Carrie Sweeney

Samuel Thomson of the band Blind Commentary applied for Creative Saskatchewan’s Showcase or Sell Travel Grant, receiving funding for him and his band to travel to Toronto to perform at the renowned North by Northeast music festival (NXNE).

Blind Commentary is an emo and alternative-rock band based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The band’s signature sound is described on Bandcamp as “a dynamic fusion of shoegaze, emogaze, grungegaze—essentially any and all variations of ‘gaze,’ infused with hardcore elements.”

Thomson reported on their experience at NXNE as a “significant milestone for our band, and the funding from the travel grant played a crucial role in making it possible.” The grant covered a range of essential expenses, including plane tickets, accommodations, transportation, and meals throughout their stay. “This financial support proved invaluable, especially for our individual band members, many of whom are still young or currently pursuing their education.”

Beyond the logistical benefits, the opportunity to attend NXNE allowed the band to connect with a wide array of talented artists and musicians. They participated in the official NXNE conference, which provided a platform for learning and exchanging ideas with other professionals in the music industry. Moreover, they were able to engage with fellow performers and share experiences, both on stage and off, building lasting connections that they hope will foster future collaborations.

“Overall, the support from Creative Saskatchewan was not just a financial boost but an essential part of expanding our network and advancing our career as musicians.”

Follow Blind Commentary on these platforms:

Bandcamp

Spotify

Instagram

YouTube

Written by Carrie Sweeney

If you’re a musician going on tour, what can take a tour from good to great? Number one: whether you’re on the road or flying, a solid travel playlist really sets the tone of your trip. Number two: support from Creative Saskatchewan’s Tour Support grant can make a huge difference in your experience and to your bottom line. Brittney MacFarlane happens to be well-versed in both.

We sat down with Brittney to learn about her experience in the music industry, and to get her insights on Creative Saskatchewan’s valuable Tour Support grant.

“I’ve always been a music lover and loaded my parents’ computer with countless tracks as a kid. I loved creating playlists and sharing music with friends, collaging covers and track lists for them. Crafting the perfect mix tape is an art in itself!”

Q: Could you share a little about your background and what led you to your current role?

A: In addition to loving music, I’m a huge bibliophile and have always loved reading. Once I graduated high school, I attended the U of R as an English major, and then made the switch to Business, specifically Human Resources. After graduating I worked as a Human Resources Advisor for a few years in the area of Training & Development. This eventually led me to the role of Program and Education Manager at SaskMusic! Getting to work in the music industry was a dream come true and I learned so much working in this role for over nine years. I really enjoyed helping folks with grant applications and educating folks on funding availability. It led me to join the team at Creative Saskatchewan as a Program Advisor where I could support applicants of all creative sectors to understand the application process and help with their project planning.

I recently moved into a new role as Program & Industry Association Supervisor, which I’m very excited about! I now help lead the coordination and administration of industry association programming, plan and support outreach initiatives, contribute to client support innovation, and still work directly with applicants on their funding applications and final reports.

Q: What’s one aspect of this work that you find most rewarding?

A: Seeing the direct impact funding can have on the success of a project! Grant recipients always have the opportunity to share their “success story” as part of their final reporting package, and it’s always so much fun hearing about how the project went.

About the Grant

Q: For those unfamiliar, how would you describe the Tour Support grant and who it’s designed to help?

A: The Tour Support grant is designed to help musicians develop their markets and fan bases. Whether it’s around the province, across the country or internationally! It helps with things like flights, accommodations, mileage, per diems, performance fees, hiring players or tech support. Touring can be really hard on the mind and body, and sometimes funding assistance can make the difference between sleeping on someone’s basement floor and living off gas station sandwiches to ensuring a good night’s rest in a proper bed with nutritious food while being paid a living wage, which all help keep artists at their best.

Q: What’s a common misunderstanding about this grant that you’d like to clear up?

A: In previous years Tour Support applications had to be submitted at least two weeks before you hit the road. This is no longer the case, and applications only need to be submitted the day before travel. As with all of our grants, you don’t need to wait until you get your result to start incurring expenses either. Once you submit the application, you can start spending money related to the project. The one exception to this, which is super helpful when it comes to travel, is that flights and accommodations can be booked AND paid for before you even submit the application with us.

