Funding and Licensing Organizations

Amplify BC Fund // Creative BC:
Amplify BC is the renewal of the BC Music Fund and will be administered through Creative BC with the goals of stimulating direct investment, job creation, music tourism, increased regional activity and the export of BC music. A full complement of funding programs will stimulate economic growth and activity by investing in BC’s diverse music sector.

Based on feedback from the pilot program and stakeholders across BC’s music industry, Creative BC launched seven programs to support the careers of BC Artists, live music performances, the development of music companies, training & export initiatives, research, innovation and the growth of the BC music industry.

SOCAN:
SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) is a not-for-profit organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of millions of Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN is proud to play a leading role in supporting the long-term success of its more than 130,000 Canadian members, as well as the Canadian music industry. Through licences, SOCAN gives businesses that use music the freedom to use any music they want, legally and ethically. SOCAN licenses more than 125,000 businesses coast to coast and distributes royalties to its members and peer organizations around the world. SOCAN also distributes royalties to its members for the use of Canadian music around the world in collaboration with its peer societies. In addition, SOCAN plays a leadership role in mentoring emerging creators on various aspects of the craft and business of music. We also advocate on behalf of our members to ensure that copyright is respected and that creators are appropriately remunerated for the use of their work.

FACTOR:
FACTOR (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) is a public/private partnership that supports the production of sound recordings by Canadian musicians and helps Canadian music companies make recordings available to a wider public.

We are dedicated to providing assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian music industry. We administer funds from the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Music Fund, and from Canada’s private radio broadcasters. FACTOR has been managing federal funds since the inception of the Sound Recording Development Program in 1986 (now known as the Canada Music Fund).

Support is provided to Canadian recording artists, songwriters, artist managers, record labels, music publishers, distributors, and event producers through numerous programs. Whether an artist is looking to record a few tracks, a full length sound recording, market and promote an existing album, or showcase and tour at home or abroad, funding is available. FACTOR supports the infrastructure that must be in place in order for artists and music entrepreneurs to progress into the international arena.

Canada Council for the Arts:
The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s public arts funder, with a mandate to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts.

City of Vancouver Arts & Cultural Grants
Every year, the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board award over $11 million to non-profit arts, cultural organizations and artists through a variety of grant programs.

We appreciate the value that the arts brings to the lives of our citizens and the life of our city. As Vancouver author and artist Douglas Coupland puts it, “A city without strong, consistent arts funding is basically a parking lot.”

BC Arts Council
The British Columbia Arts Council supports arts and cultural activity in communities across British Columbia. From professional dance companies, to art galleries, local museums and music festivals – the Council works to enrich the lives of British Columbians in virtually every community in the province. The Council supports a range of activities that includes funding for professional artists and arts organizations, community initiatives, training and scholarships.

Radio Starmaker
The Radio Starmaker Fund was created in the fall of 2000 on the initiative of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and approved by the CRTC. It is a private fund which has as its stated purpose to “make a substantial and discernable difference to the careers of Canadian artists” by providing substantial incremental investment where the artist has established a proven track record and his or her label is making a Significant Investment in their future career.

Licensing Organizations

ACTRA Recording Artists’ Collecting Society
The Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (RACS) is a division of ACTRA that collects and distributes equitable remuneration (neighbouring rights and private copying) to eligible recording artists. In 1997, the Copyright Act of Canada was amended to acknowledge the essential contribution of recording artists and record companies in the creation of recorded music and to add a right to equitable remuneration which is in line with similar rights in the rest of the world. At RACS, it is our responsibility to put these monies into the hands of recording artists.

Connect Music Licensing
Connect administers licensing in Canada for the reproduction of sound recordings and reproduction and broadcast of music videos on behalf of copyright owners (usually, record companies). Connects’s licenses ensure that owners receive compensation for use of their sound recordings and music videos.

Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency
CMRRA is a non-profit music licensing agency which represents the vast majority of music copyright owners. CMRRA led the fight to eliminate the 64-year-old “compulsory license” from Canada’s copyright laws in 1988, and has since negotiated with the record industry to strengthen its publishers’ rights and greatly increase mechanical and synchronization licensing revenue.

Canadian Private Copying Collective
Established in 1999, CPCC is an umbrella organization whose member collectives represent songwriters, recording artists, music publishers and record companies. CPCC is the non-profit organization responsible for collecting and distributing private copying levies on behalf of its member collectives.

Independent Digital Licensing Agency Inc.
Twenty leading independent labels organized IDLA to provide independent labels and artists more efficient and economic digital asset delivery to digital music services, royalty collection and administration through an organization whose financial interests are directly aligned with its independent artists and label members.

Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada
MROC is dedicated to serving the performers it represents (“assignors”) to make sure that they receive fair compensation for their performances on sound recordings.

Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. On behalf of its members, representing thousands of artists and record companies, Re:Sound licenses recorded music for public performance, broadcast and new media.

SoundExchange
SoundExchange is the non-profit performance rights organization that collects statutory royalties from satellite radio (such as SIRIUS XM), internet radio, cable TV music channels and similar platforms for streaming sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board, which is appointed by The U.S. Library of Congress, has entrusted SoundExchange as the sole entity in the United States to collect and distribute these digital performance royalties on behalf of featured recording artists, master rights owners (like record labels), and independent artists who record and own their masters.