Top 5 Secrets to getting an art grant

Top 5 Secrets to getting an art grant

Bringing in income from art can be challenging. This is especially true for those who have more unconventional methods and those artists who are not commercially viable.  The best thing about the art world is the fact there are plenty of ways to get funding for those who show talent and promise in the art world. You can receive cash grants, employment and internships, allowances, free studio spaces, exhibition space, art supplies and plenty more. It is not easy to get this type of assistance and the competition can often be fierce.

Sure the art world is known to be chronically short of funding and always has been. There are grants for art professionals, researchers and curators who can apply for one of the programs whether it be to create the artwork, conduct art research or run an art exhibition.You are going to need to be ready for the competition. There are limited sports available for assistance so everyone is fighting hard for them.Prepare yourself for rejection most artists receive a few rejections before they are accepted. This is common and should just give you more motivation to do better next time around and up your chances.

There are a few secrets that can help you when it comes to applying for an art grant:

Know your goal

First of all, identify your objectives. What are you wanting? Is it money, space or marketing? Are you wanting to get a certain product funded? Make sure your goal is made clear when putting in your application.

Research Funding Sources

You have a library so use it. Research all the avenues for funding and if your library has a notice board it can be a good spot to place an expression of interested for a grant for your artwork.
Check the internet for a number of sources and contact as many as you can.

Go outside the box

So you have tried your local art councils, tried the government grants it is now time to step outside the comfort zone. Check with local businesses if they would provide some financial support. Check out current artists and ask if you can interview them about their journey from when they started out till now. This can give you some insight into what tips common artists did to achieve their goal.

Visit a grant-writing workshop

Grant writing workshops are very helpful in know what to put in your application letter, what to take to an interview if you get selected and how to be organised with everything when applying for a grant. Most grants applications will state what you need to include and what to leave out. Be sure to follow the instructions exactly and only include what they ask and be sure to leave out what they don’t want. This proves you can follow instructions and that you have read the application form thoroughly before filling it out.

Write a good proposal

There are plenty of ideas that people would prefer to pay grants for over the others. Projects that can enrich the community or help others are more successfully chosen than those who are more self-preoccupied to just the interest of the grant application. So make sure your proposal doesn’t brag about yourself and show that this is for you and you only. Tell them what your art can offer people, state how down the track you could help others learn to create art and run workshops and exhibitions to encourage tourists to the local area.

Most importantly the best way to guarantee you get a grant is to never give upon doing so.

 

Graphic Arts