How to Apply for Art/Artist Grants and Get Funding for Your Art Projects

As artists, we create for the love. But creating artworks is expensive and you’d like to get at least some of that money back.

Luckily, there are grants available for curators and artists. Certain organizations provide monetary support to artists to aid them in creating their artworks. They can be used to pay for materials, studio space, or even your rent.

Getting these grants will not be easy as competition will be intense. But this guide will show you how to find the right grants and then how to apply to them so you’ll have the highest chance of winning.

Do Your Research

Think sniper. The more focused you are on your target, the higher your chances of receiving the grant.

Be thorough in your research. My suggestion is to to first do a google search of grants based on your city and country. A lot of regional-based grants can only be applied to by local citizens/residents.

Then try contacting your local government art ministry and art universities. They know all the best relevant art grants and can give you recommendations and references if you play your cards right.

For more in-depth research, think about your demographics (race, gender, age, etc), what you’re looking to do with the grant, and the subject matter in your artwork.

For example, if you have a disability, look at government organizations as they provide a lot of support for citizen/resident artists that have disabilities. If you're a student, educational institutions would be better as they provide scholarships for artists. 

Maybe you’re looking for a grant to pay for rent. Then you would look deeper into unrestricted grants.

Or maybe you’re looking for artistic variety as well some monetary relief. In that case, an art residency would be your best bet as you'll get to spend a little time away from your local environment and be exposed to new influences. That’s something you would have to dig into to see if:

1. you can afford it (some residencies charge fees, some don’t pay for your travel, etc)
2. your schedule allows for it

The last thing you want to do is send out a template application. The more specific you can be with your intention, the more targeted your application will be, and the higher your chances of success.

Time It Out

Keep your eyes peeled for important dates. I personally recommend a preparation time of 6-12 months.

During this preparation time period, it’s important to polish up your application so you have the highest chance of success.

Look through your research and see what types of art your choice of grants prefer. They vary between mediums and subject matter so this is your time to get your portfolio up to speed.

It’ll be a good idea to sign up to the art institution’s mailing list. Here are some of my recommendations:

• Creative Capital
• Aesthetica Art Prize
• CEC ArtsLink
• European Cultural Foundation Idea Camp

Polish Your Ideas and Grant Writing Skill

Consider attending a grant-writing workshop to hear insider tips on how to compose your grant application. If you have some spare budget, consider hiring a professional grant writer to help you work on the application. It’ll give you an opportunity to get some advice, bounce off ideas, and curate your application to appeal to the judging panel. For your first grant application, I highly recommend one or the other just so you can get a feel of what a “good” application looks like.

I can’t stress this enough, but get someone to proofread your proposal. Ideally, somebody who has a background in art and a good grasp of grammar. They’ll be able to give you ideas on how to make your application stronger as well as making your proposal pristine and clean.

Keep in mind some ideas are more attention-grabbing to the judges. For example, make sure to highlight projects that are beneficial to communities than those that only cater to your reputation.

Have Your Story and Materials Ready

Define your mission. Where do you want to be, where do you want to go in your career? Not all applications will require this information, but having this well-defined makes it easier to choose the right grants for you and give the right answers when necessary.

Prepare your artist statement. Be able to describe your art in a way that is captivating and interesting while not being a chore to read. Do this with strong, concise language. Think Hemingway-esque.

If you’re looking for funding for an exhibition or future project, it’s crucial to come up with a specific and detailed budget. Be as accurate as you can be from pre-production costs, materials and equipment needed, to post-production.

Prove you’re not just a creative brain, but somebody who really understands how to bring projections to fruition.

All applications will require different information from you, but the important thing is to be thorough in your answers. Having this information prepared beforehand will make it easier as you fill out your applications.

Conclusion

Are you ready to apply? It’s about time to take your creative pursuit to new heights this year. Securing the right grant will enable you to create with stability and resources you need. Not to mention that the process of working towards the deadline, doing artistic practice, and preparing the exhibition will be a valuable experience as an artist, no matter what results will follow. Fingers crossed!

Written by Emily May

Emily May Gunawan from Sally & Emily photography duo was born in Sydney and raised in Jakarta, positioning her and her sister Sally to engage with both Western and Eastern worlds. Since establishing her career in 2012, they have gone on to work with global brands including Adidas, Tim Tam, to NYLON Magazine in a wide range of capacities both for print and digital publications as photographers, creative directors, to videographers. Sally & Emily’s images are fuelled by self-discovery and contemporary femininity, taking inspirations from their diverse cultural heritage and personal stories. View their works at www.sallyemily.comand follow the journey at www.instagram.com/sally_emily