The MusicNL Program Refresh process took place over a 3 year period and was led by the MusicNL Program Manager, along with a board-appointed committee created in 2021. The refresh process was a response to the industry changes as a result of the pandemic. The staff and the committee led a full hands-on research process, focusing on the program criteria based juxtaposed against the applications received in all the programs. The process revealed that the current open tier system didn’t provide a fair chance to all applicants. The Program Manager regularly faced the challenge of convincing emerging artists to apply for the more attainable tiers, and juries expressed concerns about evaluating applications that were not in the appropriate tier. 

Before the Program Refresh,  there was no firm criteria to guide members into the appropriate funding tier.  This created a cycle of frustration among unsuccessful applicants, who would often re-submit viable projects, but at a funding tier that did not align with their career level.  This dynamic also used valuable organizational energy in evaluating applications that were not aligned to the corresponding funding tier.

The purpose of the Program Refresh is to create the conditions that allow a greater proportion of successful applicants to receive the support they need at various stages in the evolution of their careers. 

MusicNL understands that the music ecosystem is evolving at a rate that is often faster than program funding can keep pace with.  We remain open to hearing feedback about any gaps as the new program guidelines roll out.  Please feel free to send any feedback to: programs@musicnl.ca