Bringin' It Home

For prospective presenters:
APPLY to be a Bringin' It Home presenter (venue) online

For current presenters:

30 days before the show: SUBMIT your presentation applications online
30 days after the show: SUBMIT your settlement reports online
Download settlement reporting guidelines HERE

Program Overview
The Bringin’ it Home Community Presenters Assistance Program (BIH) puts the program in the hands of the Community Presenter with support from Music Nova Scotia (MNS). This program creates opportunities to present Nova Scotia artists with MNS assistance and sees participating Community Presenters "own" their shows, resulting in greater attendance and more work for Nova Scotia artists. Under the program, participating Community Presenters are eligible for funding against a financial loss on a presentation, should a loss be incurred.

Program Goals

• To stimulate the development of community music presenters and Nova Scotia musicians both emerging and established;

• To foster and nurture strong artist-presenter relationships in the spirit of artistic vision;

• To increase touring activity and revenue for Nova Scotia musicians during fall, winter, and spring seasons;

• To increase the frequency of attendance by existing audiences, to attract new audiences, and to increase the range of people who attend performances by Nova Scotia musical acts;

• To create and nurture a network of Nova Scotia Community Presenters who participate in block booking opportunities;

• To provide Music Nova Scotia members with a database of contact information for Community Presenters and venues to assist members in booking their own engagements;

• To provide Community Presenters with access to information on Music Nova Scotia members

Funding

Those selected as Bringin’ it Home Community Presenters will be eligible to receive shortfall funding to a maximum of $1500.00 per performance, for eligible and approved performances taking place between October 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013. All requests will be subject to available funding.

Eligibility

An eligible applicant is a non-profit organization or society committed to providing musical experiences for their communities. Some undertake only a handful of performances a year, others may present dozens, but most will stage anywhere from three to eight performances a season. With a few exceptions, the season runs from fall to spring. Some community presenters may have some paid employees on staff, but most rely on community volunteers. Music festivals that wish to present non-festival presentations must contact the Program Officer to confirm eligibility.

Community Presenters who wish to be recognized as Bringin’ it Home Community Presenters and participate in the program must:

• Commit to presenting at least three shows that meet eligibility requirements or request to participate in a one-off trial presentation;

• Be willing to participate in artist block booking with other Bringin’ it Home Community Presenters;

• Present both emerging and established Nova Scotia artists;

• Set a minimum ticket price of $15.00 for regular Bringin’ it Home branded presentations, and $7.00 for all-ages presentations;

• Provide an artist fee guarantee;

• Commit to submitting all program paperwork in a timely manner as outlined below

Ineligible Presentations

• Performances taking place at house concerts, bars/night clubs, and restaurants;

• Performances presented by individual promoters or agents;

• Performances of non-Nova Scotian artists, or groups that are less than 50% Nova Scotian;

• Music festivals and industry conferences

Application Assessment

Qualifying applications will be assessed by:

• Willingness to participate in block booking opportunities;

• The balance of emerging and established Community Presenters;

• The technical capacity of the venue/presenter to stage performances with in-house audio and lighting equipment;

• Geographic location of presenters

Acceptance into the program will be on-going as funding permits. Not all Bringin’ it Home branded presentations will result in a shortfall during the program. The more presentations that are a financial success allow the opportunity for Music Nova Scotia to include additional Community Presenters in the program. Music Nova Scotia will create a standby list and notify Community Presenters accordingly so all are encouraged to apply.

It is required that Community Presenters who wish to be recognized under the program contact the Program Officer before their application is submitted.

Guidelines

• Presentation Applications and all other documentation including budgets must be submitted online (see above) via webforms provided by Music Nova Scotia;

• Participating Community Presenters must submit a signed copy of the artist performance contracts for all presentations taking place under the program;

• Participating Community Presenters must submit proof of revenue and expenses for all BIH presentations;

• A sales report stating total revenue and attendance must be submitted for each performance taking place under the BIH program;

• All presentations under the BIH must be branded and promoted as a "Bringin’ it Home" presentation. All collateral and advertising materials must carry the logos of MNS and the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage;

• Participating Community Presenters who qualify for shortfall funding from Music Nova Scotia will receive their shortfall payment upon receipt of a final report containing all of the supporting documentation mentioned above. All shortfall requests are subject to available funding;

• Music Nova Scotia will endeavour to issue shortfall payments in a timely manner and in accordance with the two-term season as outlined below;

• Shortfall funding recipients are subject to provincial audit and thus must retain all original receipts;

• Applicants must submit proof of not-for-profit or society status;

• Presenters who wish to offer an all-ages ticket price (min. of $7) must have their presentation approved by the Program Officer prior to submission of their Presentation Application;

• Participating Community Presenters must follow the BIH Settlement Reporting Guide (supplied to accepted applicants) that outlines required financial procedures and the maximum allowed expense claims.

Deadlines and Activity Start/End Dates

In an effort to decrease the wait time for shortfall payments and allow for more supported presentations, the BIH season is divided into two terms.
Term 1: Oct 1, 2012 – Feb 28, 2013
Term 2: March 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013
Music Nova Scotia will endeavour to reconcile submitted financials and issue shortfall payments for Term 1 by April 30, 2013 and for Term 2 by August 30, 2013.

Deadline 1: Qualification

The following documentation must be submitted, prior to any activity, to qualify for the program:

• Program Qualifying Application

• Proof of not-for-profit or society status (only required if this is your first year participating in the new BIH)

To maximize participation in the program, Qualifying Applications will be accepted on an on-going basis throughout the season. Contact the Program Officer for more details.

Deadline 2: Pre-Approval

Once you’ve received an indication from the Program Officer that you’ve been accepted into the program, the following documentation must be submitted no less than 30 days prior to your first presentation of the term:

• Presentation Application (1 per presentation)

• Signed artist performance contracts

Deadline 3: Shortfall Request

The following documentation must be submitted no more than 30 days after your final BIH performance of the term.

• Settlement Report (includes budget within webform)

• Receipts and declarations to support all revenue and expenses including sales reports for each performance (can be scanned and uploaded with Settlement Report or mailed)

FAQs

Q: What if I want to have an all-ages show?

A: All Ages shows have to be specifically marketed to young people, not just segregated liquor area or dry event. These shows can have a ticket price of $7.

Q: Do I include tax in my claims?

A: You cannot claim HST if you are an HST registered presenter. Otherwise, you can.

Q: How many shows can I present through Bringin’ It Home a year?

A: BIH presenters are allowed to do 3 shows for claims a year, but can do 1 show extra for each one that makes a profit OR if there is funding left, you can add more shows. Please check with the Program Officer.