City of houston
Musicians and Music Venues Economic Relief Program
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council approved $3 million for the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Musicians and Venues Economic Relief Program. Funded through the Federal CARES ACT, the program will provide immediate and short-term assistance to the Houston music sector impacted economically due to COVID-19.
Online Application Portal closes Wednesday, November 25 at 5:00 p.m. CST
Maximum Grant Award
For Musicians: $5,000
For Music Venues with an operating budget of up to $2 million: $50,000
For Music Venues with an operating budget of over $2 million: $100,000
Applications are NOT processed on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Program Objective
The goal is to be a resource that Houston musicians and for-profit and nonprofit music venues economically impacted by COVID-19 may leverage to sustain their operations during and after the pandemic.
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants for the purposes of this grant must:
- Be a Houston-based nonprofit or for-profit organization that derives 51% or more of its gross receipts from ticket sales as opposed to mixed beverage gross sales. Ticket sales for events involve the performance of local musicians, OR
- Be a musician, which is described as a person who is at least 18 years old and creates music by playing an instrument, including vocals, as a profession in venues. Musicians can be individual performers or a member of an ensemble. Limit one application per musician. Musicians who are focused solely on teaching their craft are not eligible to apply.
- Provide documented proof of significantly decreased revenue due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
- Be located or reside in the City of Houston limits as verified by the online Council Member mapping tool.
- Must be in good standing regarding City requirements, e.g. property taxes, personal property, grounds for debarment, etc. , and be in good standing with Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA), with no overdue or delinquent reports and/or documentation.
Review Process and Criteria
The application includes a set of need-based assessment criterial. Each question is scored and staff will review application for eligibility and completeness.
Emphasis will be given to:
- venues and musicians that reside or are located in Complete Communities,
- venues and musicians that have not received other COVID-19 relief, and
- musicians that represent under-resourced populations and communities
Note: M-AAA strives to ensure that artists across all genre of music, of every race, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability status, and socioeconomic class have access to funding. The demographic survey is optional, but these factors are included in the rating scale so we ask that applicants provide as much information as possible.
The applications will be ranked by objective scores and funding will be applied until funding runs out.
Incomplete applications or applications not meeting all criteria will not be considered for funding. Applicants will not have an opportunity to resubmit missing information. All applicants will be notified of their application status at the same time.
Contracting and Payment
Application available: Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Application deadline: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. CST
Grant Status Notification: the week of December 7, 2020
Payments to be distributed by USPS the week of December 14, 2020
*Please note: Houston CARES funding decisions are discretionary and are not subject to appeal. Given the expedited nature of the application and review, M-AAA will not provide comments on draft materials or feedback for funded or declined applications.
Grant recipients must comply with the Federal policies and legal requirements, statues, and regulations as stated in M-AAA’s Assurance of Compliance. Grant recipients are required to make accommodations for constituents with disabilities upon request.
Grant recipients are considered all professional performers and related or supporting professional personnel at no less than the prevailing minimum rates of compensation.
Grant awards are considered income. Grant recipients are responsible for all tax obligations under federal, state, and local laws.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit an online application through M-AAA’s application portal by 5:00 p.m. CST, Wednesday, November 25, 2020. Download the Grant Guidelines, including the Application Checklists: For Venues and For Musicians. Any additional questions may be directed to grants@maaa.org.
There will be virtual office hours for those with questions, taking place Monday, November 23 from 3–5:00 p.m. and Tuesday, November 24 from 10:00 a.m.–noon. Sign up for a time here. At your designated time, join the office hours waiting room here. Those unable to attend are encouraged to email grants@maaa.org.
Below, please find two informational webinars to walk both musicians and music venues through their application processes.
Webinar for Musicians
Webinar for Music Venues
Grants made possible by the City of Houston and the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs
For more information about COVID-19 related emergency financial help or the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, visit houstontx.gov/culturalaffairs. You can also follow MOCA on Facebook and Instagram @HoustonMOCA.
#HoustonCARESAboutMusic #HoustonMOCAcares
These grants are administered by Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance strengthens and supports artists, cultural organizations, and communities throughout our region and beyond. We believe in more art for more people.