PERFORMANCE FEES

Commission Agreement or Employment Contract and Tax-Free Travel Expense Reimbursements

Artistic work must be compensated either as a salary or procured as a purchased service. Applicants must take into account any potential employer obligations related to salaries/fees/compensation for work (such as tax withholding, employer's social contributions, and income register notifications).

THE APPLICANT FOR LIVE MUSIC SUPPORT IS RESPONSIBLE. for paying the performing artist's fee (via an invoice for purchased services or payroll). Estimated or calculated fees and calculated tax-free travel reimbursements must not be included in grant applications or grant usage reports.

Musicians' work may be agreed upon through either employment contracts or commission agreements:

• Commission agreement establishes a contract between businesses or between a business and self-employed person, where the performer works as an intependent professional or entrepreneur. The performer submits and invoice to the client after the performance. Check the definition of "compensation for work" for clarity.
• Employment contract establishes an employment relationship, where the performer works as an employee and receives a salary according to the agreement.
• Kilometer allowances and daily allowances are tax-free travel reimbursements. Only an employer can pay travel expenses incurred from work trips tax-free to an employee (per Section 71(1) of the Finnish Income Tax Act).
• If a private individual receives a grant to cover artistic expenses, those expenses can no longer be deducted in their personal taxation. See deductible expenses incurred from practicing art (Section 31(1)(4) of the Finnish Income Tax Act).

GENERAL

Information and assistance regarding agreements between the event/concert organizer and the performer, as well as the calculation and payment of fees, can be obtained from industry associations, organizations, talent agencies, accounting firms, and invoicing services.

For all tax-related matters, the Finnish Tax Administration is the primary source of information. The applicant is responsible for ensuring the have up-to-date information related to taxation.

The Finnish Music Foundation R.F. (MES) is not the commissioning party or employer for musicians' performances. MES does not comment on agreements or pricing between the concert/event organizer and the performer. The performer must negotiate their own contract with the organizer. The organizer may apply for support for performance fees.

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Useful links for both event/concert organizers and performers:

• Finnish Musicians' Union - Information bank for musicians
• Society of Finnish Composers - Income guide
• Teme - Salary or invoice?
• Salary vs. compensation for work
• Reporting compensation for work
• Special cases of income types - performance fee
• Taxation of grants, scholarships, and honorary awards
• Deductible income-generating expenses from earned income
• Tax-free travel expense reimbursements can only be paid in an employment relationship - guidelines for different situations
• Freelancers and taxation
• VAT on performance fees
• Palkka.fi - Payroll service
• Keikkalasku.fi - Service or invoicing performance fees
• Ukko.fi - Service for invoicing performance fees

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Planning a concert? making a recording? Want to focus on creative work? Apply for a grant from the Finnish Music Foundation!

The Finnish Music Foundation R.F. (MES) promotes diversity of domestic music by supporting its creators, performers, publishers and producers. MES supports the production of performing artists and composers, lyricists and arrangers who are Finnish or permanently reside in Finland.

The Foundation promotes and financially supports live music events related to Finnish music, the production of music recordings, the marketing and export of music, publishing and education. The promotion focuses on professional activities and covers all musical genres.

The support is financed by the funds allocated to the private copying levy, government grants and donations from the Foundation's backers. MES was founded by Gramex and Teosto.

Don't assume, Know!

The deadline for applications is 24:00 on all application days. Late applications will not be taken into consideration and will not be granted ex-post (except for the Sound Production Grant and the Music Video Grant, for which please see the information below the Grant form). MES does not operate in the evenings or during the weekends, so please take this into account in case of a possible need for assistance. For the more popular types of aid, the server may become congested during the last two days of the application period, so make sure you apply early!

An expense grant/project grant can only be used to pay for the costs of artistic activities. The applicant is the entity (individual or organisation) responsible for the income and costs of the project.

