The Seed

The Seed aims to help Australian artists from any background, creating art and music across any genre, to establish themselves as self-sustained, professional artists.

Over the past five years, with the help of a bunch of like minded music loving folk they’ve been extremely proud to hand out over $400,000 to incredibly talented, motivated and original artists who could do with some financial support. It’s been an honour to give these people a helping hand.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

In its sixth year running The JB Seed, will be re-branded The Seed. Encouraged by the amazing generosity and trust people have shown the project, this shift will make The Seed an initiative whose ownership is that of the entire community of contributors.

The Seed has evolved over the years to become an integral part of the Australian Arts & Music industry, contributing over $533,000 worth of funding to over 200 Artists and Music Managers. The passion and support of all contributors has helped to make it what it is today and although John Butler and co-founder Danielle Caruana will remain a driving force behind the project, they believe it is time to make The Seed something that the arts community can call their own.

“When Danielle and I first started the fund we always intended for it to grow into something that wasn’t just funded by ourselves but contributed to by many movers and shakers within the Australian music community.

By the second year of “The JB Seed” that is exactly what started taking place. Over the past five years the fund has been blessed with generous contributions from many members of the Australian music scene such as Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, The Cat Empire, The Waifs, Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown), John Watson (Eleven Music: Silverchair, Missy Higgins, Little Birdy), Sebastian Chase (MGM), John Woodruff (Rough Cut Music), Correne Wilkie (The Cat Empire & Jackson Jackson), Maureen Ritchie and many others.

In the beginning we felt it was necessary for this fund to have credentials and for that my intials served well . But now as we look towards the next five years it’s time to put the next phase of the plan in motion. This is an Initiative funded BY the music community FOR the music community and I feel The Seed best represents our inclusive approach.”

- John Butler

To launch The Seed a brand NEW WEBSITE is live, check out: www.theseedfund.org. This new website will be an information source, to artists and arts workers in the establishment phase of their careers, assisting and guiding in self sufficiency.

The 2010 grant categories are live on the website. This year there is a focus on incidental and social activism in The Arts For The Public program, while the immensely successful Management Workshop Initiative will return once again. A new and exciting program is The Seed And Skinnyfish Indigenous Community Music Initiative, which will see a partnership between The Seed and Skinnyfish Music to create opportunities and encourage positive outcomes in community life through music. Read the rest of this entry »

THE SEED 2010: MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP INITIATIVE
Up to 24 opportunities available

The Management Workshop offers practical strategies for managing a band or performer in the establishment phase of their career. This initiative has been running for six years and has been extremely successful and appreciated by all attendees. With the wonderful wealth of knowledge from industry contributors including managers, distributors, radio promoters, radio representatives, publicists, lawyers, grant writers, publishers and artists, it offers strategic advice on ways to enhance performers’ opportunities.

Applications will be accepted from managers, self managed solo musicians or band members who are managing their own band. The Seed will provide and arrange transport, accommodation and meals for all successful applicants. Should you be successful all you need to do is get yourself to your closest major airport!

Here is some feedback from the participants at the 2009 Management Workshops

“I felt I got far more out of those three days than I ever imagined. I’m more excited than ever to be making music. On top of this I don’t think I have ever been this motivated to be more responsible for my business matters as an artist. I have a new perspective on this side of the industry that I never had before.”

- Ngaiire Joseph, 2009 Management Workshop attendee

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was quite lost and uninspired by my new chosen career path before I came to the Blue Mountains but now see everything so clearly and feel so on-track again. Nice work guys.”

- Anto Skeene, 2009 Management Workshop attendee

“THANK YOU! Not only was this one of the best weeks of my life, it has truly shaped me personally and I will never forget the impact of the management workshop. JB Seed is a turning point in my life… since the workshop I have been completely euphoric and so driven to get out there and REPRAZENT.”

