ArtsCareer July 2011 eNews - Find out how to write a winning grant application
ArtsCareer July 2011 eNews - Find out how to write a winning grant application
Sent : 13 July 2011
Welcome
Welcome to the 3rd ArtsCareer eNews!
With heaps of grant deadlines looming around this time we thought it best to have an issue focused on this issue! This eNews is themed around the visual arts so we talked to four grant winning visual artists to find out how grants have supported their practice and to discover the magical ingredients to a winning grant application. Using their advice and some ArtsCareer know-how, we’ve put together a list of grant writing top tips for you. So scroll on towards a successful grant application!
Happy professional developing!
The ArtsCareer Team
P.S. Dance fans – keep scrolling to win a free double pass to Pina.
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What can ArtsCareer do to help you with your grant applications?
Four recent recipients tell ArtsCareer about their experiences of applying for grants and what they feel makes a successful application.
Emma White
Recipient of the Art & Australia/Credit Suisse Private Banking Contemporary Art Award (2010)
ArtsCareer: Can you tell us a bit about your practice?
Emma White: I have a fairly studio-based and somewhat conceptual practice; I tend to make mostly small sculptural works, photographs and the odd video or performance/interactive work that relates to those objects. My practice is a bit inward looking. I often make works that are to do with the tools of creative production, yet also consider the relationship of photography to material reality and play with the problems of representation itself. It’s a bit circular. My work is more or less process-driven; one work usually leads into another.
AC: What was the reason for applying to this particular grant scheme and what do you look for when applying for other schemes? How is the process meaningful to your practice?
EW: You can’t always get the applications together at the right times, it seems like application deadlines always clash with exhibition openings! Ideally I look to identify which particular grants or awards are really the most relevant to where my career is at; I like to look at what my practice needs and target the programs that meet that need. For example, I’m up for a period of productive experimentation so I’m going to prioritise applying for something like a residency next.
AC: How did you approach your application for the Art & Australia/Credit Suisse Private Banking Contemporary Art Award?
EW: I didn’t really do any research for this one; I had been aware of the award for some years so I had a good sense of the kind of artists that were likely to be successful, both contextually and in terms of the appropriate ‘career level’ the award is pitched at.
I don’t really apply for many grants and I’m often unsuccessful – there are many applications I’ve unsuccessfully submitted knowing that I haven’t done enough research about the grant’s objectives, or that I haven’t addressed the criteria clearly enough in my writing (most likely doing the application at the last minute!).
AC: What previous experience helped you with the application?
EW: In terms of experience, probably one of the things that helped me with this one was being able to call in the right references for the application. It’s taken a long time to build up a professional network that is meaningful to the assessors of such awards. I felt like I clearly understood the context and criteria for the award and what the assessors would be looking for. I also held off applying until I felt I ‘fitted into’ the Award’s desired career trajectory.
AC: How do you approach the writing?
EW: Starting the writing early always helps, because that’s the hardest part. You’re always going to want to redraft what you’ve written. You need to be clear about what your work physically is, in order to help the assessors interpret the images you’ve provided.
Give simple, non-obfuscating/non-academic explanations as to what drives your practice. So basically write a whole lot of garbage, then strip it back, and back, and back.
However, in the interest of full disclosure, I am usually unsuccessful with grants that require me to propose an as-yet unmade work – I need some tips for this myself! In my opinion it’s much easier to write about work that has been completed already and you’ve had time to reflect on.
You yourself should feel like you’re a good fit for the opportunity, or you probably won’t be convincing in how you write it up.
AC: How do you select your support material?
EW: I want my support material to show the breadth of my current practice and to clearly relate to what I’ve written about my practice in the particular application I am working on.
You should only ever submit really good quality images; even if I think a work is the best I’ve ever made, if the images are crappy, I don’t submit them in applications. It just dilutes the assessor’s sense of your professionalism and you are just wasting one of the few precious glimpses they are going to get of what you do.
My works are often made of multiple constituent parts so if I am limited to submitting ten images, I would probably try not to show more than three or four works. It’s better to show fewer works comprehensively than submit a whole series of fragments of different works. Each additional image must serve an identifiable purpose in representing the work well.
Having access to good quality high-resolution images is very important. If you can’t produce fantastic documentation yourself, hire a good photographer who can. It’s worth it. I’ve been on selection panels and I know that images are the most important thing; I’ve seen proposals discarded unread because the images were not properly edited and weren’t able to clearly and quickly deliver a sense of what the artist does.
AC: What did the grant help you to do?
