Applicants must demonstrate clear and measurable outcomes for the investment, which can contribute towards costs, associated with a variety of eligible activities, including: 

• professional recordings, that enhance and increase the quality of output, whilst also contributing to the economic wellbeing of Australian recording studios, engineers and producers.
• create high quality visual production including videos, digital content and artwork.
• significant marketing and promotional campaigns aimed at building an artist’s brand and increasing their visibility and market penetration.
• costs associated with production, manufacturing and freight of vinyl, CDs and cassettes (preferably manufactured in Australia and using sustainable materials).
• artist development that includes refining an artist’s craft, honing artistic vision and enhancing professional skills, enabling them to grow and succeed. 

Who can apply 

This grant is open to organisations, partnerships and sole traders that are Australian domestic record labels and Australian subsidiaries of multinational record labels. Please see the FAQs below for information on how to apply as a partnership.  

The artistic output of the label must meet the Music Australia Council agreed definition of contemporary Australian music, which is:   

“Australian contemporary music is any genre or subgenre of music currently composed, written, produced by Australians and licensed, recorded, presented, and distributed through commercial and non-commercial activity. For the purposes of Music Australia’s initial investments, the focus will be on musical works that are new, original and relevant to contemporary Australia.”  

To be eligible for the Music Australia Record Label Development Scheme, applying labels must:  

• have an ABN.
• have been operating for a minimum of 3 years
• have a minimum of 3 active Australian musical artists on their roster, and a total of 5 new, unique releases (single, EP and/or album) from active Australian artists within the last 2 years.  

Active artists are defined as having had a single, EP or album release by the label in the last 2 years.  

A release does not include compilations, soundtracks or remixes.  

• derive a majority of their revenue from the exploitation of master recordings of which they own or have licensed the copyright.
• deliver A&R and creative development services to their signed artists. 

Labels that were successful in the previous round of the Record Label Development Scheme are eligible to apply again, however funding priority may be given to first time recipients.  

Please note: Labels can submit one application per round to the Record Label Development Scheme.  

Who cannot apply 

You cannot apply for this grant if: 

• you are an artist manager, self-releasing artist, promoter or events company. If you are unsure if you are a record label please contact us to discuss your eligibility.
• you are applying to the Music Australia Marketing & Manufacturing grant round closing on 14 October 2025.
• you are a Creative Australia Multi-year funded organisation
• you are a group
• you have an overdue grant report
• you owe money to Music Australia/Creative Australia.

What can be applied for 

Activities and costs we will fund may include, but are not limited, to:  

• recording, editing, mixing and mastering at an Australian facility by an Australian artist signed to the label
• engaging an Australian producer, engineer, session musicians and guest artists
• Australian based pre-production, studio hire, hard drives and equipment hire
• visual representation (artwork) including design; photography; images, incurred in Australia
• manufacturing of physical product, e.g. vinyl mastering, vinyl/CD pressing and associated freight. Music Australia encourages environmentally sustainable practices, and labels that can demonstrate to have been guided by Green Music Australia's Sound Country: A Green Guide on Physical Music Products, will be reimbursed the difference in expenditure per unit, upon evidence of their tax invoices up to a limit of $5,000 per label
• digital content creation incurred in Australia (i.e. reels for online social media marketing purposes)
• video production costs incurred in Australia (i.e. music or lyric videos, videos for online marketing purposes, and video recording of live performances for promotion or sale)
• marketing and promotion activities for new recordings by Australian artists signed to the record label. May include digital marketing; radio ads; social media ads; publicist, radio promotion, and outdoor advertising. We encourage you to consider Australian music media outlets
• new Australian position: the cost of a new position that is being created because of the proposed activity (salaried or contract) may be included as a distinct line item in the activity budget. In the description of the activity, applicants must include an explanation of why the new position is necessary for the undertaking of the proposed activity, and if the position is intended to continue beyond the initial RLDS-supported period, a rationale must be provided for how the position will be sustained by the company. (e.g. Creative Producer / Director, Data Analyst, Digital Marketing / Social Media and Content Specialist)
• access costs are legitimate expenses and may be included in your application. We encourage applicants to ensure that their work is accessible to everyone. Budgets may include costs associated with making activities accessible to a wide range of people (e.g. translation to other languages, captioning, audio description, temporary building adjustments, and materials in other formats). If you are a d/Deaf applicant, an applicant with disability, or are working with d/Deaf artists or artists with disability, you may apply for access costs associated with the use of an interpreter, translation services, specific technical equipment, carer, or support worker assistance. Please contact Artists Services to discuss your specific needs. 

