Snapchat Sounds Creator Fund Terms

Effective: April 13, 2023

The Snapchat Sounds Creator Fund (“Program”) is a new grant program designed to empower emerging, independent artists living in the United States or India who are at least 18 years old (or at least 16 years old with written consent from their parent(s) or legal guardian(s)) to pursue a career in music. The Program will be managed in cooperation with Snap Inc., (“Snap”) partners, DistroKid LLC (“DistroKid”) and UnitedMasters LLC (“UnitedMasters”), such that any qualifying artist who uses the DistroKid or UnitedMasters platform may be eligible to receive a Grant (as defined below). As Sounds engagement continues to grow on the Snapchat application and as Snap continues to innovate and develop the Sounds experience, Snap wants to help Sounds creators produce even more quality content.

For the users of any Snap Services, as that term is defined in Snap’s Terms of Service, all terms and policies applicable to use of the Snapchat application, including but not limited to Snap’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines, shall also apply to the Program.

ARBITRATION NOTICE: THESE TERMS INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE THE ARBITRATION, CLASS-ACTION WAIVER, AND JURY WAIVER PROVISION, CHOICE OF LAW PROVISION, AND EXCLUSIVE VENUE PROVISION OF THE SNAP INC. TERMS OF SERVICE.  EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF DISPUTES MENTIONED IN THE ARBITRATION PROVISION OF THE SNAP INC. TERMS OF SERVICE, POTENTIAL GRANT RECIPIENTS AND SNAP AGREE THAT DISPUTES BETWEEN THEM WILL BE RESOLVED BY THE MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION IN THE SNAP INC. TERMS OF SERVICE, AND POTENTIAL GRANT RECIPIENTS AND SNAP EACH WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. POTENTIAL GRANT RECIPIENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF ARBITRATION AS EXPLAINED IN THAT ARBITRATION CLAUSE.  

Any emerging, independent artist living in the United States or India who is at least 18 years old (or at least 16 years old with written consent from their parent(s) or legal guardian(s)) and who uploads the artist’s original music via DistroKid or UnitedMasters through the Snap Sounds offering may be eligible to receive a Grant. Artists may not apply directly to receive a Grant, and only a limited number of artists will receive Grants. The specific number of Grants to be awarded, and the timing of the award and payment of the Grants, will be determined by Snap in its sole discretion.  Grant recipients (each, a “Grant Recipient”) will be determined by Snap, as Snap determines in its sole discretion. Artists who distribute songs that violate Snap’s Community Guidelines or who are otherwise not eligible pursuant to these Terms will not be considered. All decisions of Snap are final and binding. 

The Program will commence on or about July 1, 2022.  Snap reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify, terminate, or extend the Program (for clarity, including these Terms) at any time.

Potential Grant Recipients will be notified by DistroKid or UnitedMasters, as applicable, if they have been selected as a potential Grant Recipient. Potential Grant Recipients will be required to complete and return a Grant Acceptance Form, or equivalent documentation, within seven (7) days of their date of issuance. If a potential Grant Recipient does not respond to the initial notification within the time period stated therein, all required documents are not returned within the specified time period, a Grant notification is returned as undeliverable, or a potential Grant Recipient is not in compliance with these Terms, the Grant will be forfeited.

Grant Recipients will receive grants between $2,500 and $5,000 USD (each a ”Grant”) as determined by Snap in its sole discretion. Any and all federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the Grant Recipient. Grant Recipients may not substitute, assign or transfer a Grant. All terms and conditions and details of the Grant are at Snap’s sole discretion.

Except where legally prohibited and to the full extent permitted by law, in connection with acceptance of a Grant, each Grant Recipient hereby: (a) licenses and grants permission to Snap and its designees to use the Grant Recipient's name(s), location (city and state), photographs, voice, likeness, and Grant information or other materials provided to Snap in connection with the Grant, including without limitation any original music and musical works provided to Snap by the Grant Recipient (or separately approved by the Grant Recipient in writing (email sufficient) in connection with the Snap Sounds offering), for advertising, trade and promotional purposes, including reproduction, distribution, display and performance in all media now known or hereafter discovered, in any manner, worldwide, without notice, review, approval or compensation; and (b) irrevocably waives — or agrees not to assert against Snap or its affiliates — any moral rights or equivalent rights in any of the aforementioned information or materials throughout the world.

Grant Recipients and potential Grant Recipients agree to release, indemnify, discharge and hold harmless Snap, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising, payment and promotion agencies, and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property, resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance of the Grant or participation in the Program.

For Indian Residents Only: Nothing in the foregoing section shall limit or exclude the Released Parties liability for death, personal injury, damage to or loss of property, caused by the Released Parties' negligence or fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or anything else excluded by law.

The Program is void where applicable and subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws. Released Parties are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, damaged, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered, or garbled communications of any kind; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider, website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Program. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to any person's computer or other device related to or resulting from participating in this Program. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Program, who act in an improper or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Terms, as solely determined by Snap, will be disqualified.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE SERVICES OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SNAP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.