EW: This award is essentially about raising an artist’s profile through a national publication, so that’s a fantastic benefit. My work was profiled in the magazine in a really well-researched and considered way and that kind of feedback is normally very hard to come by. The coverage helped to create a more informed audience for what I do and people are also buying my work and that’s always useful!
AC: Tell us what you are doing now and how the grant contributed to your professional career?
EW: Right now I’m coming back after taking a bit of a break to reflect on things. I’m preparing for a solo show at Breenspace, Sydney in October, as well as working on a couple of group projects. As usual, I am missing grant deadline after grant deadline!
AC: What have you taken away from unsuccessful applications?
AC: What have you taken away from unsuccessful applications?
EW: I know it sounds so simple but I think just starting the applications early is the best thing you can do. Starting applications too late and then having to write them off is my worst application habit. Starting early gives you time to call up with any questions you come up with as you’re writing and also gives you plenty of time to polish the application.
If you can stand to get feedback on the phone from someone who rejected your application, you can get very useful information that will help you for next time – if it’s an option I try to suck it up and do this. Try not to be discouraged and don’t be afraid to apply for the same things again and again. It’s often arbitrary who gets these things; assessors might simply find one artist’s work more to their taste than another’s but next year the panel might be completely different.
AC: Give us your top tips for grant writing
EW:
- Don’t be afraid to ask knowledgeable friends for feedback on your application before you submit it. I have only just learnt to swallow my pride and do this; it’s totally worth it.
- Before writing the application, try to speak to someone at whichever organisation manages the grant and find out what they’re looking for.
AC: What should be avoided?
EW:
- Images that are too dark, low-resolution, out of focus, badly lit and repetitive!
- Saying things about your work that you’re not really sure of; assessors only need a general sense of what your practice is about, not a chapter from a thesis or a load of bluster.
- Avoid art-speak and not being yourself. It’s easy to get lost in there.
For more on Emma White click on the link:
Laura Woodward
Recipient of the Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship (2007)
ArtsCareer: Can you tell us a bit about your practice?
Laura Woodward: I have created kinetic, sculptural installations for the past five years. The works vary in scale from small, intimate pieces to larger installations. They incorporate materials such as stainless steel, formed plastics, fasteners, motors, pumps and other electronic parts, with recent works utilising water as a means of eliciting motion.
These ‘machines’ and their prosthetic connotations are powerful symbols for exploring humankind’s relationship with technology, and technology’s potential to both extend and destroy the body. Whilst recognisable forms or readings may be derived from the work, I attempt to create pieces that remain ambiguous, leaving the mind to fill in the ‘gaps’. This attempt to understand, and the bodily shift that can occur when seeing an entity in motion, is crucial to the work.
AC: What was the reason for applying to this particular grant scheme and what do you look for when applying for other schemes? How is the process meaningful to your practice?
LW: At the time of applying for the Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship, my work was focused on participation and interactivity. I felt that the scholarship would enable me to visit particular museums and institutions and access high calibre artworks of international relevance in this field.
When applying for grant schemes I look for opportunities that feel suited to the stage I am at in my career. However, this does not preclude applying for opportunities that seem like a big leap – ambition is important, and so is the practice one gains by preparing applications.
Though putting together applications is time-consuming, it can be a good chance to clarify and consolidate what is happening in one's practice. Exploring ways of getting a selection panel interested in and excited about one's work is a good challenge. I find that doing regular applications really helps to resolve some ideas and thinking. And occasionally, there's the bonus of submitting a successful application!
AC: How did you approach your application for the Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship?
LW: In order to propose a very specific research trip to select institutions, I undertook research to clarify the relevance of each and the exhibitions that would be on at the time. I also asked other artists and some lecturers for advice on places to travel, which helped to define my plans.
AC: What previous experience helped you with the application?
LW: Previously, I had unsuccessfully applied for travelling scholarships, for which I had always proposed generic research trips. From this experience, I decided to propose a far more specific outline of where I planned to go and how I felt it would contribute to my work at the time.
AC: How do you approach the writing?
LW: I attempt to write short, succinct applications that convey my ideas clearly and simply. This usually involves writing a fair bit then editing back to uncover the essentials of the idea. I avoid using negative language or terminology, often restructuring sentences to remove negative terms such as “doesn't”, “can't” etc. I also avoid any jargon or terminology that may not be easily understood by most people, in order to help the reader make a connection to my ideas.
