2016 ArtsAccelerator Grant Workshop

2016 ArtsAccelerator Grant Workshop
Artist Advisory Council
Brittney Bullock
Maysey Craddock
Melissa Dunn
Mary Jo Karimnia
Dianne Mall
Lester Merriweather
Greely Myatt
Joel Parsons
• 
ArtsAccelerator Grant
Incentive Grant for Visual Artists
•  5 Grants of $5,000 each
•  Visual Artists at all career levels welcome to apply (must be a current
resident of Shelby County
•  2D and 3D work, Photography, Installation, Performance Art, Social
Practice, Video (except work intended for cinematic release)
• Artists may not be enrolled in a degree granting program
Applications will be evaluated on •  The strength of the artist’s work
•  Clarity of the proposal •  Potential impact of the proposal on the artists
career
What makes a competitive application?
•  Strength of the Artist’s Work
•  Clear and Decisively Written Proposal
•  Generally brief and to the point
•  Aligns with the parameters of the grant
•  Successfully explains why this grant is important for you now
•  Successfully shows how the grant can push the boundaries of
your practice in a significant way
What kinds of projects are
eligible for the grant? •  Research and Development (costs associated with exploring a new
medium or creating a new body of work that represents a shift in your art)
•  Expenses related to a scheduled exhibition
•  Travel or research costs that are specifically related to the proposal
•  Costs associated with the rental of space to create a new body of work
•  Workshop fees - i.e. costs associated with learning a new skill or
technique that will help you get where you want to go in your work - artist
must commit to signing up for a class or workshop (degree-granting
programs are not funded)
Susan Maakestad
Susan Maakestad
Stephanie Cosby
Stephanie Cosby
Johnathan Payne
Johnathan Payne
Ben Butler
Ben Butler
Ben Butler
What is required for the application?
•  Narrative (online form)
•  CV (two page maximum)
•  I.D. / Proof of Residency (applicant must be a resident of
Shelby County for at least 6 months)
•  10 Images of Work - jpeg format
•  Image Inventory
Narrative / Online Form
•  Describe the current nature of your work
•  Describe how you see this proposal impacting your career/
studio practice
•  If awarded a grant, how will the money be used (we are not
asking for an itemized budget nor will we ask to see receipts)
Getting Started
Tips from the book ART/WORK – to
help you start writing about your
work and your intentions, start
answering a series of questions, even
if they’re obvious.
What are you Doing / Making?
•  What kind of artist are you?
•  What subjects does your art relate to?
•  What are you trying to accomplish through your art?
•  Who is your audience?
•  What effect do you want your art to have on your
audience?
•  Where do you fit into recent art history?
•  What and who are your artistic influences?
What do you want to do?
•  What do you want to make?
•  How do you want to develop your practice?
•  In what directions do you want to go?
•  Is there a medium you haven’t worked in yet want to?
•  What kind of environment do you work in?
•  Do you want to interact with people outside the art
community?
•  What specific project or body of work do you want to
tackle next?
What do you need to move your work forward?
•  Does anything stand in between you and the art you want
to make?
•  How much time do you need to complete the project?
•  Do you need studio space?
•  access to expensive equipment?
•  Materials or fabrication?
•  Training or practice in a particular technique?
•  Mentoring
•  Other artists to collaborate with?
•  Total solitude?
Strength of the Artist’s Work (10 Images)
•  We are looking for a solid representation of your overall vision,
facility/mastery of your process or material and evidence of your
commitment to your work
•  Emerging or Established? We do not give preference here. Artists
have new and evolving challenges as the move through their
career. Competitive applications will demonstrate the impact of
the grant on the artist’s career at the current point in time
•  ArtsAccelerator seeks to support artists in their future success
What is a Body of Work?
How do I select a cohesive group of images?
•  Cohesiveness - choose strong images that show consistency and
represent your work the best
•  10 Images, can include details of your work or you can also
submit drawings/plans for the direction in which you want to go
•  Your 10 Images can be diverse (medium) but think about what
ties it all together - convey your artistic vision
•  Submit the best examples of your work (Photography, Video) don’t let sloppy documentation hurt your chances
9
What happens if I get the grant?
•  75% of funding will be paid out at the beginning of the
grant cycle
•  Studio visit about halfway through the grant cycle (not a
critique, just a visit to see what you’re doing and how we
can help further if needed)
•  Remainder of grant paid when the project/proposal is
completed
•  You may be asked to serve on the Artist Advisory Council
•  We hope you’ll stay involved as a voice for how this grant
has helped...
Links
www.artsmemphis.org
www.artsmemphis.org/grants-services/for-grantseekers/artsacclerator