Local bands get cash to drum up business
Published Wednesday October 22nd, 2008
Four of Fredericton's favourite musical acts have been awarded $118,500 in grants through New Brunswick's Music Industry Development Program.
The money will be used to cover some of the costs associated with the production, marketing and promotion of the bands' recorded music.
The Olympic Symphonium will receive $60,000 over three years.
The province will also give Grand Theft Bus a $40,000 grant. That money will be doled out through instalments over the next two years.
Bluesman Ross Neilsen's company, Boot Soup Entertainment, will receive $10,200 in 2008-09, and new indie-rock band The Slate Pacific has been awarded a grant for $8,500.
The Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport will spend $398,700 on the Fredericton acts and six others scattered throughout the province, including Moncton-based artists Chris Colepaugh and the Cosmic Crew and fiddler Dominique Dupuis, and Saint John acts Jessica Rhaye and Hospital Grade.
James Boyle co-owns local record label Forward Music Group, and his company has released albums by both Grand Theft Bus and The Olympic Symphonium.
Boyle said the grants will help introduce New Brunswick bands to the rest of Canada.
"We're starting a national radio promo campaign for Grand Theft Bus's new single, Private Wars, which we weren't able to do until now," he said.
"We're looking at options for things like music videos, promotional videos. It's a pretty huge thing for both bands and a big step for New Brunswick."
Boyle said every applicant had to submit an extensive business proposal in order to prove the band's commercial viability and economic potential.
"They don't just give away money," he said.
"Some people in the country lately have sort of made statements about how arts are over-funded, and I really think this application process was a lot of due diligence - we're talking 30-page business plans, marketing strategies, etc. And ultimately, we're confident we can put more money back into the economy than we received."
Kyle Cunjak, bass player for Olympic Symphonium and co-owner of Forward Music Group, said the grants will help the band make it to important networking events such as this winter's East Coast Music Awards.
"We'll be able to afford to attend the ECMAs in Corner Brook (N.L.) this year and have been able to apply for (other) awards and showcases as well," he said.
"A lot of people don't realize that playing and attending these events costs way more than they can return in monetary value. It's a huge expense for a band that wouldn't normally have $4,000 lying around to use as an investment in these conferences."
Cunjak said he thinks New Brunswick is making a wise investment by supporting some of the province's cultural ambassadors.
"New Brunswick's music is still very much hidden in the forest that surrounds us," he said.
"Bands in this province need the help, big time. A large part of this money is going to go back into New Brunswick as well (through things like) video production, recording studios, independent artists and musicians, graphic designers, web programmers, and mechanics for our (touring) van."
Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport Minister Hedard Albert said the province has improved the grant program and that proves New Brunswick has been listening to stakeholders in the music industry.
"New Brunswick's music industry is thriving in recent years, with more and more artists and talents coming forward to express themselves," Albert said in a release.
"Our program, which is getting very positive reviews from other Canadian jurisdictions, will enable these entrepreneurs to stay in the province and keep on producing music that reflects our cultural reality."
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