If the grant recipient uses the support provided by MES to hire labour, the grant recipient is responsible for the usual employer obligations, such as withholding taxes, incidental expenses and income tax declarations.

A well thought-out income and expenditure estimate will add credibility to the application. In most cases, the amounts awarded are between 30-50% of the project budget. Consider which attachments are relevant to the assessment of the application.

Grants are not awarded for the purchase of musical instruments or equipment

Decision-making process

Once the application deadline has passed, the application process takes 4-8 weeks. The processing time is affected by the number of applications and the timing of the Foundation's expert committee meetings after the deadline. The foundation's board confirms the proposals made by the expert committees. Applicants will be notified of the decision by email.

The Foundation does not give reasons for its decisions, nor does it issue statements to applicants, therefore the applicant does not have the right to inspect the stored application evaluation data.

Taking VAT into account in the cost estimate and the report

VAT will only be accepted as an eligible cost if it is ultimately payable by the grant recipient. If the grant recipient deducts the paid value-added tax (VAT) in their taxation, the approved cost for the supported project will be the net amount. The grant recipient must organize their accounting in such a way that the use of the grant can be reliably tracked.

General

Financial support for audiovisual production is granted for music-based productions featuring Finnish performing and/or creative music genres. Eligible projects include music videos, music-related documentaries and films as well as music education programmes and other AV productions promoting Finnish music. Aside from actual AV grants, financial support is also available for screenwriting and advance planning to help develop the concept and idea all the way to production launch. Music videos are not eligible for this type of support. The maximum grant is 50% of the project budget except for the support available for screenwriting and advance planning purposes.

Applications must be submitted within 4 months of the release of the video or programme. Applications received after said date will not be processed. Awards of grants for music video productions are based on the finished music video.

Criteria for financial support

Financial support is primarily provided for professional productions. For example, student projects are not eligible for support.

A key criterion is musical content and significance. The grant is designed to promote diversity in AV productions. For music videos, a prerequisite for the grant is that the video featuring the piece of music has been or will be released commercially or otherwise made available to the public. The grant recipient is required to obtain all the necessary licenses from the performers, authors and producers.

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

Hakuohjeet tulossa!

ELÄVÄN MUSIIKIN TUKI

Elävän musiikin tukea on mahdollista saada erilaisiin kotimaista luovaa ja/tai esittävää säveltaidetta sisältäviin projektikohtaisiin hankkeisiin. Myönnettävillä avustuksilla edistetään toimialan kehittymistä, työllistymistä ja osaamista. Painopisteen tulee olla ammattimaisessa tai ammattimaisuuteen tähtäävässä toiminnassa.

Elävän musiikin tuki myönnetään MES-tukena tai VAKA-tukena. VAKA-tuki on Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön myöntämä erillinen määräraha vapaan kentän klubi- ja kiertuehankkeisiin. VAKA-kelpoiset hakemukset poimitaan hakemusten joukosta asiantuntijamme toimesta. Näet päätöksestä, jos tuki on myönnetty VAKA-tukena.

Hakemukset on toimitettava ennen hankkeen toteuttamista, jälkikäteen tulleita hakemuksia ei käsitellä. Hankkeille myönnettävät avustukset voi käyttää aikaisintaan hakuajan päättymisen jälkeen syntyviin kuluihin. Jos esiintymisten päivämääriä, esityspaikkoja eikä esiintyjiä ole vahvistettu, hakemus on tehty liian aikaisin, eikä sitä voida käsitellä.

Hakemuksessa tulee olla:

• - vahvistetut esiintymisten päivämäärät, vahvistetut esityspaikat ja vahvistetut esiintyjät
• - yksityiskohtainen keikkalista/konserttilista, joissa näkyy esiintyjät
• - hankkeen talousarvio/budjetti ja projektisuunnitelma (laadi realistinen talousarvio)

Hakemuksen lisätietoihin voit lisätä esim. linkin yhtyeen/esiintyjien/tapahtuman nettisivuille ja ytimekkään esittelyn esiintyjistä. Mieti tarkoin mikä on olennaista tämän projektin osalta.

