ARTIST OP TID BIT

I would like to begin the day by talking about what is out there for artists, how to go about finding opportunities, and what it takes to put together a sound application. My experience has shown me that IT IS NOT EASY!! But there are A LOT of opportunities out there, many of which never get fulfilled or used. There are so many different types of opportunities for artists. This is a start to my TID BIT section on artist opportunities.

First are CONTESTS. Contests can be beneficial for an artists career, largely because they are a way to gain recognition. Examples of contests include those for publication and those for exhibition. Sometimes contests offer cash awards, but not always. Either way, the more places you submit your work, the more chance you have to gain recognition, which is a strong marketing tool. On the downside, contests usually require an entry fee, which can range from $45 to $5, depending on the reputation of the contest and the awards offered.

Next are GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS. I am lumping these two opportunities together because they are somewhat similar in their process, but can be extremely successful in forwarding your artistic endeavors. Sometimes fellowships include entrance into an artist residency, and I will touch that in the next section. Grants and fellowships can be very competitive, but are still worth your time and efforts. You, as an artist, must seek out these opportunities and follow the application instructions very carefully. These types of opportunities require a proposal, usually one page describing your artistic ideas and your intentions for the usage of the award money. Often the application will ask you to describe exactly where the award money will be used and it is crucial to be able to answer these questions with clarity. One important tid bit: make your proposal concise, as well written as possible and too the point. Be very clear in your artist statement and concept. These organizations make the proposal one page for a reason. The judges read MANY proposals annually, often in the hundreds, maybe even the thousands, so any unnecessary details should be omitted. KEEP THIS IN MIND. I worked for an artist once as a marketing assistant, and she was constantly applying for artist opportunities. But when asked for a single page proposal, she would shrink the font, tighten the space between the characters and add photos to the page. I often felt as if I was squinting to read the final proposal. Her application efforts were NOT successful and she always wondered why. The people on these judging committees certainly don't have time to squint.

Finally are ARTIST RESIDENCIES. These are amazing opportunities for artists to travel to new places and COMPLETELY focus on their respective artistic endeavors FULL TIME (LIKE 24 HOURS A DAY)! Artist residencies are not permanent (although I have seen a few opportunities looking to place people on a permanent basis), and can run anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, to a few years. There is a strong emphasis on CREATING, so don't expect to get into an artist residency and not forward your craft. Some residencies offer a stipend, which can cover your living expenses, travel expenses, etc (these are the best), while other residencies expect the artist (you) to pay for your expenses and often require a tuition. Residencies exist all over the world and are open to artists of all disciplines. Residencies are an amazing opportunity to see a new place, master your craft, meet other artists and generally be in a super supportive place to CREATE!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this TID BIT and there will be more information to come on this very important topic: ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES.