True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)
Offered by True/False Film Fest
Who can apply
Anyone can apply; all genres, emerging artists, solo acts and small ensembles, including acts able to play unconventional spaces. Fees: free for Missouri musicians before 30 Oct; $10 by the regular deadline (Fri 30 Oct 2026, 8pm CT); $20 by the final deadline (Fri 20 Nov 2026, 8pm CT).
About this opportunity
True/False Film Fest, the documentary festival in Columbia, Missouri, is looking for Pre-Film Musicians for its 24th edition, running 4–7 March 2027. The role is a 30-minute live set played as the audience files in and settles before a screening — a real, paid-attention performance in front of a seated festival crowd, not a conventional showcase slot. All genres are welcome, and the festival specifically encourages emerging artists, solo performers and small ensembles, including acts comfortable adapting to unconventional performance spaces, with particular interest in musicians from Columbia and the wider Midwest.
There's no stated performance fee on the submission page, so treat this as a visibility and festival-exposure opportunity rather than paid work unless you're told otherwise after acceptance. What you do pay is a modest submission fee: free for Missouri-based musicians and $10 for everyone else through the regular deadline on 30 October 2026, rising for a later cutoff after that. Acceptance is rolling, so submitting earlier genuinely improves your odds rather than being pro-forma advice.
Applying is a single step: an online form (built on Airtable) with no separate requirement for demos, a tech rider or a formal bio beyond whatever the form itself asks for. No published criteria describe how acts are chosen; the festival's only stated preferences are for local and Midwest artists, emerging acts, and performers who can work in nontraditional spaces.
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Frequently asked questions
- When is the deadline for True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)?
- The current deadline is November 20, 2026.
- Who offers True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)?
- True/False Film Fest runs it, from Columbia, Missouri, USA, International.
- What funding or support does True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians) offer?
- 30-minute performance slot at the festival (artist pay not stated)
- Who can apply for True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)?
- Anyone can apply; all genres, emerging artists, solo acts and small ensembles, including acts able to play unconventional spaces. Fees: free for Missouri musicians before 30 Oct; $10 by the regular deadline (Fri 30 Oct 2026, 8pm CT); $20 by the final deadline (Fri 20 Nov 2026, 8pm CT).
- How do I apply for True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)?
- You apply on the funder's own site. The link is on this page: with a free GrantGigs account for deadlines in the next 30 days, or with Pro for later ones. If applications are new to you, our guide on how to apply for music grants walks through the whole process. Read the guide →
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True/False Film Fest 2027 — Music Submissions (Pre-Film Musicians)