Hakemuksen tekee se taho, joka vastaa hankkeen tuotoista ja kuluista. Samaan hankkeeseen voi olla vain yksi hakemus.

MES-TUKI

Elävän musiikin tukea on mahdollista saada erilaisiin kotimaista luovaa ja/tai esittävää säveltaidetta sisältäviin projektikohtaisiin hankkeisiin. Painopisteen tulee olla ammattimaisessa tai ammattimaisuuteen tähtäävässä toiminnassa. Tuettavia hanketyyppejä ovat muun muassa yksittäiset konsertit, konserttisarjat, kiertueet ja musiikkitapahtumat sekä kotimaassa että ulkomailla.

• - Kotimaassa tapahtuvissa elävän musiikin hankkeissa tuki kohdennetaan ensisijaisesti muusikoiden esiintymispalkkioihin. Tukea voidaan myöntää myös matka- ja majoituskuluihin sekä markkinointikuluihin. Laskennallisia kuluja ei hyväksytä. Taiteellinen työ on korvattava palkkana tai ostopalveluna.
• - Ulkomaille suuntautuvissa hankkeissa tuki kohdistuu pelkästään matkakuluihin (esim. lentolippu, laivalippu, junalippu, majoituskulut, vuokra-auton kulut).

Showcase- ja muut promootioesiintymiset, joista esiintyjille ei jää matka-, majoitus- ja muiden vastaavien kulujen jälkeen palkkiota, kuuluvat markkinointi- ja vientituen piiriin.

Esiintymisen harjoitteluun liittyviä kuluja ei voi sisällyttää tähän tukimuotoon. Voit hakea taiteellisen toiminnan harjoittelujaksoon erikseen työskentelytukea, joka on tarkoitettu tavanomaisiin elantokustannuksiin työskentelyjakson aikana.

Keskeisiä tukikriteerejä:

• - esiintyjien taso ja ammatillinen valmius
• - hankkeen sisällön laatu ja taso
• - hankkeen musiikillinen, kulttuurinen ja alueellinen merkitys
• - hankkeen tulo- ja kulurakenteeseen tulee olla realistinen
• - ulkomaille suuntautuvien hankkeiden kohdalla huomioidaan matkan merkitys esiintyjän/esiintyjien uran kannalta.

Tukea ei pääsääntöisesti myönnetä:

• - esiintymisiin, joista muusikoille ei makseta palkkiota tai ei jää palkkiota kulujen jälkeen
• - harrastustoimintaan liittyviin hankkeisiin, muun muassa oppilasorkestereiden tai muiden harrastajaryhmien hankkeisiin
• - harrastajakuorojen tavanomaisiin konsertteihin kotimaassa
• - VOS-toimijoiden perustoimintaan liittyviin hankkeisiin
• - esiintymisiin, joissa tekijänoikeudellisesti suojatuista teoksista ei makseta esityskorvauksia
• - vakiintuneille valtion- ja/tai kunnanavustusten piiriin kuuluville isoille musiikkijuhlille/festivaaleille
• - musiikkijuhlien/festivaalien yksittäisiin konsertteihin, paitsi kun niiden tuotannosta ja taloudesta vastaa jokin muu taho kuin musiikkijuhla/festivaali itse
• - teatteri-, sirkus- tai tanssiproduktioille, joissa musiikin osuus ei ole poikkeuksellisen merkittävä
• - kilpailujen järjestämiseen ja niihin osallistumiseen
• - soittimien ja laitteiden hankintaan

VAKA-TUKI (Valtakunnallinen klubi- ja aluekiertuetuki)

VAKA-tuki on Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön erillisellä määrärahalla rahoitettava tuki. Sitä myönnetään ammattimaisesti toimivien muusikoiden, musiikkiyhdistysten, musiikkiklubien, konserttitalojen, alan yritysten ja yksittäisten tapahtumantuottajien kotimaassa järjestämiin konserttisarjoihin.

