Artist Call: CIRAA Mentorship Program

The Canadian Independent Recording Artists' Association (CIRAA) has a new mentorship program for up-and-coming artists. Check out the details below and apply by December 16th.

The Canadian Independent Recording Artists' Association (CIRAA) is Canada's only national not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to Canadian independent recording artists. The organization has just announced a new mentorship program and is currently accepting applications.

The program includes 15 hours (over a three month period) of in-depth, personalized, one on one advice from an established working musician. The mentors include Austra, Jeremy Fisher, Peter Katz, and The Good Lovelies and what topics will be covered is open to the mentor and mentee, based on the needs of mentee. A tailored fit!

The deadline for the first mentorship with Austra is December 16th, 2012. The instructions on how to apply, from ciraa.ca/mentorship.php:

1) The basic requirementsto apply for a mentorship are: -Be a member of CIRAA (Not a member? Join Here ) -Have performed 10 shows in the last year -Have released at least one album or EP Please detail your evidence of the basic requirements in the clearest and easiest way possible on one page.

2) Send a 1 page letter making your pitch. CIRAA will be selecting the top 3 to 5 applications and forwarding them to the mentor for the final decision. So make your argument about where your career is, why you need this mentorship and why you believe this mentor is a good match for you as a mentee.

3) E-mail your application to mentorship@ciraa.ca with the following info: -Subject: Application for Mentorship with “name of the mentor” -Include links to your social media/online presence -Attach your 1 page Basic Requirements and 1 page Pitch. Failure to follow these instructions will likely disqualify your application. If you have any questions, feel free to email gaby@ciraa.ca with your questions.

When you're ready to apply, send it all in to mentorship@ciraa.ca. Good luck!

How to Apply for a CIRAA Groundbreaker Grant

In April, the CIRAA (Canadian Independent Recording Artists Association) announced their new Groundbreaker Grant program to assist performing artists by awarding $100 micro-grants per live gig played.  When you're a working musician every bit counts, so I decided to throw my name in the hat.

I've heard it said that the every Canadian musician's dream is to break even. True, it can be hard to make a living as an artist, but it's not impossible. When you're performing and touring, you're counting on ticket and merch sales to cover your costs, on the road and back home. You're also submitting your setlist to SOCAN - but that process, though completely worth it, has such a long time delay, it doesn't help you when you just need gas money to get you to the next town.

The CIRAA started the Groundbreaker Grant program to help bridge this gap. Twenty $100 micro-grants are awarded monthly to artists who have played a live show during the previous month (to a $1200 yearly max). The recipients are chosen by lottery draw from all eligible applications. Applications are open from the 1st-10th of each month for gigs played in the previous month - so during this August window, only gigs played in July are eligible.

The application process is remarkably simple and quick.

Become a member - it's free and easy - at ciraa.com/register.php.

From your account, click My Grant Application.

Enter the gig details - venue, type of performance (local, tour, album release) and date. Choose a gig image to upload - gig poster, newsclipping - and hit submit.

Done!

The names of the 20 artists drawn from the lottery selection are announced via Twitter at 4pm on the next business day after the 10th of each month. You know I'll be keeping my eye on @theciraa next week.

If you're a performing musician in Canada be sure to apply - as they say, you've got to be in it to win it!