- Clara Iaccarino, 2009 Management Workshop attendee

For the third year running The Seed, in partnership with The Falls Music and Arts Festival (Lorne, VIC) and Southbound (WA), will offer one lucky band the opportunity to perform at both festivals. If your application to attend The Management Workshop is successful, the act that you manage will automatically be eligible for this opportunity. Falls and Southbound will provide and arrange transport, accommodation and meals for the successful applicants.

In partnership with One Movement for Music Festival (OMMP), The Seed offers another initiative to support emerging managers and their artists to progress to the next level of their careers. Ten stand out Management Workshop attendees will be awarded the opportunity to take part in One Movement – The Independent Times summit, in 2011. Winners will receive complimentary registration (providing them with access to the music festival, networking cocktail parties and private industry showcases), and a contribution towards their travel and accommodation costs.  The Seed and One Movement see this as a great opportunity to keep feeding through vital knowledge to managers in the development stage of their career.

CRITERIA:
You must be an Australian citizen over 18 years of age
You must be a bona-fide practicing artist or arts worker: practicing your art and engaging in quality cultural activities that further Australia’s cultural life.
You must be the primary management contact

Apply Now – Management Workshop

THE SEED 2010: ART FOR THE PUBLIC
Grants of up to $5000

Art For The Public encourages artists to recreate the Australian urban landscape The Seed are seeking to fund visual artists, with grants of up to $5000, who are undertaking projects delivering visual art to outdoor, or prominent indoor public spaces. The intention is for these art pieces to become a form of social commentary, communication and inspiration, between the artist and the general public, art that is free and incidental to the public. Projects could include artistic responses to social justice issues, art that displays a significance to the community, murals, exhibitions, graffiti, stencil work, photography, multimedia, print, paint or whatever the imagination can conjure…

Projects supported could include, but are not limited to:
• Artistic responses to social justice issues
• Issues of significance to the community
• Murals
• Exhibitions
• Graffiti pieces
• Stencil work
• Photography
• Multimedia
• Print
• Paint

CRITERIA
You must be an Australian citizen over 18 years of age
You must be a bona-fide practicing artist or arts worker: practicing your art and engaging in quality cultural activities that further Australia’s cultural life.
You must include your relevant and abridged biography (no more than 1 page)
Your vision of the projects’ objectives and outcomes
Projects must commence after the 1st June 2010.

Apply Now – Art For The Public

SUPPORTING TOP END INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY BANDS, BY GENERATING PAID PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND ENCOURAGING POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN COMMUNITY LIFE THROUGH MUSIC.

The Seed is happy to announce a partnership with Skinnyfish Music for this new initiative. Skinnyfish Music is a record label, distributor and publisher of Indigenous music. Based in Darwin, they have been in operation for over 10 years and have worked with many incredible artists including Gurrumul, Saltwater Band and Nabarlek to name just a few.

Through existing and established festivals and events this partnership will create paid performance opportunities for community bands in and around their homelands.

Rewarding musicians with a fee for performing instils value in playing music as a serious lifestyle choice and a way to earn money from their craft. The Seed and Skinnyfish Music seek to create a positive focus within communities to support their musicians and create role models for the younger generations to look up to. This is the belief that community performance is a vital, viable and serious part of the Australian Music Industry. Just as pubs or local venues provide the breeding and nurturing ground for urban musicians and bands to flourish, so too does the community circuit in remote areas provide an opportunity for musicians to hone their skills and develop their craft.  Live performance within communities nurtures fans and performers and has an extensive positive social impact.

“We started out playing at community festivals, they are important to us in the early days we could see that the kids loved our music and we could see that we were like role models to those kids. There was no humbug in the community while the festival was on and everyone was listening to the music. It is important to me to play in communities it gives all the kids some hope, some fun and they feel proud of their own culture” Manuel Dhurrkay Saltwater Band

Stay tuned for more updates on the project, any further info or interest should be requested by email at:  info@theseedfund.org