The idea itself should be clear, understandable and generate excitement within the first sentence or two – if you haven't caught your reader's imagination by this stage there's a risk they'll lose interest. I usually give a visual description first and then begin to discuss the conceptual or theoretical aspects of the work, so that the reader has an image in their mind as they read through the proposal.
Finally, I always ask someone to proof read to ensure the writing makes sense.
AC: How do you select your support material?
LW: I select images that are relevant to the proposal being undertaken. I try to use images that contribute individually to the application, yet show a solid and active practice when seen together.
The images should be high quality, informative, interesting and present a clear documentation of the work. I noticed a significant increase in successful applications when I began having my work photographed by a friend who had more experience in this area.
I have a couple of 'hero' shots, which I nearly always use – strong images that make the work look great! In a series of images, one of these will go at the start of the sequence and one at the end, to engage viewers quickly and to leave a good impression.
AC: What did the grant help you to do?
LW: The grant enabled me to undertake an eight-week research trip to Europe and Japan. I visited more than thirty galleries and museums, as well as several specialist libraries. I saw the Art Machine:Machine Art exhibition at the Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, which showcased several artworks that create art themselves. I also spent time at the NTT Inter Communication Centre in Tokyo, which has a great collection of interactive and technology-based work.
This uninterrupted period of reflection on my work and its position in relation to other similar art practices was invaluable. It allowed me the time and mental space to clarify considerations in regards to my own work, and in particular to focus on the project I was undertaking at the time. By the culmination of the trip I had envisaged the concepts for several pieces, which then formed the basis of my first large solo exhibition six months later.
AC: Tell us what you are doing now and how the grant contributed to your professional career?
LW: I am currently undertaking a PhD, focusing on kinetic sculpture, at the Victorian College of the Arts. I also run Ironside Studios in Kensington, Melbourne. The Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship was the most significant award that I had received at that point in time, and so was a great boost to my practice and my confidence in pursuing further opportunities.
AC: Other than the money (which is an obvious plus!) – have any grants you’ve applied for had a positive influence on your work in any way?
LW: The Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship definitely influenced my work, as it enabled me to experience so many different artworks and spend significant time reflecting on my own work. I was lucky enough to receive an Australia Council Emerging Artist New Work Grant last year, which allowed me to make a large kinetic installation at Linden Gallery. The development undertaken towards this installation directly altered the course of my work and has influenced my practice since. In both instances, the grants encouraged me to undertake things that may have not happened otherwise.
AC: Give us your top tips for grant writing:
LW:
- Be excited and convincing – if you're not convinced, nobody else will be!
- Be clear and succinct – get the idea across as quickly and simply as possible.
- Be specific about your idea, but be careful not to lock it down too much – leave room for the reader to bring their own imagination to your proposal.
AC: What should be avoided?
LW:
- Statements that you can't justify or uphold, particularly grand sweeping statements, which can suggest a level of naivety.
- Long, rambling descriptions or discussions. The reader won't have time to read or absorb them. Leave the reader with a clear idea of what you're proposing, so that they can imagine and get excited about its possibilities.
For more on Laura Woodward click on the link:
Tim Woodward
Recipient of the Janet Holmes à Court Artists’ Grant (2010)
ArtsCareer: Can you tell us a bit about your practice?
Tim Woodward: Tim Woodward: I produce sculptures and works in video, sound and image. I’m interested in generating a range of responses to existing cultural objects, to signs and forms produced within contemporary culture. What I make can be highly specific to a given site or context. For example, The Gift of Cinema, which I made in a cinema complex last year. I also maintain a process, which enables me to draw upon everyday observations and dilate the symbolic potential of common materials.
AC: What was the reason for applying to this particular grant scheme and what do you look for when applying for other schemes? How is the process meaningful to your practice?
TW: I applied for the Janet Holmes à Court Artists’ (JHAC) Grant in order to receive some support with a solo exhibition at Metro Arts, Brisbane. The JHAC Grant recognises the range of expenses that occur with presentation, which can at times outweigh the cost of making.
AC: How did you approach your application for the Janet Holmes àCourt Artists’ Grant?
TW: I visited the National Association for the Visual Arts' (NAVA) website [the grant is managed by NAVA]. I read the guidelines and made sure I was eligible. I learnt about Janet Holmes à Court on Wikipedia. The JHAC Grant is good in that it isn’t a particularly involved application process, and the application form is practical and well suited to the size and nature of the grant. After understanding what the grant is set up to assist with, I was able to outline my project and communicate how the grant could help.
AC: What did the grant help you to do?