VAKA-tuen kriteerit täyttävät hankkeet poimitaan elävän musiikin tuen hakemusten joukosta asiantuntijan toimesta. Näet päätöksestä, jos hankkeelle on myönnetty VAKA-tukea.

Hyväksyttäviä kululajeja ovat muusikoiden esiintymispalkkiot, matka- ja majoituskulut sekä markkinointikulut. Laskennallisia kuluja ei hyväksytä. Painopisteen tulee olla ammattimaisessa tai ammattimaisuuteen tähtäävässä toiminnassa. Taiteellinen työ on korvattava palkkana tai hankittava ostettuna palveluna. Huomioi mahdolliset työantajavelvoitteet.

Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön rahoittamissa hankkeissa noudatetaan erityisavustuksen ehtoja ja rajoituksia. OKM:n edelleen jaettavan avustuksen saajien kanssa tehdään sopimus avustuksen käytöstä, käytön valvonnasta ja niiden ehdoista. Sopimus lähetetään päätöskirjeen mukana.

Päätöskriteerejä:

• - esiintyjien taso ja ammatillinen valmius
• - projektin sisällön laatu ja taso
• - projektin musiikillinen, kulttuurinen ja aluepoliittinen merkitys
• - projektin tulo- ja kulurakenteeseen tulee kiinnittää huomiota

Projekteiksi ei hyväksytä:

• - Suomen rajojen ulkopuolella järjestettäviä tapahtumia
• - ilmais-/hyväntekeväisyystapahtumia ja esiintymisiä
• - teatteri-, sirkus- tai tanssiproduktioita, joissa livemusiikki ei ole keskeisessä osassa
• - opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön myöntämää festivaalitukea saavia tapahtumia

ESIINTYMISPALKKIOT - toimeksiantosopimus vai työsopimus sekä verovapaat matkakustannusten korvaukset

Taiteellinen työ on korvattava palkkana tai hankittava ostettuna palveluna. Hakijan tulee huomioida mahdolliset työnantajavelvoitteet palkkojen/palkkioiden/työkorvausten osalta (ennakonpidätykset, työnantajan sivukulut, tulorekisteri-ilmoitukset).

Elävän musiikin TUEN HAKIJA VASTAA esiintyvän taiteilijan palkkioiden maksusta (ostopalvelulasku tai palkanmaksu). Hakemuksiin ja apurahan käyttöselvityksiin ei saa lisätä laskennallisia palkkioita eikä laskennallisia verovapaiden kustannusten korvauksia. Musiikin edistämissäätiö ei ole muusikoiden esiintymisten toimeksiantaja eikä esiintyjän työnantaja.

Muusikoiden töistä sovitaan sekä työsopimuksin että toimeksiantosopimuksin:

• - Toimeksiantosopimuksen perusteella syntyy yritysten tai yrityksen ja elinkeinonharjoittajan välinen sopimus, jolloin esiintyjä työllistyy itsenäisenä ammatinharjoittajana tai yrittäjänä. Esiintyjä toimittaa toimeksiantajalle laskun esiintymisen jälkeen.
• - Työsopimuksen perusteella taas syntyy työsuhde, jossa esiintyjä työllistyy työntekijänä. Työntekijänä saat sopimuksen mukaisesti palkan.
• - Kilometrikorvaus ja päiväraha ovat verovapaita matkakustannusten korvauksia. Verovapaita matkakustannusten korvauksia voi maksaa vain työntekijälle, joten sinun pitää olla työsuhteessa maksajaan.

Keikan tilaajan ja esiintyjän välisistä sopimuksista, palkkioiden laskennasta ja maksamisesta saat tietoa ja apua alan yhdistyksistä, järjestöistä, ammattiliitoista sekä ohjelmapalvelutoimistoista, tilitoimistoista tai laskentapalveluista.

