Funding

Austria offers a variety of funding opportunities for music professionals. This page gives an overview on the support programs of Austrian Music Export and international tour support in Austria, as well as offering useful web links, guidelines and brochures on the Austrian Music Industry.

Austrian Music Export Programs

Impulse Program

The Impulse Program 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 2024 are as follows:

  • Call 2024-2: March 20 (announcement of grantees on April 8th)
  • Call 2024-3: May 15th (announcement on June 3rd)
  • Call 2024-4: July 17th (announcement on August 5th)
  • Call 2024-5: October 23rd (announcement on November 11th)

Application form (German)
Complete guidelines (German)

Contact: Paulina Parvanov
email: parvanov@musikfonds.at

Tour Support from the Austrian Music Fund

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 2024:

  • Call 43: April 10th (announcement of the grantees on April 19th)
  • Call 44: June 12th (announcement on July 1st)
  • Call 45: October 2nd (announcement on October 21st)

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.

International Tour Support in Connection with Export Activities at Festivals or Showcase Events

Travel funding for musicians selected to perform at events like Eurosonic Noorderslag, The Great Escape, Reeperbahn Festival etc. and the festivals and events in our annual focus countries. In some cases we can also provide support for professionals travelling to these events.

Contacts:
email: office@musicexport.at

More Options for International Funding Activities

International Tour Support (Federal Cultural Ministry)

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.

Please find and overview on the different 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 an act as a door opener for Austrian companies wishing to access new markets, provides local support and advocates corresponding international framework conditions for Austrian companies. In order to support cultural projects, the Cultural Section of BMEIA offers grants for cultural or scientific projects – at home and abroad.

Austrian Cultural Fora
The network of Austrian Cultural Fora abroad organizes cultural and scientific projects and acts as a service point for Austrian creative artists as well as 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 Federal Provinces Some of Austria´s Federal Provinces provide services and information on grants and travel support. Have a look at our list compiled and regularly updated by mica – music austria.

Other Funding Opportunities for International Activities

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:

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. Types of grants are: 1. INDIVIDUAL MOBILITIES ACTION and 2. RESIDENCES. For more info, see our ful article.

Link: Detailed Program and Application Info (PDF)