Women-identifying creatives in New York City will soon have the opportunity to receive financial assistance by way of city-sponsored grants. Announced on Wednesday, the New York City Mayor’s Office will commit $500,000 to help fuel the careers of female music makers in hopes of generating more diversity within the historically male-dominated music industry.
According to reports shared on Wednesday, the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre (formerly known as “NYC Women’s Film, TV and Theatre Fund”) under direction from the Mayor’s office will now include music under its financial umbrella for the first time ever. The latest edition of the city’s financial-meets-creative initiative was announced by the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (“MOME“) commissioner Anne del Castillo during the annual New York Music Month conference: Innovation at the Intersection of Music + Tech earlier this week. The announcement marks the start of the second round of a $5 million, three-year program run through MOME.
Applications for grant funding will become available starting next month for female-identifying producers, composers, engineers, solo musicians, ensemble bands, and orchestras who are not currently signed to a major record label, and live within New York City. Aspiring musicians and producers must also provide evidence of having played numerous concerts and must have proof a growing fanbase.
Qualified applicants may ask for up to $20,000 in city-sponsored grants–to be administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts–to fund a new EP, album or video for yet-to-be-released work. The money awarded in grants may be administered to help creatives pay for rented studio time, instrument/equipment rental, and more. Winners of the funds for the will be announced in March 2020. As of this week’s announcement, the program has already awarded $1.5 million in grants to 63 various projects in film, TV, theatre and digital media, all created by women.
“We are thrilled to announce the addition of music to our NYC Women’s Fund to commit $500,000 to the cause of fostering greater gender equity in the music industry,” del Castillo mentioned in a statement with the announcement. “This is an important step in our ongoing efforts to increase representation across the media and entertainment sectors.”
Head here for application info.
[H/T Billboard]
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