KEYCHANGE - CANADIAN TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2024
CALLING CANADA-BASED ARTISTS & INNOVATORS (INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS):
APPLY TO BE PART OF A BESPOKE KEYCHANGE TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN 2024!
APPLICATIONS OPEN: 14 FEBRUARY 2024
DEADLINE: 7 MARCH 2024, 5pm EST / 2pm PST
N.B. You must read the guidance below and the criteria page before you apply.
Click on the sections below to read the guidance for the Keychange Talent Development Programme. Once you have read the guidance and criteria, you can apply via PRS Foundation’s Flexigrant portal.
You will need to create an account on Flexigrant before you can apply. Once you have created your Flexigrant account, go to the ‘Start a new application’ section to start your Artist or Innovator application.
For more information on how to use Flexigrant, read this step-by-step guide.
ABOUT KEYCHANGE
Keychange is a global gender equity campaign and network which aims to diversify the current music industry to create a more sustainable and stronger community for everyone.
Studies show that there is still a drastic lack of gender diversity and inclusion in local and international music scenes. We believe that this lack of visibility, alongside a toxic environment, has created a system in which women and gender expansive people have been consistently held back and prevented from participating in the music industry.
Keychange aims to rectify this inequality by promoting the work and visibility of underrepresented genders.
In order to achieve equal and diverse representation in music, we must urgently work as a community to increase the visibility, output and participation of women and gender-diverse people. See more information on what we mean by 'women and gender-diverse people' and other Keychange definitions in our Keychange Glossary here.
Supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and led by Reeperbahn Festival, Keychange is a global network and equality movement which includes partners and collaborators in 13 countries, and over 650 organisations committed to progress from over 40 countries. Keychange is committed to raising the profile of minority groups in order to achieve equal and fair representation for all.
WHAT IS THE KEYCHANGE TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME?
Keychange is recruiting women and gender-diverse Artists and Innovators to take part in a 6-month-long programme of development.
The focus of this programme is:
1. To help you to get to the next stage in your career and realise your potential
2. To bring about meaningful change across the music industry and help you to overcome the barriers you face because of your gender
3. To connect you to opportunities created by an international network of individuals, organisations and audiences
If you are selected to be part of the Keychange participant programme, you will join an exceptional network of women and gender-diverse artists and innovators.
2024 SUPPORT FOR CANADA-BASED PARTICIPANTS
In 2024, up to 8 Canada-based women and gender-diverse participants will be selected to join our ever expanding network of exceptional talent.
Following an open call process, partners will be selecting:
- Up to 4 x Artists based in Canada
- Up to 4 x Innovators (industry professionals) based in Canada
Each participant will receive support to develop their careers internationally, with a focus on attending and performing (Artists) or speaking (Innovators) at European events managed by Keychange partners, plus a bespoke package of capacity building support.
Please see ‘WHAT YOU WILL GET AS A KEYCHANGE PARTICIPANT’ for more information.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are open from 14 February 2024 and close on 7 March 2024.
If you are selected, your participation will start from April 2024, and will finish in October 2024.
Keychange is mostly delivered in English language, and you should be able to communicate in English to get the most out of your participation.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘ARTIST’?
We’re looking for innovative emerging Artists with a distinctive and original talent who write and perform their own music and are ready to export and showcase their music to new Europe.
As well as the comprehensive training and capacity building programme, Keychange Artists will get the opportunity to showcase at one of the 4 partner festivals.
See all Artists who have already been part of the Keychange Participant Programme here. Listen to them here.
Mixed gender groups are welcome to apply for showcasing, with the woman or gender-diverse member taking part as a Keychange participant. All bands who apply, whether you are a mixed gender group, or all women and gender-diverse, will need to select 1 member who will be the Keychange participant. We recommend that you consider who would most benefit from being part of the network, and who could have a positive impact on the network too.
Each successful applicant will get a bursary and a stimulating programme of capacity building activity, detailed below.
NB: Only artists based in Canada and those signed to Canadian-owned labels (including self-releasing artists) are eligible to apply
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘INNOVATOR’?
An ‘Innovator’ is anyone working in music who doesn’t write and/or perform their own music.
Innovators could be: a music lawyer, an A&R, a festival programmer, a DJ who does not write their own music, a booking agent, a mastering engineer, a public relations expert, an app developer, an artist manager, someone working for a label in business affairs, and more. It’s what is traditionally thought of as ‘behind the scenes’ - you might call yourself an ‘industry professional’, or an ‘executive’.