• - Suomen Muusikkojen liitto ry
• - Verovapaita korvauksia voi maksaa vain työsuhteessa - ohjeita eri tilanteisiin
• - Palkka.fi -palvelu
• - Keikkalasku.fi -palvelu
• - Arvonlisävero esiintymispalkkioista
• - Esiintymispalkkio-tulolaji-tulorekisteri

RAPORTOINTI

Myönnetyt tuet maksetaan sen jälkeen, kun hanke on toteutunut hakemuksen mukaisesti. Hankkeen käyttöselvitys tehdään sähköisen hakujärjestelmämme kautta, johon kirjaudut omilla tunnuksillasi.

Hankkeen hyväksymispäätös edellyttää, että hanke toteutetaan hakemuksen mukaisessa muodossa ja laajuudessa. Jos hankkeen toteutuneet tuotot ja kulut poikkeavat oleellisesti hakemuksen budjetista, MES pidättää itsellään oikeuden tarkistaa päätöstä.

OKM:n määrärahalla rahoitettavaa VAKA-tukiprojektia tulee seurata luotettavasti projekti- tai kustannuspaikkatasolla. Pääkirjaote tulee liittää mukaan selvitykseen.

Hyväksyttäviksi kustannuksiksi katsotaan hankkeen kannalta tarpeelliset ja määrältään kohtuulliset kustannukset.

Arvonlisävero hyväksytään avustettavaksi kustannukseksi vain, jos se jää avustuksen saajan lopullisesti maksettavaksi.

Yleiskustannukset ovat tuen saajan yleishallinnosta aiheutuvia kuluja, jotka eivät suoraan kohdistu mihinkään tiettyyn toimintoon, projektiin tai hankkeeseen. Jos yleiskustannus aiheutuu toimijalle hankkeesta huolimatta, ei yleiskustannusta voi kohdentaa tuettavan hankkeen kirjanpitoon. Yleiskustannusten määrä voi olla enintään 15 % tuettavan hankkeen kustannuksista. Tämä osuus tulee perustella ja kohdentaa hankkeeseen.

HANKKEEN KÄYTTÖSELVITYKSESSÄ TULEE OLLA:

• - Kirjanpitoon perustuva yhteenveto hankkeen tuloista ja menoista.
• - Hankkeen vapaamuotoinen tapahtumaraportti, joka sisältää kuvauksen hankkeen onnistumisesta, tiedot kävijämääristä, tiedot tapahtuman näkyvyydestä, tiedot kulurakenteesta sekä tiedot tukimuodon tarpeellisuudesta hakijan toiminnassa.
• - Liitä selvitykseen toteutunut keikkalista/konserttilista päivämäärillä sekä esiintyjät.
• - Hankkeen kustannuspaikka- tai projektitasoinen pääkirjaote. Tulot ja menot voi eritellä myös esim. Excel-pohjalla.
• - Jos hankkeelle on myönnetty Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön VAKA-tukea, liitä selvitykseen päätöskirjeen mukana toimitettu sopimus allekirjoitettuna.
• - Yksityishenkilöt, jotka eivät ole kirjanpitovelvollisia, toimittavat kululaskuja (myös maksutosite) vähintään myönnetyn summan edestä.

General

Publication grants are awarded, among others, for the publication of Finnish sheet music or print-on-demand sheet music. This form of financial support is primarily designed to contribute towards editorial, proofreading and printing costs and is mainly intended for professional publishers. However, it may also be granted for other publication purposes related to the music industry.

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

General

Education grants are primarily awarded for the organisation of supplementary and advanced training intended for professionals for the purpose of promoting Finnish music. Personal study grants are excluded.

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

General

Choir travel grants are available for foreign tours under a specific appropriation granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The key criterion for this type of financial support is the choir's artistic standard and its ability to serve as a representative of Finnish choir culture abroad. The itinerary is also taken into account.

