Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme: Your questions answered

This scheme will now remain open for applications until 1pm 30th September. Please make sure you have read the Guidelines , and have the necessary documents scanned and ready to upload before you begin your application.

The Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme(MEBAS) will open for applications from 9 June 2021 to 30 September 2021. This date may be extended if funding remains available for the scheme. A business may make one application only under this scheme.

Applications are prioritised by date of application

This scheme will operate with a limited fund of €14 million – eligibility does not guarantee the offer of a grant. Applications will be considered strictly by order of date and time of receipt by the Department.

How soon you will get your payment

Once your application has been approved - you will get an email which will tell you how long it will take to pay you.

Rates of payment

There will be three levels of flat once-off payments for approved applications.

Strand A –

€2,500 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €20,000 - €50,000 with minimum business costs of €3,000 incurred from 1st April 2020 to 31st May 2021.

Strand B -

€4,000 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €50,001 - €100,000 with minimum business costs of €6,000 from 1st April 2020 to 31st May 2021.

Strand C –

€5,000 for businesses with VAT-exclusive turnover in excess of €100,000 with minimum business costs of €7,500 from 1st April 2020 to 31st May 2021.

The grant will be paid to the business’ bank account by electronic transfer, using the details submitted on the application form.

The payment is made as a contribution to the overheads of businesses that have been significantly negatively affected by COVID-19.

Please read the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme guidelines here, before starting your application. The application form for this scheme will be made available on the department’s website at 1pm on 9th June 2021. Click on the “Start New Application” button and complete the form.

This form will require applicants to self-declare that they are ineligible for the CRSS, the Fáilte Ireland Business Continuity Grant, the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID and are not in receipt of those grants or did not receive those grants. Businesses will be also asked to confirm that they are not registered charities, Not for Profit Organisations (NFP) or Companies Limited by Guarantee (CLG)

Applicants will also be asked to confirm that they do not operate from a rateable premises.

• businesses whether sole traders, partnerships or incorporated entities operating exclusively within the live entertainment sector can apply for this scheme
• the business must intend to resume trading in full once government restrictions are eased
• businesses of musicians and singers of all genres are eligible as are sound engineers, lighting engineers, audio engineers, stage managers, stage technicians, sound and lighting equipment suppliers, live-streaming equipment suppliers and full-time disk jockeys
• the business must be located in the State and the address of the business for tax purposes must be located wholly within a geographical region for which COVID-19 restrictions are in operation
• the turnover of the business for 1 April 2020 –31 March 2021 must be no more than 25% of the turnover of the business in the year for which accounts are submitted
• profits of the trade or trading activities of the business must be chargeable to tax under Case I of Schedule D
• businesses must be tax compliant.

The scheme operates on a self-assessment basis. Businesses are required to retain evidence and documentation which supports the basis for making a claim under the scheme as this may be requested by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (D/TCAGSM) under future eligibility checks.

The D/TCAGSM will arrange to carry out spot-checks to ensure compliance with the qualifying criteria.

Applicants do not have to be registered for VAT in order to make an application under this scheme.

Documents you will need to upload with your application

Businesses must upload the most recent year for which annual accounts (audited accounts / accounts prepared by accountant / sole trader tax return) are available – the turnover figure for the business must be highlighted or circled and the page number for this detail must be indicated on the application.

You do not need to upload copies of receipts of invoices in relation to your business costs at point of application. However, you should retain evidence and documentation which supports the basis for making a claim under the scheme as this may be requested by this Department under future eligibility checks.

Business costs include costs incurred in carrying out the operations of the business, such as bank fees, vehicle insurance costs, interest on loans, rent, insurance and service costs relating to equipment and other costs. Business costs incurred between 1 April 2020 – 31 May 2021 should be considered.

Signing the form

A typed signature should be provided where indicated on the last page of the application form.

Details will be published

Details of individual awards will be published on the Department’s website including:

• the name of the grantee
• county in which the beneficiary is located
• grant amount

Closing date for this scheme?

The closing date for receipt of applications is 30th, September 2021 at 1pm. The Scheme may close earlier if funding is exhausted.

This scheme will operate with a limited fund of €14 million. Due to the high volume of applications anticipated, it may not be possible to allocate funding to all eligible applicants. Applications will be considered strictly by order of date and time of receipt by the Department.

An appeal may be made by a business if the applicant considers that the process for reviewing their application was not adhered to. The business must be in receipt of a decision email from the MEBAS Team in order to make an appeal. An appeal must be made within 5 working days of the date on the decision email. More information on the Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme appeals process can be found at Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme - Appeals Process

Live performance Support Scheme

You can apply for and be a recipient of both the Live performance Support Scheme and MEBAS.

Who can I contact in relation to this scheme?

All queries can be emailed to MEBAS@tcagsm.gov.ie

If you have an application number, please remember to include this in all correspondence. Please also note that this document may be updated from time to time.

Please make sure you have read the Guidelines Document, and have the necessary documents scanned and ready to upload before you begin your application.

CLICK HERE TO START YOUR APPLICATION