Q: In your view, how does Tour Support funding impact the broader music community or industry?

A: Touring creates lasting memories for your fans. The performances create these beautiful, shared experiences for the people in those rooms, with the memories living on long after the encore. Some of my favourite times have been traveling to see a band on tour or seeing a band perform at my favourite local venue. The anticipation of wondering how the live show compares to the album. Wondering if the band will play your favourite song. The curiosity of what the merch is going to look like, and can you afford one of everything? I think providing funding to support these activities is a crucial part of fostering healthy and thriving music communities. It’s also a direct opportunity for the artist to generate revenue for themselves. Often bands receive a guarantee from the venue, they get money from the tickets sales, they are provided an opportunity to directly sell their albums and merch to fans. Following a show, they get new social media follows, newsletter sign-ups and increased streams. With the rising costs we’ve seen in recent years, touring has become prohibitively expensive in many cases. Being able to offset some of your costs with funding support keeps more money in the artist’s pocket and allows them more security to keep doing what they love.

Application Tips

Q: If someone is applying for the first time, what’s the most important thing they should keep in mind?

A: Gathering the supporting documentation is integral to a successful application. Confirmation of shows, whether in the form of emails, text or contracts needs to be uploaded at the time of application. Budget support needs to be provided for at least 50% of your line items that are $500 or more to have your application move on to the assessors. Lots of little pieces! I always suggest folks book a review for completeness with a Program Advisor to make sure you have everything needed for your application to move on to the assessment panel.

Q: What are some pitfalls applicants should avoid during the process?

A: We often see premature applications submitted when crucial details still haven’t been finalized. Unconfirmed tour dates can’t be included with your application and will be deemed ineligible, with those expenses being removed from the budget. If you include too many of these tentative dates, you risk having over 50% of expenses ineligible, which affects the eligibility of the entire application. There’s no harm in waiting for details to be confirmed, as applications are all assessed once a deadline closes, not as they come in.

Q: Is there a detail or requirement that applicants often overlook but is crucial to include?

A: One of the assessment criteria for this stream is “What is Being Toured” which is awarded based on the newness of albums or singles released. BUT folks often miss describing the release they’re claiming points for in the content of the application! In order for us to accurately award these points, supporting details need to be provided in the application. This is especially important if you’re claiming points for a future release that doesn’t have any publicly available release information attached to it yet!

Final Thoughts

Q: What advice would you give to emerging artists who feel daunted by the application process?

A: We’re here to help make things less daunting! We want you to succeed. We want to give you funding. We’ve got an entire Program team who want to make it easier for you, so ask questions! We also work very closely with our music industry association (SaskMusic), and they’ve got a roster of industry mentors who can help review the content of your application. Keep in mind it will only get easier as you become more familiar with the granting system. Funding is intended for artists of all calibers, whether emerging or established, so don’t let imposter syndrome win!

Q: Where can artists go for more information or to get support with their application?

A: I recommend booking a consultation with one of our amazing Program Advisors! They are friendly and accessible and here to help. Our website has a ton of helpful information but sometimes chatting about your project with someone can help filter things out and steer you in the right direction. There are some great tips and resources on our social media and YouTube pages and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter (The Spotlight) for the most up to date information on programming and deadlines.

As one of the music whizzes on our Program team, Brittney has been our representative at BreakOut West for 3 years – an annual music festival that changes cities every year, and a common Tour Support grant destination. “It’s always exciting getting to see music venues and spaces in new places. There are usually a ton of Saskatchewan artists showcasing that I can cheer on, and it’s got a really strong conference component, so it also serves as an incredible professional development opportunity.”

Brittney’s go-to music genres are Indie, Alternative, Folk, and Rock. Some albums you might find on her tour playlist right now include Marissa Burwell (Before the Hour’s Up), Saya Gray (Saya), Geese (Getting Killed), Foxwarren (2), Dijon (Baby) and Florence and the Machine (Everybody Scream).

We’re so grateful to have Brittney on our team! Feel free to connect with her here.