Applications for travel grants are processed once a year. Applications need to be filed before the project is implemented. Any applications received after the closing date will not be processed.

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

General

Marketing and export grants are available for a range of domestic marketing and export projects designed to promote and increase awareness of Finnish music internationally, while at the same time boosting demand and sales and earning export revenues. This type of financial support is provided for projects with the potential to generate export revenues directly or indirectly.

Aside from the budget and timetable, the marketing plan must identify the party implementing the plan. For example, a plan for an export-promoting trip must be accompanied by information on foreseen meetings and the measures by which music exports will be promoted.

Applications need to be filed before the project is implemented. Any applications received after the closing date will not be processed.

Examples of typical projects eligible for marketing and export grants

• An information and marketing campaign in Finland or abroad related to a specific project, company or field of activity
• Participation in international music fairs, exhibitions and other events involving export-related objectives or actions that have not received travel or works export support from Music Finland
• Export and other PR publications intended to promote exports (Please note that applications for support for music videos and other audiovisual PR publications are normally filed using Music Finland's AV support application process)
• Foreign showcase, warm-up and other promotional performances for which musicians receive no compensation

As a rule, financial support is NOT granted for

• Ordinary information, development and marketing efforts, such as the creation of websites or established e-commerce platforms, demo production costs or record releases
• Ordinary performances or tours for which performers receive financial compensation (see live music grants)
• Export projects that have received or may receive release tour or showcase support from Music Finland. For these, MES support is only available in exceptional cases. Export events coordinated by Music Finland and supported by MES through MF (e.g. Womex, Midem, Eurosonic), only receive grants in special cases, such as individual artists with no company and so ineligible for MF's support.
• Export projects not deemed to involve actual export objectives, plans or products that may not be realistically expected to generate any export revenues over any timeframe
• Trips to export and trade fairs as well as events held in neighbouring areas (e.g. Tallinn, St. Petersburg and Stockholm)
• Participation in contests
• Daily allowances

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

Work grant for private individuals and ensembles / groups

Criteria

Work grants are available for private individuals for uninterrupted work periods of 1, 2 or 3 months. For members of ensembles or teams, the 1-month grant may be halved at the discretion of the panel of experts. Work grants are intended for creative work, such as composing, writing and making arrangements, practicing for performances and recordings or any combination of these activities. Eligible for the grant are professionally active persons engaged in the music industry and performing artists with a proven track record of artistic work.

The application must be accompanied by a detailed plan for the work to be carried out during the foreseen period, followed by successful completion of the plan. If the work grant is intended for recording, indicate the timetable for the release and the publisher; if for a performance, indicate the timetable and foreseen venue in addition to your work plan. Work grants are also available for composition, writing and arranging projects even if the date of publication is not yet know at the time when the application is filed.

Work grants are personal and intended to cover ordinary living expenses during the work period. The grantee may not draw any equivalent grant or pay concurrently with the work grant. Gainful employment, including paid holidays, is forbidden during the period the grant is used. However, it is permissible to work on a part-time or temporary basis as long as the working hours do not exceed 20% of full-time hours. An unemployed grantee must report the work grant both to the Employment and Economic Development Office (TE-toimisto) and the party paying the unemployment benefit.

Application process

The application must always be filed before the foreseen work period starts. Any applications received in arrears will not be processed. The same applicant may receive a grant for a maximum period of 3 months during any one calendar year.

File the application using your personal user credentials. If you have already registered as an applicant using the credentials of an association, entity or company, you cannot use the same credentials to apply for the work grant.

Ensembles and teams

Each member of the ensemble/team must apply for the work grant personally. Also, indicate in your application the name of the ensemble/team as well as the other members of the group.

Each member of the ensemble/team must apply for the work grant at the same time because the applications are reviewed simultaneously. Any applications received in arrears will not be processed.

Amount of the work grant and taxation

The amount of the work grant given by the Finnish Music Foundation is EUR 1.900,00 per month. For members of ensembles or teams, the grant may also be halved at the discretion of the panel of experts to EUR 950.00 per two weeks period.