TW: The grant helped me realise a large solo show titled Going in all languages, at Metro Arts in Brisbane last year. Metro Arts has had a good exhibitions program over the last few years and for me this show was an opportunity to be part of that and to make some new large scale works. The JHAC was also a nice boost to the coffers leading up to my opening and helped with the expense of freight and install.
AC: Tell us what you are doing now and how the grant contributed to your professional career?
TW: After receiving the Janet Holmes à Court Artists’ Grant through NAVA last year, I spent three months in Indonesia on an Asialink Visual Arts residency supported by Arts QLD and the Australia Indonesia Institute. This concluded with an exhibition at the Jogja National Museum and a presentation at Cemeti Art House. This year I’ve curated a couple of exhibitions for Boxcopy, Brisbane and made some art. Right now I’m working on a new project supported by the Melville Haysom Memorial Art Scholarship, awarded through the Queensland Art Gallery.
AC: What previous experience helped you with the application?
TW: I’m not sure, but not getting grants has certainly helped me get used to not getting grants.
AC: Other than the money (which is an obvious plus!) – have any grants you’ve applied for had a positive influence on your work in any way?
TW: No. The JHAC is the only grant I’ve received and it didn’t have an influence on my work.
AC: What should be avoided in grant applications?
TW: Sending it in late. I’ve never been very successful with late applications.
For more on Tim Woodward click on the link:
Jane Lander
Recipient of the Windmill Trust Scholarship (2010)
ArtsCareer: Can you tell us a bit about your practice?
Jane Lander: I am a Hunter based artist with an established practice in painting, printmaking and drawing.
Recently, I have been doing some large-scale works on paper, (2x4 metres and some 3 metre square). I enjoy the challenge of working big and the directness of drawing on paper.
My interests are wide and varied; I suppose you could call it universal and personal. I investigate domestic socio-political injustices and environmental concerns. In my drawings I build stories about issues that interest me. I use accessible motifs and symbols, particularly bridges and boats and visual quotations from art history, lately Millet and Van Gogh.
AC: What was the reason for applying to this particular grant scheme and what do you look for when applying to other schemes? How is the process meaningful to your practice?
JL: I had looked at the Windmill Trust Scholarship in previous years and so was aware of the criteria and that it was a $5000 grant.
In April 2011 I had a survey show curated by Meryl Ryan at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, titled Jane Lander: this is the big picture, works on paper 1996-2011. A section of that show included six double portraits of couples I knew in long term relationships. Each of the double portraits used different materials and techniques that characterised the subjects.
I wanted the framed portraits to complement the other framed works in the show. So I specifically applied for the grant to frame and transport the double portraits at a cost of $5000.
Presenting a professional and cohesive show was paramount to me and framing the portraits was pivotal to its overall success.
AC: How did you approach your application for the Windmill Trust Scholarship?
JL: I read the grant guidelines on the NAVA website and made sure I fulfilled the required criteria.
I did not attend any workshops, but I did get advice from various people who had experience in writing grant applications.
I made sure I gave myself plenty of time to formulate my proposal and did many rewrites over a period of six weeks.
I presented the support material (visuals) as professionally as I could. Only selecting support material that was relevant to the proposal.
AC: What did the grant help you to do?
JL: Being the Windmill Trust Scholarship recipient for 2010 enabled me to confidently move forward with the survey show at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery and definitely helped ensure its success. It was a great plus for advertising and gave the show some added prestige.
AC: Tell us what you are doing now and how the grant contributed to your professional career?
JL: I am currently in the process of applying for an Australia Council Residency. Applying for the Windmill Trust Scholarship was the first grant I have ever applied for and winning it has given me more confidence and insight into what is needed to write a successful grant application.
JL: I am currently in the process of applying for an Australia Council Residency. Applying for the Windmill Trust Scholarship was the first grant I have ever applied for and winning it has given me more confidence and insight into what is needed to write a successful grant application.
AC: Other than the money (which is an obvious plus!) – have any grants you’ve applied for had a positive influence on your work in any way?
JL: The survey show I had was huge and since then I have had a number of family commitments. The grant enabled me a bit of breathing space and presently I am working on some small-scale oil paintings and etchings.
I am constantly trying new things to add a broader scope to my skill base, which inevitably adds to the richness of my practice.
AC: Give us your top tips for grant writing:
JL:
- Make sure you fulfil the criteria set down in the guidelines.
- Get advice from fellow practitioners and the relevant funding organisation.
- Give yourself ample time to get the application together.
- Make sure your support material matches your proposal in its professional endeavour.
