Mei Lai on triple j

Alice Springs performer - and MuNT Forum member - Mei Lai Swan has released her brand new track Wedding Day to radio this week. Already it has been played nationally on triple j, "given a spin" by presenter Dom Alessio on his nightly new music show, Home & Hosed. Mei Lai is hoping that with a bit of support the song might also be selected for heavier rotation. To find out how you can help, visit this link on the Music NT Forum. Congrats Mei Lai!

Read an interview with Mei Lai on the Music NT Forum.

Bid on the Big Apple's biggest music festival...

For the first time CMJ Music Marathon - "New York City's largest music festival" - is accepting submissions via Sonicbids, asking artists to apply early through the online "gatekeeper" between bands and promoters. Sonicbids is a platform used by a good number of Territory bands and artists.

"Attracting more than 120,000 music professionals, artists and music enthusiasts" every year, CMJ say they will be booking "50 artists who submit by March 31, 2010." So if you were kinda sorta thinking about submitting, now might be a good time... Apply via Sonicbids.

Skinnyfish 'seeds' partnership with JB

JB Seed Fund (now simply called "The Seed") has announced a partnership with Skinnyfish Music for a new funding initiative entitled the "Skinny Fish Indigenous Community Music Initiative." With the support of The Seed, Darwin-based record label, distributor and publisher of Indigenous music Skinnyfish will "create paid performance opportunities for community bands in and around their homelands" through "existing and established festivals and events". The deadline for applications is March 15, 2010.

The Seed also invites applications for its other funds, including Art For The Public and the Management Workshop Initiative, of which NT singer/songwriter Jess Ribeiro was a recipient in 2009. Visit The Seed website for details.

Hilltop Hoods Help Hip Hop

Aussie Hip Hop supergroup Hilltop Hoods - in association with APRA - have announced a funding intitiative to help Australian-grown Hip Hop music. Called “The Hilltop Hoods Initiative” they will give “one emerging Australian Hip Hop artist a career starting opportunity with $10,000 to release and promote an album”. It is open to emerging Hip Hop artists who have not released an album professionally or commercially." The winner will also be invited to showcase at the 2010 Song Summit.

Applications close February 22, 2010. Visit the APRA website for details.

Go ahead and JUMP.

Youth Arts Queensland is inviting Australian artists to apply for the JUMP National Mentoring Program for Young & Emerging Artists. JUMP “supports the career development of artists aged 18-30 in the first five years of their professional practice, by providing mentoring opportunities with established professionals in their artform." Mentored artists receive funding of up to $5,000.

Applications for artists close February 26, 2010 - you can also refer an artist... Visit the JUMP website.

Round 2 for ArtStart grants

National arts body "OzCo" has announced that Round Two of its $10,000 ArtStart grants is now open.  ArtStart is a newly created grant scheme from the Australia Council of the Arts, designed to help budding artists grow an "income-generating career". ArtStart grants can be used for "developing skills and business support, renting studio space or tools, getting expert business advice, growing skills in marketing and promotion, or putting together a portfolio".

Round Two closes March 8, 2010. For further details and to view an information video, visit the OzCO website.

Opportunity for unsigned Indigenous artists

The Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) and The Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) have announced that Australian Indigenous artists are the first unsigned artists eligible to access Amrap’s AirIT. AirIT is community radio’s exclusive catalogue of Australian music curated by Amrap. Until now artists  available on AirIT were mostly signed to major or independent record labels.

 

Up to three tracks from every Indigenous release recommended by AMIN will be added to Amrap’s AirIT. The partnership will see a number of Indigenous artists added to AirIT each month. For further details and announcements, visit AirIT at the AMRAP website.