Salt Lick Incubator Artist Project Grant

The Salt Lick Incubator's Artist Project Grant offers funding and mentorship to emerging artists in the early stages of their professional careers. This grant is designed to support the creation and development of song- and lyric-driven melodic music projects, including producing songs or albums, creating music videos, developing social media assets, pressing vinyl, touring, and enhancing branding and marketing strategies. The Incubator's mission is to foster sustainable, artist-led careers by providing both financial support and strategic guidance from industry professionals. Target beneficiaries are U.S. citizens or eligible individuals/small groups (duos, trios, bands) who are at least 18 years old. Applicants must own the master recordings of their music, not have accepted an advance for the submitted project, not be in an active contract with a record label, and not have released three or more full-length albums. The grant specifically supports artists working in genres such as rock, folk, Americana, R&B, roots, soul, neo-soul, blues, bluegrass, and singer-songwriter (including all indie variants). The program's priorities and focus are on music that is song- and lyric-driven and melodic. While supporting a wide range of genres, it explicitly excludes electronic, hip-hop, rap, pop country, pure pop, metal, world, spoken word, classical, or jazz. The evaluation criteria for applications include the quality of songwriting, the strength of the artist's voice and vision, and their commitment to building a sustainable, artist-led career. This indicates a strategic priority on artistic merit and long-term career viability within the specified musical styles. Expected outcomes include the successful execution of artistic projects, such as album production or touring, and the enhancement of artists' professional capabilities through mentorship and personalized plans. The measurable results would be the tangible outputs of these projects (e.g., released albums, music videos, social media presence) and the progress artists make in their careers. The Salt Lick Incubator's theory of change appears to be that by providing financial resources, expert mentorship, and strategic planning, emerging artists can overcome common barriers to entry and development, leading to more robust and sustainable careers in the music industry. Artist project grants range from $5,000 to $15,000. Importantly, all awarded funds go directly to the artist, as the grant is not subject to commission by any industry partners or managers. This direct funding model, combined with comprehensive support, underscores the Incubator's commitment to empowering artists and ensuring their projects are both strategic and successful in the current music landscape.

Applicants are encouraged to provide a variety of their best work and clearly articulate their artistic vision. Willingness to engage and collaborate with the broader musical community is encouraged.