Commissioned work - Music
Deadline: 03.10.2022, 2:00 PM
Funding for commissions of new music by artists working within the musical field.
Please note that you can submit your application until 14:00 on the closing date, but we recommend that you submit earlier.
N.B. Significant change implemented at next application deadline in October 2022. The artist must now make the application and thereby not the commissioning party as previously. Please read the sections “Who may apply?” and “What must the application contain?” carefully.
Please note, that the application from now on can only be made in Danish.
Two deadlines in 2022: 3 May and 3 October.
Who may apply?
- Artists working within the musical field with a significant attachment to the Danish music life who have been commissioned to write music for a specific occasion.
Artists within the musical field include composers, songwriters, sound artists or producers working across all genres.
The commissioning party may include, for example, Danish or non-Danish orchestras, bands, singers, ensembles, concert organizers, museums, festivals, associations, musicians, projects or institutions wishing to host a concert, an event, a publication, a residency or "huskomponistaftale", or to engage in another form of binding short- or long-term agreement.
The Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee for Music Grants encourages projects that engage children and young people as well as those representing a geographical diversity.
The artist/s must have made an agreement with the commissioning party as well has having accepted the concrete assignment and commission.
You may also apply for funding for music written in collaboration by more than one artist.
The date of the planned premiere/first performance must be after the date of the application deadline. The previous rule stating that the premiere/first performance cannot happen within the first 12 weeks after the application deadline, has now been abolished.
The committee encourages all hosts and commissioning parties to co-fund the artist’s fee with the Danish Arts Foundation. This applies especially to larger institutions, where the committee encourages a substantial co-funding of the artist’s fee.
The commissioning party is not restricted to being one connected to the Danish music scene. N.B. It is no longer possible to apply via an English application form.
In order to receive the grant payment, it is a precondition that the new music will premiere/be performed.
YOU CAN RECEIVE FUNDING FOR:
- your commission fee as an artist working within the musical field in the occasion of a party wanting to commission new music to be created for a specific occasion.
WHO MAY NOT APPLY?
- You cannot apply for funding if you are enrolled on a degree approved for SU nor if you are enrolled as a student on MGK.
Purpose of the program
To stimulate the commissioning of new music by Danish artists in furtherance of a diversity of expressions and musical experiences for the benefit of a large audience.
This goal is pursued by co-funding artists’ fees for new music commissioned by various actors.
How your application will be evaluated?
The general criterion for all funding awarded by the Danish Arts Foundation is the quality of the artistic production and talent viewed in conjunction with the project outlined in the application.
The Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee for Music Grants approaches applications with a fluid concept of artistic quality, where this quality is defined in relation to the context in which it exists.
When evaluating the applications, the Committee for Music Grants is looking for music, which shows a clear artistic intention and is well-executed.
- Artistic intention is demonstrated to the committee by the showing of a clear artistic idea, and a musical singularity
- The committee considers music to be well-executed where the artistic idea is realised and a mastery of the musical medium is apparent
Furthermore, the committee is looking for music, which is:
- Challenging
- Thought-provoking
- Moving
- Artistically or socially relevant
Additionally, the committee considers how the new music will engage an audience.
As the committee’s funds are limited, it cannot fund all qualified applications. The committee reserves the right to award a smaller grant than the amount applied for, based on the overall field of applicants, the available funds, and the desire to ensure diversity among the recipients. If you receive a smaller grant that the amount applied for, it will be stated in the funding letter if you are to send us further information before we are able to make the payment of the grant.
When evaluating an application, the committee may take into consideration whether the composer is currently receiving or has previously received grants from the Danish Arts Foundation within the past three years. An honorary grant from the Danish Arts Foundation will not be part of the assessment.
What must the application contain
You must submit your application via our grant portal. We do not receive physical material.
Once you have created your profile on our grant portal, you can enter portal at any time and check that you have included all the required documents and information before submitting the application.
We recommend you to use the browsers Chrome or Firefox when you fill in the application form.
