Finding Your Supporting Act As A Musician

Finding Your Supporting Act As A Musician 

A guide to music funding and free advice in Austria 

There is an old, romantic myth that great art thrives on starvation. But the studio still sends an invoice, and the van won’t run on artistic conviction. 

In his conversation with Claire, Jacob Waid talks openly about the financial reality of making music with the band WELLBEHAVED. When she asks whether he can live partly from his music, his answer is immediate: “Absolutely not.” 

Their livelihoods are supported by work beyond WELLBEHAVED. Jacob works sixteen hours a week, while Sanna, the other singer of the band, has a job at a start-up, and the instrumentalists earn their living through teaching and other musical work. 

When it comes to income from the band, Jacob points to touring and especially merchandise. What they earn goes back into keeping the band going. There has also been some help: a grant of around €1,500 allowed them to press their music on vinyl. 

Conversations about creative careers can become quite abstract, especially when they focus on believing in yourself, with little to no information about how to pay for things. Here was an actual amount, and what it had made possible. 

For anyone who’s ever said “one day I’ll give music a proper go” (guilty), hearing Jacob talk about the process that led to actually doing it is encouraging, and knowing there’s help available makes you wonder what that next step could look like. 

It made me curious about what else is available, and how you find it before giving up halfway through a funding website. 

“Writing a grant application is definitely a skill,” Jacob says. He admits that bureaucracy quickly leaves him confused, which may be one of the more relatable moments in the episode. 

So I did a little digging. Below are a few useful places to start if you’re making music in Vienna, including funding programmes available across Austria. If you’re not sure what you qualify for, there’s also someone you can talk to, for free and in English. 

Before the paperwork 

mica – music austria 

If you’re looking at funding pages and struggling to work out which ones apply to you, mica offers free individual advice, also available in English. Its team can help with funding questions and the professional side of making music. Legal consultations and contract reviews are arranged through the service too. 

You can find contact details on its consultation page. Its funding guide also brings together national and regional options, useful if you’re based elsewhere in Austria. 

Getting it on record 

Österreichischer Musikfonds: production funding 

The Musikfonds supports album productions, as well as projects releasing at least three tracks within twelve months. Production funding can cover up to 50% of the eligible production volume, which can include unpaid contributions, with a maximum grant of €50,000. 

Individual applicants must have their main residence in Austria; companies must be based there. The final mastering must still be unfinished when funding is awarded. You’ll need a detailed budget and demo material, but you don’t have to be signed to a label. 

Applications are assessed by a jury. The next published deadline is 11 November 2026. Find the full requirements and application instructions on the Musikfonds production funding page. 

Taking the show on the road 

Musikfonds Toursupport + Austrian Music Export 

This programme is specifically for tours promoting a production that has already received Musikfonds funding. It covers a tour’s financial shortfall within defined limits, up to €10,000 for a domestic tour or €20,000 for a tour that includes international dates. 

There must be at least three concerts, with geographical conditions: an Austria-only tour, for example, needs shows in three different federal states. The next published deadline is 7 October 2026. Check the Toursupport guidelines before planning an application. 

For other international opportunities, Austrian Music Export’s funding overview is another useful place to look. Availability and eligibility depend on the individual programme. 

Backing the people who write it 

SKE Fonds 

SKE offers funding for composers and songwriters, including support for recording and releasing their music. Jacob mentions it among the programmes WELLBEHAVED has applied to. 

To receive funding, you need an agreement with austro mechana, the Austrian organisation that collects royalties when your music is reproduced, for example on vinyl or digitally. You can apply before that agreement is in place, but you’ll need it before the grant can be paid. 

Applications should be submitted two to four months before your release or project takes place. This programme does not cover touring or equipment purchases. 

The SKE funding page explains what you can apply for and lists upcoming assessment dates. 

The bills between gigs 

Künstler-Sozialversicherungsfonds (KSVF) 

The Künstler-Sozialversicherungsfonds offers eligible self-employed artists a contribution towards their social insurance costs. Applicants must have SVS pension insurance arising from their artistic work. Eligibility also depends on recognition of that activity and the applicable income thresholds, with some exceptions. 

The KSVF eligibility overview explains the conditions and links to the application process. 

Before you hit submit 

Check the timing before committing to costs. Programmes have different rules about how far a project can have progressed when you apply or receive a decision. A realistic budget matters too, including how you’ll cover any costs the grant won’t fund.  

There’s no need to become an expert in every programme on this list. Finding one that fits what you want to do, or making an appointment with someone who can help, is a perfectly good place to begin. 

And if you know a resource we’ve missed, send it our way. We’d like to keep adding to this list. No gatekeeping at the curious. 

PS: Information and official links checked on 23 September 2026. Funding conditions, deadlines and programmes can change.