The $1 Million American Express Music Backers Fund has been developed to help Aussies keep the music playing!

We know that 2020 has been challenging, so we’re backing the Aussie music industry and the fans that support it with a $1 million Fund to help get through the tough times, as well as reward growth and innovation in music. The Fund will benefit:

•  Music businesses & venues
•  Musical Artists / bands
•  Music fans

There are many ways to get involved. The $1 Million American Express Music Backers Fund has announced three (3) initiatives – A Grant (open for music businesses and artists) Nominate a Mate, and Music Backers Studio Week. There will be more initiatives rolling out, so make sure you’ve registered to receive program updates.

•  Grant – Open for Music Businesses and Musical Artists to apply for grants between $2,000 to $50,000.
•  Other initiatives – more opportunities will be announced over the coming months for music businesses, musical artists and fans.

To be one of the first to hear the new opportunities, register for updates here.

* Eligibility criteria applies for each initiative.

Great question. We understand and appreciate that an ‘artist’ can be defined differently based on what creative industry you’re in. In the spirit of our Fund, and to keep the music playing in Australia, we’re looking for all musical artists to apply.

Yes, you can! If you’re eligible, you may enter all of the initiatives within the Music Backers Fund. For example, you may wish to apply for a Grant, as well as Nominate a Mate, or even one of the initiatives yet to be announced.

Each different initiative may have limits on how many times you can enter, so check out the specific FAQ’s and criteria for each one. If your applications catch our attention and you’re successful in more than one initiative, we will only be able to award you once, for one of the initiatives. This will be decided at the discretion of American Express and the panel.

All prize and grant values are in AUD and include GST where applicable. If cash is being paid directly to you as part of the prize, the funds will either be provided in AUD by EFT to an Australian bank account or provided by cheque. We are unable to advise on any tax implications as it depends on your personal circumstances. Please seek independent advice from your tax advisor or accountant.

We want to encourage all Australians to keep the music playing, so in most cases there is no requirement to be an American Express Customer! For clarification, check out the Additional Eligibility Criteria of the initiative you’re interested in applying for.

Core Eligibility Criteria will apply to ALL initiatives in the American Express Music Backers Fund. Different initiatives within the program may also have Additional Eligibility Criteria. Prior to applying, please check the specific initiative you’re interested in for full details.

Core Eligibility Criteria:

• Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Australia aged 18 and over that are currently residing in Australia, or plan to reside in Australia within 12 months of submitting an entry/being awarded
• Registered Charities, Organisations registered under a “Charitable Status”, businesses associated with American Express and Government organisations (including schools) are not eligible for the American Express Music Backers Fund.
• If you’re applying as a group or business, all members must be 18 years or older, and a majority of the group must be Australian Residents or Citizens
• If you’re applying as a business, you must have a registered ABN

You can submit an application if you’re 17, provided that you’ve turned 18 by the time applications close for the initiative you’re applying for. The closing dates for each initiative vary, so we’d suggest checking these out prior to submitting your application.

Sorry, not this time - you can only apply if you’re already a Permanent Resident or Australian Citizen at the time of application. We look forward to seeing your application next time around!

You will still be eligible if you’re living overseas, as long as you spend the majority of the year residing in Australia.

No. Applications aren’t open to Charities and Government funded organisations.

Each initiative has different application dates:

GRANTS

NOMINATE A MATE

OTHER INITIATIVES

As more initiatives are announced, timing will be updated.

All applications must be submitted by completing an online application form at www.americanexpress.com.au/musicbackers. Applications received via email, phone or any other method, including those that are incorrect or incomplete will not be considered.

No, you’re not able to save the application part way through. We recommend that you read the questions in full, and only commence the application when you’re confident that you can complete all sections in one session.

No, once you press submit no changes can be made.

No. Please ensure you include all information in your original submission. Be as concise and clear as you can. If you’re shortlisted, we may ask you for further information and supporting documentation, but please only provide this if we ask you to.

You’ll receive a message on the screen once you’ve submitted an application. Additionally, you should receive an email confirming that we’re received your application. If it’s not in your inbox, please check your junk folder prior to contacting us.

We're unable to provide status updates on individual applications, but you’ll hear from us directly if you’ve been shortlisted. Recipients for Round One have now been notified, so make sure you've checked your inbox!

No, we’ll only be notifying shortlisted applicants.

If you apply for a grant in Round 1 and don’t hear from us it doesn’t mean your application isn’t successful! We retain all applications and reconsider them in Round 2.

Sorry, no. To be fair for all other applicants we aren’t able to accept grant submissions after the deadline, so save the dates! Remember all times indicated are in Sydney time (AEST, or AEDT when Daylight Savings is in place).

We know things can change quickly. If you'd like to withdraw your application, please send an email to MusicBackers@aexp.com. Make sure you include your business, artist or band name and email address that's used in your submission. We’ll contact you within 14 days to confirm your application has been withdrawn.

Your entry, including any personal information (name, phone number, mailing address) will be received by American Express and only shared with related third-party companies and/or affiliates for the purpose of judging and awarding the prizes. All third-parties and/or affiliates strictly adhere to the American Express Privacy Policy.

We're unable to provide status updates on individual applications. You’ll hear from us directly if your application has been shortlisted.

We do have T&C’s and a questionnaire for selected recipients that we’ll discuss in detail with you once selected. It covers things like how we can work together to bring your story to life, how to reference the Fund etc.

Please ensure you’ve read all of the General Program FAQ’s as well as the FAQ’s developed for each initiative before reaching out.

To keep it fair for everyone, we’re unable to provide guidance on ideas, nor any other tips that would give you an advantage over others. If you still have questions, please email us at MusicBackers@aexp.com and we’ll get back to you within 5 business days.