You must attach the following:
- A mandatory appendix – must be filled out by the artist (use this mandatory template – N.B. only exists in Danish)
- Mandatory documentation stating that the commissioning party has confirmed an agreement with the artist with regard to the commissioning of new music for the concrete occasion. The documentation could e.g. be an email from the commissioning party, which confirms the date of the planned premiere/first performance as well as the participation of the artist in question. Upload as a PDF.
- A mandatory MP3 file containing a recent musical piece/audio sample by the artist.
- If relevant, a PDF version of a recent musical score or sample sheet music (maximum 25 pages).
If you are applying for funding towards more than one artist in relation to the same project and commissioning party, each of the artists must make their own application.
Please be aware of the following:
- The total size of the attached files may not exceed 25 MB in total
- We accept the document formats PDF, Word, MP3 and MP4. We do not accept ZIP files.
- Before the deadline expires, you can edit an already submitted application and submit a new version.
- After the deadline, you cannot send additional attachments nor can you edit an application.
- The committee will always process the most recently submitted application.
- Your application must contain all mandatory appendices in order to be assessed by the committee. Additional material to that described in the application guide, will not be included in the assessment of your application.
- You are responsible for ensuring that the application form is completed correctly and that all the required appendices are attached. Therefore, check your submitted application in the portal to ensure that all documents are included.
- You cannot transfer an application and or any given funding to another person or company/institution. Therefore, it is important that you make sure that it is the correct person or company/institution, whom sends us the application. Furthermore, you must ensure there is a “Nemkonto” setup with the CPR or CVR number used.
How much you may apply for?
To get an idea of usual grant amounts, you can look at previously awarded grants on our website (in Danish). NB! The funding program was previously named "Composer Agreements" or in Danish "Komponistaftaler".
Payment
If the committee decides to grant your application, the artist's fee is paid directly to the artist. We pay the grant as soon as possible after we have received a copy of the completed musical piece from the artist.
The artist must have a NemKonto available for the payment transfer. We transfer all grants to the NemKonto linked to the Danish CPR/CVR number stated in the application. If you, for example, apply with a new CVR number, you have to make sure that it is linked to a NemKonto. You have to do this before a potential grant is awarded.
We report the grant to the Danish Tax Agency, but tax has not been deducted from the payment.
When
You will receive the committee’s decision within 12 weeks after the application deadline.
Throughout those weeks, the committee will read and process all submitted applications. We will publish all awarded grants on our website (in Danish), once all applicants have received the committee’s decision.
The names of all applicants are made public on our website in the committees’ minutes (in Danish).
When you have submitted your application
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a screen receipt which you can download if you wish, but you can always see your application and its status in the Grant Portal under "My Applications".
You will not receive an email receipt to confirm that you have submitted an application.
On the specific application in the Grant Portal, you can also see the appendices you have attached to the application.
It is your own responsibility to ensure the necessary documents have been attached and sent to us - so remember to look through your application carefully.
You can edit an application even if you have already submitted it. As long as it is done before the application deadline! If you edit an already submitted application, you must make sure that all necessary appendices are included again and that you send off the lastest version to us through the portal.
If you need to contact the secretariat, write via the contact form on the specific application in the Grant Portal.
Law basis
Decisions are made in accordance with section 3(1), cf. (2) and (3) of the Danish Act on the Danish Arts Foundation’s Activities (Act no. 458 of 8 May 2013).
Commitment
When the Danish Arts Foundation awards funding, it is important, and not least legally required, that the money is used for the purpose you have described in your application. Therefore, you must report on your project to the Agency for Culture and Palaces.
When you receive funding for commisioned work, you as the artist must send us a copy of the completed musical piece(s) as well as information on the premiere/first performance, before we can pay you the grant. Furthermore, a smaller number of grants will be randomly tested and asked to send us documentation on the premiere/first performance. Read more about how to report on your commissioned work (in Danish).
Who will evaluate your application?
The Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee for Music Grants processes the applications and makes the final decision concerning the distribution of the committee’s funds.