Touring is a vital promotional tool for music releases. This New Music Project Touring fund (NMPT) is a pilot round put in place by NZ On Air (with support from the NZ Music Commission) to aid Aotearoa musicians who have received an NZ On Air New Music Project grant, contributing towards the costs of a headline national tour to promote their funded project.
New Music Project Touring
Funding of between $10,000 and $50,000 (plus GST if registered) is available to assist with touring expenses for those who have received a New Music Project grant.
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- Applications open:
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Funding details
NMPT is a pilot funding round open to any artists that have received New Music Project funding and have not yet released their project or announced their tour. The NMP funding must be already contracted with NZ On Air.
You can apply for funding ranging from $10,000 – $50,000 depending on the number of tour venues and size of venues planned for your tour.
The maximum contribution is 50% of the total eligible costs of the tour expenditure, and the total fund pool for this 2025 pilot round is $500,000.
Who is eligible to apply
This fund is open to artists who:
- have received New Music Project funding and have not yet released their project or announced the tour.
- have completed at least one headline tour in New Zealand, consisting of three or more dates.
- already have New Music Project funding contracted with NZ On Air.
- are planning a headline national tour within 6 months of the project release.
- have included at least two tour dates outside their hometown.
Additionally:
- applications must contain one tour only within New Zealand.
- applications must include a Letter of Support from a manager or New Zealand-based third-party music company with proven experience managing music tours in Aotearoa.
- Joint tours, featuring two or more headline artists on the same tour line up, are eligible to apply for this funding. However, only one application should be submitted for the tour, and the maximum funding amount of $50,000 will be shared among the participating artists.
- applications can be submitted by the artist, manager, artist representative, booking agent or tour promoter. If a third party applies, the funding must go directly to the artist’s profit share and the application must be accompanied by a letter of support from the artist.
Before you apply
Before you apply, make sure you have contacted the NZ On Air Music Team with an Expression of Interest (EOI).
This needs to contain:
- the artist's name
- the New Music Project the application is attached to
- a one-paragraph overview of your plan for your tour
- details of the NZ based third-party music company or manager (publicist, artist representative, promoter, booking agent)
- email your EOI to musicteam@nzonair.govt.nz at least two weeks before the funding round deadline.
Please note, it is at the discretion of NZ On Air and the NZ Music Commission who is accepted into the round.
What we fund
For the full list of eligible and ineligible costs for New Music Project Touring, please refer to ‘Budget Expectations’ under the 'Documents' tab below.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs
The eligible costs include:
- Venue hire
- Venue extras
- Rented production
- Contracted touring crew
- Session musicians fees - gig fees including travel days fees
- Rehearsal fees (max three days)
- Insurance
- Domestic transport
- Marketing and promotion
- Support artists fees
Ineligible costs
Ineligible costs
The ineligible costs include:
- Production of audio or video content for any album and/or EP
- Manufacturing of physical product, e.g. merch, vinyl, etc.
- International travel and international accommodation
- International marketing, promotion and publicity
- Koha – due to the lack of invoice or receipt documentation
- Gifts, including gift cards. NB. If you make any purchases using a gift card, you will need to keep the receipts for the items purchased
- Per diems
- Catering or hospitality rider
- Promoter or booking agent fees and commissions
- APRA licensing fee
How to apply
Once you have been confirmed eligible to apply for NMP Touring, you can apply. Your application must include:
- Artist and project details
- Tour overview and goals
- Tour budget and itinerary
- Marketing and promotion plan
- Artist and team bios
- Letters of support
- Co-investment details
Apply for New Music Project Touring funding
If you have sent the music team your EOI, you can register then apply for New Music Project Touring funding via our music funding portal.
Online resources
The NZ Music Commission has helpful resources with information about touring in New Zealand
NZ Music Commission resources
NZ Music Commission resources
- How to promote your gig
Tips and advice to promote your shows. - Touring checklist
What to do before taking your music on the road. - Touring budgets 101
When you want to take your music on the road, one of the first things to think about is your budget. - Basic Performance Agreement template
Use this Performance Agreement Template when you’re looking to sign up to an event with a promoter. - The Great Gig Glossary
The A-Z of everything you need to know about gigs.
New Music Project Touring documents
Download:
NMPT25 – Pre Application Criteria Guidelines
This document provides detailed requirements for applying to NZ On Air’s New Music Project Touring fund.
Download:
NMPT25 Budget Expectations
Eligible and ineligible costs to help guide you through the budgeting process for New Music Project Touring.
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