Booking MPTF Concerts

The Music Performance Trust Funds (MPTF) is a fund of money set aside by the recording industry to support free public concerts. They money which is based on a percentage of total audio recordings sold, is earmarked to ensure the public and school children have the opportunity to hear and enjoy live music. More information can be found on the MPTF website.

For the union musician, MPTF provides opportunities to for live performances while providing reasonable pay at union-scale. Only AFM musicians have access to the MPTF for putting on free concerts for public venues and schools.

To apply for MPTF funding to put on concerts, an application must be filled out and sent to the COMA office. Also, the MPTF will only covers 40% of the cost - you must find a "co-sponsor" to sponsor the remaining 60% of your wages. You must have a co-sponsor and they must sponsor the full 60%. It is not acceptable for you think that you can just "take a pay cut if your co-sponsor won't pay their share" - this is not allowed. The co-sponsor must also provide the money up front before scheduled concert.

MPTF Proposal Forms

MPTF Proposal forms are available from the COMA office. You will need to pick them up in person. We will also give you some tips on filling them out when you come.

There are also a number of other forms that you will need to get from the COMA office. They also have to be filled out in a very specific manner, or the MPTF's Trustee will not accept them. (It's the MPTF Trustee, located in New York City, who ultimately decides who gets the MPTF money.)

However, before you think about getting forms and filling them out, please read the below guidelines. They will save you a lot of time and unneeded frustration.

MPTF Proposal Guidelines

Here are some guidelines in preparing your proposal to do an MPTF concert:

The fund provides for Live Music Performances which are Free to the general Public.

It operates on a 60%/40% co-sponsorship basis between a co-sponsor and a Local Office of the American Federation of Musicians. The rate of funding is based on an individual Local's Tariff of Fees.

What kinds of performances are eligible for funding?

• Any and all manner of musical styles and groups are eligible provided the venue is FREE and OPEN to the public in general. No commercial ties, special interest fund raisers, or alcohol sales may be connected with the performance venue.
• Types of performances include Park Concerts, In-School time Educational Concerts, Mall Concerts, Seniors' Residences, College Noon-Hour Programs, Special Day Public Events, etc.
• Acknowledgement must be visibly displayed or orally given to the Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Fund and The American Federation of Musicians' Local in which the performance takes place. The A.F.of M. is the official administrator of the fund as per the AFM and Recording Industries Labour Agreement.

How does one apply for funding?

• Job proposals are submitted to the Local A.F.of M. Office 45 days prior to the event. The office will attempt to determine if all funding criteria are met.
• The proposal should contain the following information:
  • - the time and place of the event.
  • - the co-sponsor's name, address, and phone number.
  • - the amount of co-sponsorship money available ( 65% of Local Scale is needed)
  • - the musical group's leader's name, address, phone, and AFM membership status
  • - the number of musicians involved inc. leader (all AFM members in good standing)
• The Local Office contacts the co-sponsor to verify the engagement and remit an invoice for the co-funding. (prior co-funding may accompany the initial proposal.)
• The proposal is submitted to the M.P.T.F. office in New York for final approval. When approval is received, the leader is sent a payroll sheet to be completed by the musicians at the engagement. This is returned to the Local Office for remission to New York.
• The musicians will receive cheques individually from New York for the amount of applicable scale minus 5% work dues.

70% of the Locals annual allocation of funds is spent on traditional forms of music and 30% is earmarked for Contemporary Rock and related genres.

- excerpted from AFM MPTF guidelines, last updated July 1, 2002

If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact the COMA Office, and we will do the best we can to give you a hand.

Remember that there is a limited amount of MPTF funding available, so it is best to submit your proposals early.