What can’t be applied for 

Music Australia funding can only be used for activities that occur after the activity start date of 1 January 2026. Therefore, any costs incurred before this date (i.e. pre-production, recording costs, mixing, mastering etc.) are not eligible for funding. Activity invoiced after 1 January 2026 for costs incurred before this date is not eligible.  

The Music Australia grant will not cover the following activities: 

• touring, showcase and other live performance activity
• live performance production expenses, unless directly related to content creation for this project
• costs relating to international artists, producers and other creatives
• international travel - independent labels should apply to the Music Australia International Conference Contribution, administered by AIR
• existing staffing and staff benefit costs
• fees relating to the compilation, review, or audit of applicant financial statements
• fees relating to grant writing or preparing the application
• insurance and/or legal costs
• taxes that are recoverable by the recipient (such as GST)
• activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to our First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols.
• the same projects or activities you are applying for via other Music Australia or Creative Australia programs

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to ask for further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding. 

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts 

If your application involves First Nations artists, communities or subject matter, you must: 

• follow these Protocols, and
• provide evidence of this in your application and support material. 

More information on the First Nations Protocols is available here. 

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework 

All successful applicants must comply with all Australian law relating to employing or engaging people who work or volunteer with children. This includes working with children checks and mandatory reporting. Successful organisations who provide services directly to children, or whose funded activities involve contact with children, will also be required to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. 

Budget

You must complete the budget in the application form showing the grant request and the label’s matched funding contribution.  

• The minimum funding request is $15,000 and the maximum funding is capped at $125,000.
• No expense paid for from the Music Australia funding can be allocated to an artists’ recoupable ledger. 

Expenses

• If your application includes multiple projects, please open additional project expense groupings by selecting the number (up to 5) from the drop-down box in the application form.
• You may select a single project or multiple projects, depending on your activity. How you choose to group this is up to you.
• The total amounts in the 'Expense amount' column should be double the total listed in the 'Music Australia covers how much of this expense' column. The expenses in each of these columns don't have to be evenly split (such as in the simple example below).

Matched funding

You are required to match the Music Australia grant amount you are requesting on a 50:50 basis. The label contribution must be cash, not in-kind, and be clearly detailed in the budget in the application form.  

• Using the [+] button in the application form, add a line showing the label matched funding. This must be 50% of the total expenditure.
• Use the description box to list the support material provided as evidence of the matched funding.  

If the label is awarded the grant it is expected that the total projects/s expenditure will be at least double the total grant amount, and this must be shown on acquittal. 

• You cannot use in-kind (non-financial) contributions for matched funding.
• You cannot use other federal, state or local government grant sources for matched funding.
• You must provide evidence in your application support material of your matched funding. 

What do we mean by ‘matched funding’ 

The label must invest equal to the funding request to Music Australia. For example, if you request $60,000, the total project budget must equal $120,000.  

The label’s matched funding cannot include wages of existing staff, or in-kind contributions.  

You must provide evidence of your matched funding in your support material. If you do not provide this, your application may be deemed ineligible. Please see the list below for examples of evidence you can provide. Please contact Music Australia if you have any questions. 

Evidence can include one or a combination of the following documents and cannot be more than 2 years old:  

• upcoming or past royalty payments (no more than 2 years old)
• statement from a streaming service (past or projected)
• statement of past or projected merchandise sales
• commitment to a future sync placement
• available bank balance (provide a document or screenshot of the account balance and account name – removing other personal and transaction details)
• crowd funding (including Australian Cultural Fund generated income)
• investor contributions
• profit and loss statement
• copy of audited financial accounts 

Artist Creation Fee  

The Music Australia Record Label Development Scheme funding is available for amounts ranging from $15,000 to $125,000 plus GST.  