Innovators will be industry professionals pushing the boundaries of music industry practice, demonstrating an interest in new business models and innovative ways of working, with a growing professional track record.
Each successful applicant will get a bursary and a stimulating programme of capacity building activity, detailed below.
See all Innovators who have already been part of the Keychange Participant Programme here.
WHAT IF I AM AN ARTIST AND AN INNOVATOR?
We understand that people have many different skills, careers and roles in the music industry. We want you to bring your whole self to Keychange. However, you must decide which area you would like to focus on in your Keychange application, based on what you have coming up in 2024 and what areas you would like to develop. You can apply as EITHER an Artist or an Innovator. The application forms are different for each strand, so each will have slightly different criteria. There may be the opportunity to explore multiple aspects of your career in the programme, but you cannot be part of Keychange as an Artist AND an Innovator.
If you apply for both, you may be ineligible so think carefully about which aspect of your music career you’d like to focus on in 2024:
1. Your own songwriting and performing career: apply as an Artist
2. Your professional ‘behind the scenes’ work in music: apply as an Innovator
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Both Artists and Innovators will:
- Be committed to the Keychange movement and creating a supportive network for everyone involved – a collaborative attitude is important to us
- Be able to demonstrate why participating in this project would have a transformative impact at this stage in their career
- Confirm their availability for participating in the year of the project (2024). Participants will be required to be available between April-October 2024, including at key events such as Liverpool Sound City, BIME, and Reeperbahn Festival. Each selected participant will attend at least one of those events and event organisers are involved in the selection process.
- Keychange is an industry-wide campaign and we would like to hear from applicants who would like to engage in the wider Keychange programme and network, including interaction and sharing of experience through Keychange digital platform/blogs/social media.
- Be able to demonstrate their need for financial support, what they would get out of the network and why they want to be part of Keychange
- Apply to be a Keychange participant by submitting a clear plan which indicates what they would be able to contribute and get out of the Keychange project and network, what success would consist of for them, how they would achieve their creative and business goals with the support on offer
- Submit information about their career to date which gives us a baseline from which to evaluate progress at the end of the project
WHAT YOU WILL GET AS A KEYCHANGE PARTICIPANT
As a Keychange participant you will be part of an amazing network of women and gender-diverse people from all over the world. Ultimately what you get out of Keychange will also depend on how much you can commit to Keychange, but we have a passionate network of individuals and organisations who will work with you to support your development. The Keychange programme aims to develop you, and make you feel part of change in the music industry.
What selected participants will get:
- 1 x Showcase Festival slot or Conference Speaker engagement at one of four European events (Liverpool Sound City, BIME, or Reeperbahn Festival)Selected Artists will be booked to showcase at one of the above events
Selected Innovators will be booked to speak at one of the above events
- 1 x Group Meet-up at Reeperbahn Festival
All 8 selected participants will meet-up at Reeperbahn Festival where additional capacity building support will be on offer
This includes those selected by Reeperbahn Festival to showcase or speak, plus those selected to take part in other events. Not all selected Artists or Innovators will showcase or speak at Reeperbahn Festival
- European festival/conference support, including participants being hosted at relevant networking events and gender equity-focussed ‘manifesto’ or advocacy sessions
- Bursary support to cover the costs of attending the above European activities
- Other capacity building support
Keychange Partners and Festival Partners in Europe are committed to supporting the international development of selected participants and Keychange Project Managers will help to pull together a package of support for each participant
Capacity building activations may include workshops, panels, masterclasses or one-to-one support for participants at physical events in Europe and/or online, depending on needs and what is on offer from relevant festivals/conferences
- Mentoring
Each participant will be paired with a mentor sourced from Keychange’s international network
- Access to the wider Keychange Network
Depending on development needs, participants will be supported by the Keychange Team to access relevant contacts within the Keychange Network of 250+ alumni participants in 13 countries, dozens of partners, and Keychange Pledge Signatories where relevant
- Support from a Canadian Keychange Project Manager
Partners will engage the services of a freelance expert based in Canada from the Keychange network who will be supporting participants from April-October, including assisting each participant to prepare for and make the most of international events (including on-the-ground support at events, and supporting the administration of the support on offer while liaising with the Keychange Team and Keychange Festival Partners in Europe
- Promotion via the Keychange talent bank
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU
Keychange has been a game-changer for many participants, and to maximise your participation, you need to invest time and energy. As well as taking part in the programme and the events, this also means semi-regular contact with the Keychange team, our funders, partners and the other participants. This could be via email, WhatsApp, Slack, Zoom, text, but if you are selected, we want you to put time and energy into creating something impactful - the Keychange team are committed to doing the same.
