INDIE INSIDER
A Handy FACTOR
Jury Assessment Preparation Guide
Since its creation in 1982 , the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings ( FACTOR ) has helped countless Canadian artists bring their projects and dreams to fruition . With funding from the Canadian government and Canada ’ s private broadcasting companies , FACTOR provides grant money to Canadian artists to record and to Canadian music companies so they can bring those recordings to a wider public .
For Canadian Musician ’ s readers , FACTOR has shared this handy guide for applicants to its Artist Development and Juried Sound Recording programs . For more , go to www . factor . ca .
FACTOR has two juried programs – Artist Development and Juried Sound Recording . Professionals in the music industry volunteer their time as jurors to assess and score applications to these programs . FAC- TOR averages the juror scores and funds as many of the highest scoring applications as is possible within our budget .
The Artist Development Program is intended to provide developmental support to emerging artists at the earliest stages of their professional careers in music . The Juried Sound Recording Program is a competitive program , to which artists should apply if they can demonstrate current marketplace momentum along with audience growth and engagement .
For more information on program eligibility , please see FACTOR ’ s program pages and guidelines . To learn more about our jury process , or apply to become a juror , see the Become A Juror page on our website .
GENERAL TIPS Start preparing early , especially if it ’ s your first time applying to FACTOR : In order to apply , you must have an artist profile and applicant profile . The artist profile tells FACTOR about your musical career , while the applicant profile tells us who will receive funding if the project is approved . See step three and four of our step-by-step online guide to applications for help .
The strongest applications have project plans that are specific and achievable : There are no tricks or secrets to being funded in our juried programs . Each application is scored on its merits alone . Be professional : While creativity in your art and business is encouraged , ensure your materials are also polished and factual . Jurors will notice when you ’ ve spent time on the language and presentation of your application – and especially if you haven ’ t . Proofread your application : Doublecheck your spelling , grammar , and punctuation - and make sure the material you submit can be easily read and understood . Quality , not quantity : Present your best material for assessment and only materials which are relevant to your proposed project . Be clear and concise , as jurors allocate 20 minutes to review an Artist Development application and 30 minutes for Juried Sound Recording . Choose your genre wisely : FACTOR uses genre to match applications with appropriate jurors . When selecting your primary genre , the only consideration to make is which specialized jury group would best understand your art and plans . We do not tell jurors which genre you selected – the place to communicate that is in your application materials .
ARTIST BIO Context : Your biography is your opportunity to give the jurors a quick foundation on your artist group . Assume the jurors have no prior knowledge and provide the essential information any juror needs to know about your artist group . Relevance : Only include information relevant to the artist group you are applying for . For example , if you ’ re applying to make a classical children ’ s album , you may not need to include information about your experience in hard rock bands from decades ago . Where do I upload my artist bio ? Your Artist Bio will need to be uploaded to the Component Information section of your application .
10 CANADIAN MUSICIAN