Musicians, venues and promoters who put on concerts in Mississauga can apply for up to $5,000 this year after the city made its Live Music Grant a permanent program. Applications open March 2.

City staff presented the results of the grant's three-year pilot on Feb. 4 along with recommendations to expand it, and council accepted them. The maximum award doubles from $2,500, and the program's total budget rises to $75,000 for 2026.

Who can apply

The grant is aimed at for-profit concert presenters, including artists, venue operators, promoters, bars and restaurants. Applicants do not have to be based in Mississauga, but the events must take place in the city. During the pilot, money could go toward musician and venue fees, marketing, and audio-visual staffing and rentals.

  • Applications open Monday, March 2, through the city's grants portal

  • Deadline: Friday, March 27

  • Optional information webinar: Thursday, March 12, noon to 1 p.m.

  • Second webinar: Monday, March 23, 6 to 7 p.m.

What the pilot delivered

From 2023 to 2025, the pilot handed out 61 grants that supported 165 new concerts and created 385 gig opportunities for musicians. The city puts the total economic impact at $278,486. The program drew more than 100 applications and was oversubscribed in each year of the pilot.

Staff expect that by 2027 the grant will help produce 150 new concerts and 300 gig opportunities a year, along with $300,000 in annual economic impact, or about $3 for every grant dollar.

We earned the title of 'Music City' because we are serious about creating the spaces and opportunities that our live music industry needs to succeed.

— Mayor Carolyn Parrish

Andrew Whittemore, the city's commissioner of planning and building, called the pilot a resounding success and said demand for new live music spaces keeps growing.

A venue registry is next

The city's Music Office is also building a live music venue registry to help presenters find places to hold shows. The grant is paid for with the city's share of the Municipal Accommodation Tax, and applications are judged by a panel of Mississauga-based music industry professionals.

The program began in 2023 as part of the Mississauga Music Strategy. The city estimates that its live music sector added about $28 million to local gross domestic product in 2023 and supported roughly 290 full-time equivalent jobs. Mississauga was named Music City of the Year in 2023 by the Canadian Live Music Association and Canadian Music Week.