New Music Inc

New Music Inc is a regional incubator program that helps small-budget, artist-led new music groups and organizations generate new ideas, strategies and collaborations at pivotal stages in the group or collective’s development. The program provides each participating organization with financial support coupled with hands-on skill-building in a cohort environment intended to foster collective learning and collaboration. For the 2025 cycle, they are accepting applications from eligible organizations in Los Angeles County. Prior regional cohorts included Baltimore, Chicago, and New York City.

With the support from The Music Man Foundation and the Perenchio Foundation, this first Los Angeles iteration of New Music Inc will combine flexible financial support with professional development opportunities for ten Los Angeles-based organizations, who must commit to the program’s activities for the duration of 17 months. Selected groups will receive:

• A $10,000 grant for general support aimed to help offset participation in the program (two installments over 17 months)
• Assistance in developing a strategic plan. You will be guided by the Program Coordinator to set clear goals and objectives.
• Eight cohort learning sessions (3 in-person,5 virtual): a mixture of learning and collaborative sessions to gain knowledge and skills around pertinent topics, to share progress and ideas, and to hear from guest speakers and experts in response to needs expressed by members of the cohort. Cohort learning sessions will begin in September 2025 with one 2-hour meeting running approximately every other month through December 2026.
• Four 1:1 check ins between participant organizations and the Program Coordinator
  
• Dedicated mentorship sessions (4 to 6 sessions) with a Los Angeles-based arts professional
  
• Up to $4,000 to be used as a travel exchange to collaborate with peer organizations from alumni New Music Inc cohorts in either Baltimore, Chicago, or New York
• Additional opportunities to collaborate and exchange with alumni cohort members based in New York, Chicago, and Baltimore.

Requirements

• Residencies: A combined 3-month residency, with fully-funded stays at Rupert (April–May 2026) and Sonic Acts (Nov 2026), including accommodation and workspace. * Please scroll down for more information per residency.
• Stipend & travel: €3,800 total for the combined residency, and up to €400 travel support for each location.
• Production budget and support: Funding includes a total of €7,000 for both presentations (€2,000 for Rupert in Vilnius and €5,000 for Sonic Acts in Amsterdam), along with guidance and support for the development and production of a new artwork.
• Visibility: Project featured on the Sonic Acts and Rupert websites or publications.
• Professional support: Feedback sessions, help with funding applications, and production assistance.
• Mentorship: Support from local artists and curators in each city.
• Exhibition: Research presentation as part of public programming in Vilnius and Amsterdam (2026). Final work shown at Rupert (2026/2027) and Sonic Acts Biennial (2028).