NZ On Air, with support from the NZ Music Commission, have announced a pilot fund specifically aimed at local touring. The New Music Project Touring fund is designed to help local artists take their music on the road within Aotearoa.

The New Music Project Touring initiative will provide between $10,000 and $50,000 per successful application, depending on the scale of the tour, to support a headline national tour for an NZ On Air New Music Project-funded album or EP. A total of $500,000 will be available in the first pilot round. 

The funding is open to artists who have received NZ On Air New Music Project (NMP) funding (between $11,000 and $55,000 for multi-song music projects), and have not yet released their project, or announced a tour. It will cover a range of touring costs including transport, accommodation, marketing, production, venue hire and session musician fees.

“NMP funding supports the creation, release and promotion of new music and this initiative will support the live promotion of that music,”says NZ On Air Head of Music, Teresa Patterson. “We have been told by the music community that the cost of touring has become prohibitive, as it’s a major financial undertaking with a lot of risk. This funding will help bridge the gap between recording and releasing music and reaching audiences in an environment where touring costs have become expensive.”

The New Music Project Touring fund is led by NZ On Air and supported by the NZ Music Commission, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Aotearoa’s music ecosystem. Applications can be submitted by artists, managers, artist representatives, booking agents or tour promoters – with the requirement that funding must benefit the artist directly.