts may have taken place at the time the tour support is granted.

Tour support can be applied to musicians’ performance fees (fair pay guideline: €300 per person, per performance) and other costs associated with the concerts – equipment rentals, fees for sound and light personnel, advertising and travel costs, etc. The amount of the subsidy will be calculated according to individual requirements.

The Austrian Music Fund can confer a “green bonus” of 10% of the subsidy amount on projects incorporating environmentally friendly practices.

Application deadlines in 2025:

• Call 25-01: Submission deadline: April 9, 2025 (receipt of documents), announcement of the jury’s decision: April 28, 2025
• Call 25-02: Deadline: June 11, 2025 (receipt of documents), announcement: June 30, 2025
• Call 25-03: Deadline: October 1, 2025 (receipt of documents), announcement: October 20, 2025

For complete information see Austrian Music Fund – Tour Support and funding guidelines.
Application materials are available on the application page (all information and forms in German).

Feel free to contact office@musikfonds.at with any further questions.

Austrian Music Export offers support for travel costs and accommodation for artists for their participation in international songwriting- and/or producer camps,

where they collaborate with international artists. Maximum support per artist is € 1000.- per year.

This support is part of our Building Bridges capacity building program co-financed by LSG Producers and the Association of the Film and Music Industry.

Applications can be submitted at any time by e-mail to office@musicexport.at and include a project description and specification of eligible costs for transport and accommodation.

Applications must be submitted before the start of the activity.

… for Export Activities at Festivals or Showcase Events

Austrian Music Export offers travel funding for musicians selected to perform at industry events like ESNS – Eurosonic Noorderslag, The Great Escape, the Reeperbahn Festival, etc. and at festivals and events in our annual focus countries. In some cases, we can also provide support for music professionals traveling to such events.

Contact:
email: office@musicexport.at

Building Bridges is an initiative of Austrian Music Export for music industry professionals to increase the internationalization rate of Austrian repertoires by focusing on training and international exchange. Find out more here.

Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKOES)
The Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKOES) offers tour and travel support for Austrian musicians. You should at least apply three months in advance.

• Tour and travel support for Austrian music ensembles and musicians in Austria and abroad Next to information on your legal entity, submission should include: artistic CVs of the participating artists, detailed information about the program, a tour schedule, a Letter of intent from the organizer and a balanced detailed calculation. Also add sound examples and links to material published online.
• Travel grants for Austrian composers whose works are to be performed abroad Your submission should include: A copy of your residence registration form, an artistic CV, detailed information about the program, a travel itinerary, a Letter of intent from the organizer, a balanced detailed calculation, sound examples, DVD, links to material published online.

You can find an overview of funding programs for music and performing arts here: BMKOES – Arts and Culture Division (Division IV)

Cultural Section of BMEIA
The global network of the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs can assist Austrian persons or organizations in accessing new markets, providing local support and advocating for favorable conditions . The BMEIA Cultural Section offers grants for cultural or scientific projects at home and abroad.

Austrian Cultural Forums
The international network of Austrian Cultural Forums organizes cultural and scientific projects and acts as a service point for Austrian creative artists and scientists. They are oriented on the specific needs of its local users and partners and have sole responsibility as to the content of their programs.

Austrian States Some of Austria’s Federal States provide additional services and information on grants and travel support. mica – music austria has compiled and regularly updates a list of these services organized by state.

GO INTERNATIONAL

Go International is an initiative of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) to support export activities of Austrian small and medium-sized enterprises. Austrian exporters can receive direct financial support from go-international to meet targeted goals. All programs are managed through the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber’s International Department and trade promotion organization, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA.

Further Information:

• go-international Program
• Overview of all funding opportunities
• Brochure on the Austrian Export Industry: Broschüre Österreichische Exportwirtschaft 2019/2020 (PDF)
• Guideline for the Digitization Check: Richtlinie zum Digitalisierungsscheck (PDF)
• Guideline for the Internationalization Check:Richtlinie zum Internationalisierungsscheck (PDF)
• Guideline for the Digital Marketing Check: Richtlinie zum Digital Marketing Scheck
• Sample application form: Musterantrag Internationalisierungsscheck (PDF)

VIENNA BUSINESS AGENCY

The Vienna Business Agency is the first address for national and international companies. It provides financial support, buildings and impulses for urban development as well as free service and advice. The Vienna Business Agency aims to strengthen Viennese companies and their innovativeness.

Vienna Business Agency
Guide on internationalisation initiatives (PDF)

TelepART grant

The Finnish Institute in Germany [Finnland-Institut Deutschland] promotes artistic cooperation between Finland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The TelepART program addresses aspiring talents in the field of performing arts (theatre, performance, circus, dance and music). What is special about the TelepART grant is that the funding will be made available to the artists within a short period of time.

Link: Finnland-Institut Deutschland

CULTURE MOVES EUROPE: MOBILITY FOR ARTISTS AND PROFESSIONALS

CULTURE MOVES EUROPE is a program that supports the mobility of artists and cultural workers. It is part of Creative Europe’s Culture concept. Rolling calls for all sectors will be open at once, every year between autumn and spring. It connects artists, creators, and cultural professionals from the countries participating in the Creative Europe programme. The mobility scheme is particularly focused on emerging artists. Applications can be submitted for grants supporting INDIVIDUAL MOBILITY or RESIDENCES. For more info, see the full article.

Link: Detailed Program and Application Info (PDF)