In recent years, the Government Information Office has begun several projects to assist independent bands, not only setting up the Independent Music Awards (with the inaugural awards to be held this year), but also beginning a sponsorship program which has awarded grants between NT$30,000 and NT$60,000 to 62 bands in its three-year life. With nominations open for the fourth round of grants, the value has been upped to NT$80,000.
For bands performing abroad, whether under their own initiative or by invitation, the GIO began awarding grants partially covering travel expenses in 2009. Ten bands, including Black Hand Nakasi and Tizzy Bac, have been supported in trips to perform in Japan, South Korea, America, and elsewhere.
Won Fu's recent tour of America's western seaboard was the first volley in a GIO plan to help Taiwanese bands raise their profiles abroad. The band was specially chosen by overseas agents from nominees of the Best Band award at the past nine Golden Melody Awards.
Following Won Fu's lead, this year another band is expected to be dispatched abroad by the GIO. Additionally, the office also hopes to take some lessons from the organizers of Asia's biggest music festivals-who were invited to share their experiences with Taiwan last November-and give Taiwan an international presence akin to Japan's Summer Sonic or South Korea's Pentaport Rock Festival.
Of particular note is the band Kou Chou Ching, who combine Hakka instrumentation with Taiwanese style hip-hop, and won both the Best Remix Song and Best Band awards at America's JPF Music Awards. Short of travel funds, the band had originally given up on going to collect their awards in person, until the GIO stepped in to not only provide them the money needed to get to Tennessee for the awards, but also arrange a performance for them in New York with the help of Taiwan's representatives there.
Three Taiwanese acts were also invited to perform at the recently held music industry trade fair MIDEM in France, the world's largest such fair, marking Taiwan's third time having performers there. This year, Mavis Fan & 100%, Panai & Message, and Crowd Lu represented the sound of Taiwan.