In addition, a mandatory 10% artist creation fee will be added to the grant amount for eligible activities. This fee covers creative and artistic services provided by the artists for the project. This includes recording activities and video production that features the recording artist.  

For example, if the label receives $50,000 in funding for activities that pertain to artistic services for an Australian artist/s, an extra payment of $5,000 will be added to the funding amount, bringing the total funding to $55,000. This artist creation fee is a non-recoupable expense, to be shared amongst the artists that are featured in the project activities. 

The artist creation fee will be paid upon documentation received after 1 July 2026.

Environmentally sustainable practices for manufacturing of physical product 

Music Australia encourages environmentally sustainable practices, and labels that can demonstrate to have been guided by Green Music Australia's Sound Country: A Green Guide on Physical Music Products, will be reimbursed the difference in expenditure per unit, for the manufacturing of physical product, and associated freight, upon evidence of their tax invoices up to a limit of $5,000 per label.  

Payment will be made upon documentation received after 1 July 2026.  

• This initiative is designed to encourage labels to use environmentally sustainable practices in the manufacture of physical product, where they would not otherwise do so due to cost differences per unit.
• Manufacture of physical product must be clearly included in your Record Label Development Scheme application budget to be eligible for reimbursement.
• You cannot use a variation to your grant to retrospectively apply for this reimbursement.

Examples of guidance on environmentally sustainable practice from Green Music’s Sound Country include (noting not all of these will equate to reimbursement as they can save rather than add to manufacturing costs):

• use softpaks rather than jewel cases for CDs
• use an alternative to standard PVC for Vinyl manufacturing (e.g., Low Carbon Compound (BioVinyl) or Injection Moulding)
• manufacture in Australia to reduce freight distance
• choose 140g vinyl and a standard sleeve over heavier alternatives
• avoid single use wrapping, especially plastics 

Applications to this initiative will be assessed by Industry Advisors with relevant label experience. Final decisions will be made by Music Australia based on this advice.  

For more information on how we assess applications please visit our  Assessment page.   

We assess applications against the assessment criteria and against other applications.  

We consider each application on its merits, based on: 

• how well it meets the assessment criteria
• how it compares to other applications
• whether it provides value for money 

When assessing the extent to which the application represents value for money, we will consider:  

• the overall objective/s to be achieved in providing the grant
• the relative value of the grant sought, including if the funding amount requested is commensurate to the number of artists being supported through the proposed activity. For example - if applying for the maximum grant amount of $125,000, it is expected that the funding will support activity for at least 3 active artists.
• extent to which the geographic location of the application ensures that there is a spread of successful applications from across Australia including urban, regional and remote locations
• the extent to which different genres of music are represented to ensure there is diverse representation
• the extent to which the evidence in the application demonstrates that it will contribute to meeting the outcomes/objectives

After eligibility has been met, applications will be assessed by a panel of Industry Advisors against the following 3 criteria - Quality, Impact and Viability. 

Quality 

Advisors will assess the calibre of the artists and label staff involved and the quality of the music. They may consider: 

• the track record of the label and key artists involved and their previous releases
• the degree to which the applicant demonstrates that it has the track record and organisational capacity (financial, human resources) to effectively execute the activities including their achievements, as evidenced by their biography and professional profile.
• the presence of diversity among leadership, staff, or contract employees, particularly underrepresented communities within the music industry
• the degree to which diversity is reflected within the applicant’s roster
• the cultural value of the project for Australian audiences
• the strength of the artistic support material provided 

Impact 

Advisors will assess the impact your application will have on the growth and sustainability of original contemporary Australian music. They may consider: 

• thoroughness of the applicant’s description of the proposed activity and its anticipated impacts
• degree to which expected results are well documented in the application, including a description of tangible, measurable, and realistic goals and a clear explanation of anticipated return on investment (ROI)
• achievable project KPIs
• potential to assist with increasing levels of Australian music on radio
• potential to impact online audiences with significant streams/views/shares/likes/sales
• applicant’s potential to achieve strong measurable critical and/or commercial impact
• extent to which the application demonstrates forward thinking strategic planning and focus on long-term growth and sustainability
• degree to which the label can leverage the investment to strengthen its profile/capital/human resources pool for future investment and growth
• how the work will support the development of under-represented music artists