Our participants inform the change that we make in the music industry, so we encourage all participants to play an active role on the Keychange programme. The ever-expanding network of over 250 women and gender-diverse participants that you will be part of is very powerful, and we have seen many collaborations, events and career developments come from participant communication / collaboration.
As participants you may speak on behalf of Keychange at events and become advocates for our movement for change. We encourage you to talk about Keychange and connect us with relevant contacts and organisations that you work with.
You will sign an offer letter with us if you are selected and if you are not able to commit to Keychange activity after signing the offer letter, we may ask for your bursary back.
PARTICIPATING FESTIVALS
UK:
Liverpool Sound City - Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th May, 2024
Liverpool is renowned for its musical heritage and radiates an energy unlike any other city in the UK. Sound City captures the vibrancy of the city with the unforgettable festival and conference that sees established names perform alongside a constant stream of local, national and international emerging talent.
The showcase festival takes place on the 4th and 5th May, 2024, with artists announced so far including Caity Baser, The Snuts, Antony Szmierek, Brooke Combe, G!rlband, Viji and Venus Grrrls.
On 3rd May, Sound City Forum returns as the disruptive conference counterpart of Sound City Festival - bringing a full-day programme of music industry roundtables, seminars, Q&As, in-conversations, workshops, showcases, and so much more. Whether you're making your first steps into the industry, or you're a seasoned veteran, this will be of interest.
Germany:
Reeperbahn Festival - Wednesday 18th - Saturday 21st September, 2024
Reeperbahn Festival is the largest club festival in Europe and the international platform for pop culture and the music industry. The festival combines a diverse line-up of new, international talents with a programme comprising of a wide range of themes in a progressive music marketplace.
Spain:
BIME, Bilbao - Tuesday 29th October - Friday 1st November, 2024
BIME is an international music industry event that has been held since 2013 in Bilbao (Basque Country) and from 2022, also in Bogotá (Colombia). In this way, it expands its space to reflect on the challenges that drive the future of the sector and the enjoyment of live music in Latin America.
The Bilbao event is a meeting point for all kinds of professionals from more than 30 different countries, working in all areas of music and other cultural and creative industries. It is a space for connecting continents, doing business, sharing knowledge and discovering the latest innovations in anything and everything directly or indirectly related to music.
OUR FRIENDS IN CANADA
Please note: in addition to selected participants being offered showcase or speaking opportunities at one of the above European events, our longstanding partnership with Canadian events Mutek Montreal and BreakOut West means that if appropriate, participants may be invited to attend or take part in relevant activities there too. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis. We encourage applicants to explore opportunities to attend these events and are pleased that these partners will be involved in the European Talent Development Programme Selection process.
Mutek Montreal - Tuesday 20th - Sunday 25th August, 2024
MUTEK is an annual festival dedicated to electronic music and real-time audio-visual performance, making it one of the rare outlets in North America for such innovations. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the festival’s future-seeking mandate has matured—and while the promise has in many ways caught up with the present—its commitment to the ongoing mutations and variations of contemporary digital creativity remain, with its eyes and ears still fixated on what comes next. A MUTEK network exists today, with ramifications in North America, South America, Asia and Europe, which provides an essential platform to promote and explore wide-ranging artistic content, all the while reflecting a cultural effervescence that is both local and global.
BreakOut West, Saskatoon, SK - Tuesday 24th - Sunday 29th September, 2024
BreakOut West is an annual music event that includes a four-day conference, three-night music festival, and the Western Canadian Music Awards. BreakOut West is hosted by the Western Canadian Music Alliance.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
If you are successful in your Keychange application you will get direct support from Keychange and partners as well as a ‘bursary’.
Keychange will cover the costs of:
- International travel relating to your participation in the project
– Festival pass at respective festivals
– Festival pass at Reeperbahn Festival
– Accommodation at Reeperbahn Festival
– Accommodation at your assigned festival
– Mentoring
- Capacity building programme
The bursary
This bursary will contribute to aspects of your Keychange participation. Other costs listed above will be directly paid for by Keychange partners. The exact bursary amount will be decided based on need (e.g. number of performing band-members, access needs, childcare or caregiving needs).
