Sound Recording

• Please note that the budget templates in our Grant Management System are updated every year. Do not re-use templates from a previous application. If you are unsure, please contact a Program Advisor.
• Details on travel expenses have moved from the Guidelines to our Travel Policy.
• Please note that the General Guidelines have been updated for 2025-26.
• In addition to the acknowledgement requirements for all grant recipients listed in the General Guidelines, successful recipients of a Sound Recording Grant must include Creative Saskatchewan’s logo on the back cover of any CD, vinyl, album, or cassette produced.

The following were removed from the Assessment Criteria from last year:

• Budget Backup for more than 50% of line items over $500.
• Two bonus points being awarded if a key team member identifies as one of the specified equity-seeking groups.

The following section was added to the Assessment Criteria for this year:

• The resumes, bios or CVs should align with the work they are being hired to do on the project.
• Budget line support documentation should be provided for all line items $500 and over. If support documentation has not been provided for more than 50% of line items $500 or more, the application will be deemed ineligible.
• Examples of budget line support documentation include:
  • Estimates or invoices from vendors and service providers
  • A calculated breakdown of applicant or staff labour (#of hours x $rate = total)
  • An email, text message, price list, or website screenshot from the vendor or service provider confirming their rate. The applicant has included budget backup for more than 50% of line items over $500
• A note was added that demo submissions do not need to professionally produced. Creative Saskatchewan understands that applicants may have different resources at their disposal and may be at different stages of their careers. Assessors will be scoring creative and will not be scoring recording quality of these demos.
• Information required for the demo was shortened to:
  • Title
  • Composer(s) name(s) (if applicable)
  • Additional technical information about the recording
• A note was added that “The Plan and Marketing Strategy” needs to be more specific than a general marketing plan. Include details of how this project will allow you to grow your market and how you plan to reach them. The work plan should realistically inform the timeline and the budget.

Please note that the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility bonus points are now worth four points instead of six.

• Recording and mixing expenses are only eligible if they are completed in Saskatchewan. However, mastering and manufacturing expenses are eligible regardless of where they are completed.

• 80% of your grant is paid when the application is approved. The remaining 20% of your grant is paid after the project is complete and your final report has been approved.
• Don’t forget to acknowledge the support you’ve received from Creative Saskatchewan by following our guide here.

There are three stages to our payment process. The stage in which your application is in will determine the approximate date of your payment:

Step 1: Invoice Submission & Coding

• Estimated timeframe: within 1 week of receipt

Step 2: Approval Process

• Estimated timeframe: 1-5 business days (varies based on approvers’ availability)

Step 3: Payment Processing

• Estimated timeframe: 3-5 business days after approval

Please note that this is simply a summary. We follow a strict multi-step process to ensure accuracy and compliance with industry standard financial best practices.

If you have questions regarding your payment status, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Accountant via our Staff Directory.

Anytime! Applicants do not need to wait until one grant is completed before starting another application.

Yes! Applicants do not need to wait until one grant is completed before starting another application.

The time it takes to fill out a strong application varies from person to person and often depends on project complexity or the amount of detail included.

For this reason, we strongly encourage applicants to apply well in advance of the program deadline. Allow yourself time to:

• Read the General Guidelines and the Guidelines specific to the program that you’re applying for.
• Book a consultation with a Program Advisor if you need any support or have a draft ready for review
• Make any necessary edits and conduct a final proof
• Submit your final application

We just need to know your key milestones and deliverables here – details can be fleshed out in the project plan section of your application!

For information on per diem, mileage, exchange rates, accommodations, and currency conversion requirements, please click here.