AC: What should be avoided?
JL:
- Going over the maximum word count or maximum number of pages allowed.
- Sending in poor quality support material.
IMAGES
Emma White Thief of Time (2011)
Stop-motion animation (production still)
Laura Woodward SHALLOWS (2010)
Tim Woodward Raising Techniques (2010)
1. Keep it succinct and to the point.
2. Remember to be informative.
- Write as if the reader does not know anything about you or the project.
3. Avoid using jargon or “in-language”.
- Try to use the type of language used by the organisation you’re applying to.
- If you make your writing accessible the grant assessors are more likely to appreciate your ideas and get on board.
4. Get advice beforehand.
- Speak to the funding organisation and fellow practitioners.
- Try to attend a grant-writing workshop and if you can, go to one held by the funding body you’re applying to.
5. Take your time over the support material.
- Don’t rush this part; it’s as important as the application itself.
- Make sure all support material is:
- Clearly labelled. Only send copies of work, not originals, in case it’s difficult to get them back.
- Good quality. Send high-resolution photographs and don’t send more than the maximum asked for.
- Presented in the same clear, accessible format as the application form. CVs should not exceed two pages.
6. Provide an accurate and realistic budget.
7. Demonstrate clearly how your project meets the objectives of the funding organisation.
- Think of the grant guidelines as a kind of checklist against which they are assessing the application.
- You need to feel that you’re a good fit for the grant. If you don’t think you are, you won’t convince the grant assessors to think you are.
8. Sell, sell, sell.
- Think of the application as a media release, a chance to promote what you do.
- The grant assessors may have to read hundreds of applications so yours needs to stand out.
9. Get someone who’s unfamiliar with your project to proof-read the application.
- They will be the best person to tell you whether it all makes sense or not.
10. If at first you don’t succeed… don’t give up – keep trying!
- It can be disheartening but try to see it as an experience to learn from.
- Get feedback from the funding organisation to help you see where you can do better next time.
GOOD LUCK!
Useful websites:
Finding a grant
Arts Grants Finder
GrantsLINK
Grant writing tips
Australia Council for the Arts
www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants/case_studies
Crowd Funding
Pozible
A crowdfunding platform for creative individuals, groups and organisations
Feature Practitioner/Featured Website
Brown Council
This issue we’ve combined our Feature Practitioner and Website, as our chosen Visual Arts Practitioner, Brown Council, were also last year awarded a grant to build their fabulous website, browncouncil.com
Read on to find out more about their work, the website and how they approached the grant application.
ArtsCareer: Can you tell us a bit about your practice?
Brown Council: Brown Council is the collaborative practice of four artists: Fran Barrett, Kate Blackmore, Kelly Doley and Diana Smith. Together we make performance and video works that straddle the contexts of gallery and stage, and draw on the historical lineages of both the visual and performing arts.
Brown Council: Brown Council is the collaborative practice of four artists: Fran Barrett, Kate Blackmore, Kelly Doley and Diana Smith. Together we make performance and video works that straddle the contexts of gallery and stage, and draw on the historical lineages of both the visual and performing arts.
Our work engages with concepts of spectacle and endurance, as well as the dialogue between ‘liveness’ and the performance document or trace.
Starting from simple conceptual provocations devised in group discussions, we mine high and popular canons of culture, the hallmarks of history and everyday observations, to create works that are skit-like in their singularity, a variety show gone array in their accumulation, and as a whole, a considered critique of why and how it is that we perform.
Often re-interpreting and re-performing existing works, switching roles amongst members or outsourcing the performance to hired help, our work complicates distinctions between actor and performance artist, performer and self, and the role of the audience as passive observer or active participant.
Collaboration itself is our main source of inspiration. The way an idea can develop once four minds dissect is very inspiring.
AC: What was the reason for applying to the Marketing Grant for NSW Artists and what do you look for when applying for other schemes? How is the process meaningful to your practice?
BC: We applied to NAVA for the Marketing Grant for NSW Artists because we wanted a website that clearly communicated our practice to a wider audience.
BC: We applied to NAVA for the Marketing Grant for NSW Artists because we wanted a website that clearly communicated our practice to a wider audience.
We are constantly applying for different grants with different objectives - some are for the funding of administrative and marketing needs and other grants are for assistance in making new work or participating in projects and/or residencies.
The process of applying for grants is meaningful to our practice for several reasons: firstly and obviously, a successful application means we can undertake a particular project with full funding. Secondly, successful or not, the act of application writing forces the conceptual premise of the proposed idea into something articulate. Putting ideas into boxes can be annoying and frustrating at times, but also rewarding and beneficial to the creative process.