Viability 

Advisors will assess the viability of your budget, release strategies and marketing plans. They may consider: 

• how viable and achievable the project is (as evidenced by the budget accuracy, release timelines and planning)
• the strength of the overall release plan, including the marketing and promotion campaign and audience development strategy, including evidence of demand
• the resources supporting the project (including financial and/or in-kind)
• effectiveness of the applicant’s articulation of its financial capacity to undertake the proposed activities
• evidence of matched funding is provided at 50% of the total budget
• stability and strength of the applicant’s financial position based on company’s financial statements
• the strength of the key people and partners involved, including confirmations of their involvement and their track record delivering similar recorded works and output
• appropriate safety and wellbeing practices in place for artists and studios
• risk assessment on the project team

You must submit support material with your application to demonstrate quality and elevate your submission. The Industry Advisors may review this material to help them gain a better sense of your project and those involved.  

You MUST include the following support material for your application to be eligible:  

1. Evidence of matched funding (see Budget & Matched Funding above for examples)
2. Audio of at least three (3) artist recordings (existing or demo recordings).
3. If relevant to your activity, letters of support must provide evidence of appropriate permissions and support from First Nations organisations, communities, and Elders. Please refer to the First Nations Protocols for more information.  

Additional support material may include:  

4. Other artistic support material   
    
5. Biographies and CVs - you can include a brief bio for key label staff, artists, or other collaborators involved in your project. Biograohies or label profiles should be presented as a single document no longer than two A4 pages in total.  
    
6. Letters of confirmation from collaborators directly involved in the activity (up to 5 letters of confirmation, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page)
7. Letters of support (up to 2 letters of support, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page), these should not be from individuals, artists or organisations who will financially benefit from the activity.   

Types of support material we accept  

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks).  

You can provide up to three URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is relevant to your proposal. This may include video, audio, images, or written material.  

These URLs can include a total of: 

• 10 minutes of video and/or audio recording
• 10 pages of written material
• 5 images 

Please note: Our industry advisors will not access any URLs that require them to log in or sign up to a platform. Please do not provide links to Spotify or other applications that require users to log in or pay for access.  

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.  

Ensure weblinks are functional and easily accessed by the Industry Advisors, with no expiry dates. 

Other accepted file formats 

If you cannot supply support material via URLs, you may upload support material to your application in the following formats: 

• video (MP4, QuickTime, and Windows Media)
• audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
• images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
• written material (Word and PDF). 

We do not accept application-related support material submitted via post. Application-related material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material online, or need advice on what type of material to submit, please contact Music Australia.  

Yes, a summary of what made for the strongest applications in the 2024 round of the RLDS is below.  

The strongest applications:  

• were specific, realistic and detailed in the proposed plan, timeline and budget, and demonstrated a well thought out strategy and objectives. 
• followed First Nations cultural protocols, including providing relevant letters of support from First Nations partners and communities involved with the project/s. 
• did not make assumptions of existing knowledge of the label, and/or included artist or group’s work or activity, regardless of how well known they are.
• included relevant support material to elevate the application. 
• clearly demonstrated in the budget that the Music Australia funding would be allocated to eligible local expenses. 
• positioned the proposed project/s or activity/ies for each artist to their career stage 
• demonstrated a plan to maximise the return on investment.
• supported a diverse range of artists (where more than 1 artist was to be supported), including First Nations artists, culturally and gender diverse artists, as well as artists at different career stages. 
• were ambitious about successful legacy artists (that met the pre-eligibility criteria). 
• thought about new audiences and included initiatives that extended beyond business as usual. 
• demonstrated quality through the artistic support material provided. 
• ensured weblinks were functional and easily accessed by the advisors. 

Yes, you may apply for funding for activity that will impact your entire artist roster.  

Yes – please contact our Artist Services team to discuss your accessibility requirements. More information on accessibility is available on our website: Accessibility.  

Yes, we do. More information is available on our website:  Languages other than English.