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Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme II: Your questions answered
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Published on
Last updated on
The Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme II (MEBAS II) will open for applications from 12th August 2021 to 30 September 2021.
This scheme will operate within a limited fund of €14 million allocated to MEBAS – 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.
Once your application has been approved - you will get an email which will tell you how long it will take to pay you.
This scheme will see support offered by way of a once-off, flat payment of €1,500 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €15,000 - €20,000 with minimum business costs of €2,000 incurred from 1 April 2020 to 31 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 II guidelines here before starting your application. The application form for this scheme will be made available on the department’s website at 1pm on 12 th August 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).
• 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 disc 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 or II 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.
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.
A typed signature should be provided where indicated on the last page of the application form.
Details of individual awards may be published on the Department’s website including:
• the name of the grantee
• county in which the beneficiary is located
• grant amount
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 within the limited fund of €14 million for MEBAS. 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.
All queries can be emailed to MEBASII@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.
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 II appeals process can be found at Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme II - Appeals Process .
You can apply for and be a recipient of both the Live Performance Support Scheme and MEBAS 2.
Please make sure you have read the Guidelines and have the necessary documents scanned and ready to upload before you begin your application.