Levi's® Music Prize

$100,000 in prizes to be won

Applications open now

#Levi's® Loves Music

Music has always been a part of the Levi’s® brand DNA. Over generations the Levi’s® brand has been connected to music in one way or another.

Be it through dressing not only the singer – but the roadie, the guitar tech, to the producer, promoter, song writer, music fan and everything in between – we dress both the heroes and unsung heroes of the music industry.The Levi’s® brand has been present at music festivals across the globe spanning decades, and has also influenced artists and their sense of style across multiple genres throughout the years. From Glastonbury in the ‘60s and ‘70s through to Splendour, Bluesfest and Coachella today – the Levi’s® brand has been there.

Music is about rebellion and freedom of speech and so are we. We want to give back. We want to assist in supporting the arts and in supporting emerging artists take their career to the next level.

It is for this reason that it makes sense for us to further support the music industry and offer up a Levi’s® Music Prize to further give back to the music community and all that it stands for.

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Please readTerms & Conditions

#​About the Prize

The Levi’s® Music Prize is an exciting new initiative that will enable Australian bands and artists to maximise that next opportunity to get them to the next stage of their careers. 

The total Levi’s® Music Prize is a contribution of $100K annually which will be divided into 4 x $25K sums which will go towards funding 4 x quality artists/acts each year. From Round 1, 2018, Stage and Screen will offer a travel voucher of $5,000 to each prize winner (awarded 4 times total) to be used towards relevant travel costs. The Levi’s® Music Prize is aimed at early to mid-career artists seeking to capitalise on the initial success that they have already achieved for themselves. It is at this critical stage of many artists’ careers that it is difficult for them to stay on the journey and sustain the momentum that they have created. This happens for a number of reasons – but more often than not it is because of financial limitations. 

As many in the music industry would be aware – it’s a tough game. An artist or band may have a successful first album cycle or first tour, but where to from there? In order to keep up the momentum – bands need to get out on the road, travel overseas to do meet and greets with international record labels and get back into the studio to possibly record the next EP or album. Sometimes they may just need to produce a video for their next single release, or wish to work with an international producer that is proving too cost prohibitive. We understand that when the opportunity knocks – you have to be ready to leap into action – which is not always possible if the cash flow is just not there. 

This is where the Levi’s® Music Prize comes into play, and is the first of its kind. It’s also the biggest annual prize pool in Australian music history. The program will be run in partnership with QMusic and Sounds Australia. These two reputable Australian music industry bodies will assist the Levi’s® brand with administering the funding and also in offering advice and counsel where required. 

#Upcoming Rounds

Round 03 2018/19

Opens 10 December 2018
Closes 10 March 2019

Round 04 2018/19

Opens 11 March 2019
Closes 11 June 2019

Round 01 2019/20

Artist selected to showcase at BIGSOUND 2019 are automatically eligible for this round.

#Prize Winners

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#FAQ's

Q: Who should apply?

A: We are looking to assist in the development and promotion of Australian music to the rest of the world.
 BIGSOUND is Australia’s leading music export event. There will be 1 x emerging artist category for new BIGSOUND applicants each year of $25,000. Anyone can apply to play at BIGSOUND.

3 x prize amounts are open to Australian & New Zealand bands/artists who have already played at BIGSOUND in the past 5 years, including BIGSOUND 2018.

Q: What constitutes an Australian band or artist?

A: For bands, band members must satisfy the following Australian & New Zealand residency requirements: for two person bands, both musicians must be an Australian resident – or one member having resided in Australia or New Zealand for at least 12 months; for bands of three or more, 2/3 of the band must be an Australian or NZ resident. This will be judged on a case by case basis. For individual artists, he/she must be a resident of Australia.

Q: What are the deadlines for application?

A: Application periods in the lead-up to BIGSOUND 2018 will be:

Opened 9 September 2018 - 9 December 2018 (11:59pm Queensland time)
Open 9am 10 December 2018 - 10 March 2019 (11:59pm Queensland time)
Open 9am 11 March 2019 - 11 June 2019 (11:59pm Queensland time)

Decisions will be announced about 6 weeks after the closing date.

Q: Is there an application fee to apply?

A: As always, a fee applies to have your application to showcase at BIGSOUND considered. Once you've been accepted to play BIGSOUND, you are automatically eligible for the Levi's® Music Prize. Once BIGSOUND 2018 is completed, BIGSOUND alumni from 2014-2018 can apply for one of the three other quarterly $25,000 prizes at no cost.

Q: Can I apply for the Levi’s® Music Prize more than once?

A: Yes. Unsuccessful bands/artists can re-apply each quarter. Successful Levi’s® Music Prize recipients can re-apply after 3 years.

Q: How do I apply?

A: It is super easy. Just apply to showcase at BIGSOUND this year. For artists that have played BIGSOUND in the past 5 years (including 2018), an application form will appear on the BIGSOUND website after BIGSOUND 2018.

Q: Will I get feedback on my application?

A: Only winners will be notified directly. Unfortunately the scope and diversity of applications means that it’s not practical or fair for the judging panel to provide feedback on individual applications. The application form will guide you through how to best answer questions relevant to your application.

#Eligibility

The Levi’s® Music Prize is open to artists that have played on the BIGSOUND Festival line-up in the last 5 years, including 2018. These are artists that have already engaged in some kind of export/international touring activity – which is the focus of the prize.

The total Levi’s® Music Prize is a contribution of $100K annually which will be divided into 4 x $25K sums which will go towards funding 4 x quality artists/acts each year.
Stage and Screen will offer an additional travel voucher of $5,000 to each prize winner (awarded 4 times total) to be used towards relevant travel costs.

The prize has 2 components:

  1. From 2017, one artist showcasing at BIGSOUND each year will be judged by a panel of international industry representatives to be the winner of a $25,000 prize, announced on the Friday morning of the BIGSOUND conference. By applying to showcase at BIGSOUND Festival 2018, you’re automatically in the running for the prize awarded at BIGSOUND. Certain terms and conditions will apply. If you win the prize, you must provide a sound business plan which meets approved criteria for how the money will be used to further your career before it can be released to you. 
  2. Artists that have played on the BIGSOUND Festival line-up in the last 5 years (including 2018) can apply for 1 of another 3 x $25,000 prizes, to be judged at the end of the December, March and June quarters each year. At the conclusion of BIGSOUND 2018, an application form will appear on this website that can be completed to be in the running for the other 3 prizes. Each entrant will need to provide a sound business plan to support their intentions and goals, and the winner will be determined by a judging panel including industry experts. The prize will fund up to 80% of the proposed project to a maximum of $25,000 – you need to have some skin in the game. 

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