Despite its name, the Live Music Fund is not just for live music

The 650-plus applications for grants from the city’s inaugural Live Music Fund are in the early stages of evaluation and scoring, with the awards of $5,000 and $10,000 slated for initial distribution beginning in September.

The Music Commission received a briefing Monday on next steps in the $3.5 million program, which closed its application process last month. Erica Shamaly, manager of the Music and Entertainment Division, said the commission’s July meeting will include a breakdown of the social and financial demographics of the applicant pool, as well as details about what types of projects were proposed by hopeful recipients.

The total program budget was $4.1 million, with the extra $600,000 included to cover administrative expenses for the Long Center for the Performing Arts, which was awarded the contract to administer the scoring and payments to recipients.

While the Live Music Fund’s name suggests that awards would have to be used to fund performances and events, Shamaly explained that recording sessions and video projects also are eligible to receive funds, as long as they are promoted in a way that appeals to tourists. That use is allowed because the program’s funds come from the city’s portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax receipts that are used to promote the local tourism economy.

Discussion on the program revolved around complaints from potential applicants that the online submission process seemed to suggest a preference for live events over other kinds of projects. Another sticking point was that some believed the financial and demographic information gathered during the process would be used in some way to evaluate their application, which Shamaly said was actually intended for use in studying the equity and outreach of the program.

“We understand that was kind of a barrier because a lot of folks wondered, why am I being asked this, and it was quite clear that was not a part of the grant,” she said. “We’re working on refining that process, and making it easier for applicants to get through.”

Chair Nagavalli Medicharla said making those changes to next year’s program and application process will make it easier to attract a broad pool of potential recipients.

“This grant program was brought to users … heavily focused on the music ecosystem with the idea of broadening and building out the ecosystem,” she said.

Medicharla added, “I think there are some gaps still to fill, because right now, the application looks very focused still on live performances with the route it takes through the questions asking about audiences, dates and a venue. Even though recordings and other projects were mentioned in a couple of places, it didn’t feel like it was taking quite the right route.”

Next year’s cohort of the Live Music Fund also will include venues as potential recipients of city money that would be used to create concerts or events that bolster the careers of local musicians. It is likely that expansion would require additional funding. Shamaly said a venue summit being planned for early- to mid-July will help to determine the biggest needs for those businesses and how the city could play a role.

A survey for local venue owners was expected to be made public by early next week.

“We want to hear from them about what they see as equity for your venue … and what would be most convenient,” she said. “Would (they) be OK with a grant like what has just happened, or would you want to see a different kind of system for the venues that is more simple than a grant?”

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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