What is New Music Single?
New Music Single funding can be used for recording a single, creating visual content to promote the single, and other promotion costs to increase New Zealand audience awareness and engagement with the audio and video content.
To be eligible to apply for New Music Single funding, we ask that you have reached at least 10 out of 30 criteria benchmarks for your music to date. If you can reach at least 10 out of these 30 benchmarks, then your song and application can be submitted to be assessed by our expert funding panels.
As of January 2024, the mandatory 10% Artist Creation Fee amounting up to $1,000 plus GST (if applicable), will be appended to your grant and disbursed exclusively in the final Drawdown. This fee pertains to internal creative services provided to the project by the artist. Consequently, the New Music Single funding grant of $10,000 will include an additional maximum payment of up to $1,000, resulting in a total funding amount of up to $11,000.
Funding Criteria – Are you eligible?
As of January 2025, we have updated our New Music Single criteria to address the high demand for funds. This was once again in response to our Music Funding Review, and you can read the updated criteria below.
All artist applicants must meet a minimum of 10 out of 30 criteria before you can apply for New Music Single funding.
Before you apply for New Music Single funding you must ensure you reach our entry threshold criteria, as well as ensuring your music is classified as New Zealand music.
To qualify for funding, you must answer ‘yes’ to at least 10 of the 30 criteria set out in the funding criteria document below. This helps to demonstrate that you have already started reaching an audience with your music and there is some public demand for the music you’re making.
The document will ask you about:
- Your audience and/or following
- Your track record in the New Zealand music scene
- Your business credentials
- Your strategic plans for what you will do with funding
There is also information about eligible costs, grant allowance and what is considered a responsible use of public funds.
As of January 2025, all Music funding applications must include an initial budget outlining your expected costs. This is to help assessors understand what you will be using the funding for and allows applicants to budget their project prior to receiving funding.
Successful applicants can now claim any eligible expenses from the date the funding round opens, instead of from the date the funding round closes.
Read below for what is required for each drawdown instalment:
Drawdown 1: $8,000 – Advance
- Read and sign your Funding Agreement letter (this is sent to the applicant's email address who applied for the funding)
- Submit the Initial Budget for your single that is approved by the NZ On Air Music team
- Read and sign the Safe Spaces Agreement
- Provide your invoice for this $8,000 instalment
Drawdown 2: $2,000 – Advance
- Evidence that you have completed your audio track and video content with the correct NZ On Air logo applied in accordance with our accreditation requirements
- Confirmed release date for the single
- A written update on the creative progress of the Single and the work done to date
- Cost Report showing your expenditure to date against the Initial Budget
- Provide your invoice for this $2,000 instalment
Drawdown 3: $1,000 – Advance (with Artist Creation Fee)
- Evidence that you have released your single, video content and completed promotion
- A written update on the creative progress of the Single and the work done to complete the Single
- Final Cost Report showing your expenditure to date against the Initial Budget
- Provide us with a Marketing and Promotion report in accordance with our requirements outlined
- Provide your invoice for the $1,000 Artist Creation Fee
If you do not have Excel or Numbers, please click here to use the Google Sheets online to fill in your Application Budget.
When using Google Sheets, please go to the top left corner to click "File" then "Save as Google Sheets" to duplicate this template to your Google Drive. You can then fill it out with your budget costs, then link to the sheets OR download as a Microsoft Excel file to upload into the application.
New Music Single Jan/Feb
Applications Open: Thursday 16 January
Applications Close: Thursday 30 January, 4pm
Results Published: Thursday 27 February
New Music Single Mar/Apr
Applications Open: Thursday 20 March
Applications Close: Thursday 3 April, 4pm
Results Published: Thursday 8 May
New Music Single Jun/Jul
Applications Open: Thursday 29 May
Applications Close: Thursday 12 June, 4pm
Results Published: Thursday 11 July
New Music Single Aug/Sep
Applications Open: Thursday 31 July
Applications Close: Thursday 14 August, 4pm
Results Published: Thursday 11 September
New Music Single Oct/Nov
Applications Open: Thursday 2 October
Applications Close: Thursday 16 October, 4pm
Results Published: Thursday 13 November