Participant bursaries will help to cover the following costs for:
– Travel your Europe-based event(s) and meet-ups
– Per diems at all Keychange events
- Covid test (if necessary), Visa costs (if necessary)
For applicants based in Canada, 100% of eligible approved costs will be covered, kindly supported by FACTOR. This is based on Canadian partners’ export priorities and objectives and is in line with other export schemes.
The bursary is paid in 2 instalments: 80% when signing the Keychange Offer Letter and 20% when submitting your report at the end of your participation. Regarding taxes, you need to address your local / national tax authorities since every country has different legislation. You are responsible for paying all taxes due on the bursary support you receive.
N.B. – We strongly recommend that Partner and Associate Festivals pay artist fees. It is the selected Artist’s responsibility to negotiate where possible.
Bursaries amounts (average)
For those based in Canada, baseline bursaries will range from €2,500 for Innovators and between €2,750-€4,250 for Artists (depending on the number of performers for the related showcase. This is for up to 5 band members including yourself and 1 manager).
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
We recognise that everyone’s context is different. Keychange aims to support participation costs, and we calculate those costs based on different factors that might affect you. This could be, but is not limited to, the number of people in your band, where you are based, childcare and/or caregiving costs, costs relating to a long-term health condition, and more. If you are worried about costs that you incur when applying for Keychange, or travelling or participating in an event, please email info@keychange.eu.
For artists with band-members:
You will be asked in the application form how many individuals you have in your band. It is essential that you tell us the number of people who will be travelling to perform with you if you are selected to perform at a Keychange event. We will calculate your bursary based on what you tell us and we will not be able to increase your bursary if you tell us later that you need more people to travel with you.
Additional Access Needs:
We recognise that for people with long-term health conditions and for disabled participants with access requirements, the level of bursary support may not cover additional access costs and therefore have set aside money to cover additional travel, accommodation or personal assistant costs. Additional support can be provided to artists and innovators living with a long-term health condition. The applicant is invited to discuss the amount of extra support needed with the Keychange team via info@keychange.eu.
This answer will be hidden from the selection panel and will not affect decisions.
Childcare related costs:
Keychange partners believe that parents or guardians should not be prohibited from taking part in the programme. As such, we offer ‘top-up’ bursary support to contribute to the costs of childcare so that participants may still commit to the programmes’ event schedule. You will be asked within the application form to declare additional access costs and we can contribute towards this where relevant. This answer will be hidden from the selection panel and will not affect decisions.
Contribution towards management/representative costs:
For an Artist participant’s main showcase event, it often helps to ensure that an artist manager or other professional representative is present and supporting the business-side of showcasing. Keychange Partners encourage any participants with representatives to have them attend showcase events with them. In exceptional circumstances, the costs of showcasing may prevent a representative from attending. We have therefore set aside a small number of ‘top-up’ bursaries of €500 for those with management or representatives who are unable to cover their own travel and accommodation costs. A question in the application form will ask you to justify this additional support and Keychange Partners will decide whether additional support is appropriate.
N.B. Bursary amounts and top-up support will be offered at Keychange Partners’ discretion and are subject to change
*WHEN IS THE DEADLINE
Please note: there is a strict deadline of 7 March 2024. Without prior written permission, no extensions will be granted. We encourage all applicants to submit within your working day in case you experience technical issues and wish to raise them with the Keychange team.
Please note that applications will be accepted until 23.59pm Pacific Daylight Time.
WHY IS THE 2024 PROGRAMME OPEN TO CANADA-BASED APPLICANTS AND NOT THOSE BASED IN EUROPE?
Since 2018, Keychange partners have expanded the initiative, most recently launching a U.S.-based programme alongside an annual programme for participants based in Canada and in 11 European countries. The current phase (Phase 2) of this Creative Europe-funded initiative wraps up in April 2024 at Tallinn Music Week before partners aim to secure ongoing funding support to run an open call for European and Canadian applicants in 2024 for a cohort which will be supported in 2025.
Thanks to the support of Canadian partners including funding body FACTOR, Keychange is pleased to be offering programme of bespoke support in 2024 for 4 x Artists and 4 x Innovators based in Canada. This will include export opportunities in Europe.
For those based in existing Keychange countries in Europe, we encourage you to sign up to our Newsletter for latest opportunities to get involved in the programme now and in the future. And Alumni of Phases 1 and 2 may be invited to take part in European events throughout 2024.
Remember to read the criteria page before you apply.