AC: How did you approach your application for the Marketing Grant for NSW Artists?
BC: We spoke to past recipients of NAVA grants and we also looked at past grant recipients on the NAVA website to get an idea of the types of projects NAVA has supported under this scheme.
AC: What previous experience helped you with the application?
BC: Most of our grant writing skill comes from trial and error. We have been writing grants since 2006, so after many knockbacks and much feedback and advice from mentors and peers, we’ve leant a few things that help us in answering application criteria.
Asking for feedback from funding bodies is also incredibly useful and can make for a better application the second time around.
AC: How do you approach the writing?
BC: Before we start to write we have an initial brainstorm together, taking notes and doing mind maps etc. Then one person is allocated the task of translating that all into an application. Another person looks after the budget and another the support material.
AC: How do you select your support material?
BC: We always tailor the support material to suit each grant application - it’s really important that the support material relates to the application and is also a clear representation of your work. Generally we try to supply video files over still images as they are a better representation of our practice.
AC: What did the grant help you to do?
BC: We employed a website and graphic designer to create a Brown Council website and business cards.
The grant enabled us to gather all of our scattered images, files and texts and put them together into a comprehensive website that showcases past and current works.
On the website users can preview all of our video and live performance works, read past catalogue texts, download the Brown Council CV, subscribe to our RSS feed to receive updates on upcoming events, and follow us on Facebook.
Our business cards list our website address so they have been really useful to give to people who are interested to know more about our practice.
AC: Tell us what you are doing now and how the grant contributed to your professional career?
BC: We have a studio in Sydney where we regularly meet but at the moment we are in residence with ‘inbetweenspaces’ at Metro Arts, Brisbane for two weeks. Here we are developing new work for Primavera in September, which this year is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Offsite Program, taking place throughout The Rocks.
Since receiving the grant our web presence is far greater. Having a website has allowed more people locally and internationally to connect with our practice and to keep informed about our projects.
AC: Other than the money (which is an obvious plus!) – have any grants you’ve applied for had a positive influence on your work in any way?
BC: Every successful grant has a positive influence on our work because it enables us to make our ideas a reality. Money means access to resources, places, materials, space and time. Access to time is the most important aspect of creating work, as without funding, it’s often really difficult for all of us to take time away from our jobs to focus on a project.
Applying for grants has also played a part in encouraging us to think in different ways about how to engage with new audiences.
AC: What’s coming up next for you?
BC: We are currently in an exhibition, Tell Me Tell Me: Korean and Australian Art 1976-2011,which is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Offsite Program at the National Art School.
BC: We are currently in an exhibition, Tell Me Tell Me: Korean and Australian Art 1976-2011,which is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Offsite Program at the National Art School.
This exhibition is travelling to the National Museum of Art, Seoul in November and we will be completing a residency in Seoul as part of that exhibition. This opportunity has been possible through assistance from the MCA as well as a successful Quick Response Grant we submitted to Arts NSW.
AC: Give us your top tips for grant writing:
BC:
BC:
- Look over the guidelines and objectives of the grant you are applying for. Find out what types of projects they are interested in funding. Does your project align with these objectives?
- Be fastidious with following the rules and guidelines for support material (including correct file sizes), project description and budget requirements (especially a balanced budget).
- Use straightforward language and short, sharp, snappy sentences.
- Include only eye-catching images or video in your support, which clearly communicates the work.
- Whoever is assessing your application has probably already seen hundreds of other applications so you need to make yours stand out - do the work for the reader.
AC: What should be avoided?
BC:
- Avoid flowery and overly descriptive language.
- Avoid an unbalanced project description - it should give equal weight to the ‘why’, the ‘what’ and the ‘how’.
- Avoid handwritten or small fonts. Keep it to 12 pt. at 1.5 spacing.
- Avoid sloppy or rushed writing and presentation, particularly in the support material side of things. Take your time with how your support material looks and how each work is read next to each other.
- Approach the application as if the reader has never seen or heard of your work.
Feature Blog
Thoughts and writings on dance and dance performance by Chloe Smethurst, a Melbourne based dancer, teacher and freelance writer.
IMAGE
Taken from browncouncil.com
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Brisbane
Palace Barracks
Canberra
Greater Union Manuka
Melbourne
Palace Balwyn
Perth
Cinema Paradiso
Sydney
Hayden Cremorne Orpheum
Please note 3D glasses may incur a fee.