Work grants given by the Finnish Music Foundation are personal and intended to cover ordinary living expenses during the work period. The grantee may not draw any equivalent grant or pay concurrently with the work grant.

Grants and stipends awarded for the purpose of artistic work are tax-exempt up the same amount as state artist grants. In 2024, grants are exempted from tax up to EUR 26.269,46.

The grantee is not required to submit a tax card for the payment of the work grant. The Foundation files an annual report on the grants paid with the Tax Administration.

Additional information on the taxation of grants:

Taxation of grants - Finnish Tax Administration

For Grant Applicants - Association of Finnish Foundations

Payment and use of the work grant

Follow the instructions for drawing down the work grant given in the letter of decision.

The work grant is paid out in the month during which the work is carried out. There are two dates of payment: at the beginning or in the middle of the month. A new payment of the grant will not be made unless the previous period is duly accounted for.

The request for payment must be made no later than one week before the date of payment. Indicate in your request for payment which data of payment you prefer. As the Foundation will pay the grant to the bank account indicated in your application, you need not give the bank account number in your request. The personal grant may not be reassigned to another person or transferred to the account of a company or entity.

The period of validity of the grant is indicated in the letter of decision.

Report on the use of the work grant

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.

Prepare a freely worded report within two months of the end of the work period. Failure to submit the report will prevent the disbursement of any further grants.

While members of ensembles/teams may submit a joint report on the use of the funds, each member must attach it to their own application. Each member is responsible for his/her own report.

The Finnish Music Foundation is interested in knowing what was achieved with the grant and what was its role and impact in the realisation of the project. At the same time, we wish to ascertain that the grant is used for the purpose indicated in the application.

The report must provide the following information:

• Name and decision number
• All members of the ensembles and teams
• Purpose for which the grant was applied for
• Start and end dates of the work period
• A fairly detailed description of how the planned work period played out and what was achieved with the aid of the grant
• The timetable for the release/performance of the repertoire practiced during the period or the date of publication/performance of the composition

General

The MES’s record production grant is available either as a recording grant or artist grant. Both types of support are granted for producing recordings of Finnish creative and/or performing music. The same applicant may only apply for either a recording grant or artist grant during any single calendar year. Artist grants are not awarded for individual recordings. A specific electronic application form is used for both forms of support.

Applications for both grants are reviewed by a panel consisting of experts in various music genres. Classical and popular music have their own panels.

Key criteria for recording and artist grants

• quality and standard of the music and performance
• originality, freshness and novelty of the repertoire
• musical and cultural relevance of the recording
• a commercial professionally-run physical and/or digital distribution platform, such as iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify or telecom operator services must exist for the recording. YouTube is not an eligible distribution platform.

Recording grant

Recording grants are available for individual recordings that include several works of music. The size of the recording (album, EP or similar) must be indicated in the application. The application must be accompanied by no fewer than three but no more than five samples of the music recorded. The samples must be taken from the finished recording (no raw-mixed content). The application for support must be filed within 4 months of the release of the recording.

Key criteria for the artist grant is the quality and standard of the music and presentation, originality, freshness and novelty of the repertoire, the musical and cultural relevance of the recording as well as distribution.

A commercial, professionally-run physical and/or digital distribution platform, such as iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify or telecom operator services must exist for the recording. YouTube is not an eligible distribution platform.

Artist grant

The artist grant is a form of support offered to the company releasing the recording. It is designed to promote professional publishing in all genres of music. The same applicant may only apply for either a recording grant or artist grant during any single calendar year. Artist grants are not awarded for individual recordings.

Career support is intended to boost the professional career-building efforts of Finnish artists and other artists residing in Finland, and to allow artist to take risks by participating in productions designed to advance their careers.

Reporting

A report on the use of the funds must be filed via our application system to which you log in using your user credentials.