AIR

Music Australia International Conference Contribution - Independent Labels and Distributors

AIRFunded by Music Australia. Delivered in partnership with Sounds Australia.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

 

About

The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), in partnership with Sounds Australia, is pleased to announce the return of the Music Australia International Conference Contribution (MAICC) – Labels and Australian Distributors program for 2025/26.

The program is designed to ease the financial burden for selected Associate, Full Label and Australian Distributor members who are attending major international conferences. MAICC funding will financially supported selected AIR Associate, Full and Australian Distributor members wanting to undertake professional development by attending an international trade conference and undertake an invaluable reconnaissance in a specific international territory.


Grants of up to $5,000 AUD are available to selected participants.

Three rounds have already been delivered since the inception of this funding. A further three rounds have been confirmed for the period of July 2025 - June 2026:

  • ROUND 4, 2025: Provides funding for conferences occurring anytime between September 1st, 2025 - December 31st 2025

  • ROUND 5, 2026: Provides funding for conferences occurring in 1 January - 31 March 2026

  • ROUND 6, 2026: Provides funding for conferences occurring in 1 April - 30 June 2026


    For details about this program, including key dates, the application process, eligibility criteria and more, please see below. For any further questions, please contact: monica@air.org.au

 

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APPLY FOR ROUND FOUR HERE

 

Program & Structure

 

What Do Funding Recipients Receive?

Selected via a competitive application process, successful labels will receive contributions of up to $5,000 AUD (excluding GST) to help cover essential costs associated with attending an international music conference of their choice. This may include travel, accommodation, and registration expenses.

We understand that some applicants may already be based near their chosen event at the time, or have alternative travel plans. As such, applicants are asked to request only the amount of funding they require, based on their individual circumstances.

 

How Many Applicants Will Be Funded?

There is no fixed number of recipients per round. The number of successful applicants per round will depend on available funding and the overall strength of the applications received.

 

What Events Are Eligible?

Applicants must nominate an international music conference occurring within the dates specified for that round (see below). A list of eligible conferences are provided below as a guide to some of the conferences applicants may be interested in applying for. However, applicants may apply for funding to attend a different conference that is not listed below, which aligns with their strategic goals—provided it falls within the relevant dates for the funding round they are applying for. In their application, applicants must clearly outline the conference’s relevance and value to their (and their artists) professional goals.

Examples of conferences in the 2025/26 funding period that applicants may wish to apply for include:

Round 4, 2025 (Conferences occurring between September - December 2025):

  • AmericanaFest, Nashville, US (Sept 9 - 13)

  • AXEAN, Bali, ID (Sept 13 - 14)

  • Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg, DE (Sept 17 - 20)

  • Music Matters, SG (Sept 29 - Oct 1)

  • Amsterdam Dance Event, Amsterdam, NL (Oct 22 - 26)

  • WOMEX, Tampere, FI (Oct 22 - 26)

Round 5, 2026 (Conferences occurring between January - March 2026):

  • Eurosonic, Groningen, NL (Jan 14 - 17)

  • NYC Winter Jazzfest, New York, US (Jan - Dates TBC)

  • Folk Alliance International, New Orleans, US (Jan 21 - 25)

  • India International Music Week, Goa, IN (Dates TBC)

  • SXSW, Texas, US (Mar 12 - 18)

  • Bangkok Music City, Bangkok, TH (Dates TBC)

Round 6, 2026 (Conferences occurring between April - June 2026):

  • Classical:NEXT, Budapest, HU (Apr 8 - 11)

  • jazzahead!, Bremen, DE (Apr 22 - 26)

  • The Great Escape, Brighton, UK (May 13 - 16)

  • A2IM Indie Week, New York, US (Dates TBC)

  • CMA Fest, Nashville, US (Jun 4 - 7)

  • International Indigenous Music Summit, Toronto, CA (Dates TBC)

 

Application Dates

The MAICC 2025-26 funding period will comprise 3 Rounds: Round 4,(2025) Round 5, (2026) and Round 6, (2026). Please see below for application opening and closing dates for each round:

ROUND 4, 2025: For conferences occurring anytime between September 1st, 2025 - December 31st, 2025

  • Applications open: Wednesday 2nd July, 2025

  • Applications close: Monday 28th July, 2025 (3pm AEST)

ROUND 5, 2026: For conferences occurring in January, February or March 2026

  • Applications open: Thursday 11th September, 2025

  • Applications close: Tuesday 21st October, 2025 (3pm AEDT)

ROUND 6, 2026: For conferences occurring in April, May or June 2026

  • Applications open: Wednesday 21st January, 2026

  • Applications close: Thursday 19th February, 2026 (3pm AEDT)

When Will Applicants Be Notified?

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their submission approximately 2–4 weeks after the application closing date for each round.

 

Have Further Questions?

Please contact monica@air.org.au