Demystifying Arts Funding
For Digital Artists & Animators in Victoria
When asked to present a quick talk, “On a problem I had recently solved” for the July 2022 Melbourne Motion Meetup, I was stumped.
2022 has flown by. There hasn't been much time for creative growth, outside of running a business, becoming a teacher and researching for my fellowship.
I didn't know what I offered a room of motion graphics and industry professionals. Most of whom know a lot more about the craft than me.
However, one of the starkest differences I’ve found between the “fine arts” & "digital arts” communities in Melbourne, is the awareness of Arts Funding available within Australia to develop, produce and present creative work.
With around 15 years in the Melbourne art world, I have applied for countless grants and sat through even more information sessions for applications I abandoned or failed to submit on time.
I've participated in several exhibitions funded by local, state and federal funding bodies.
However it wasn’t until finding a groove within my commerical animation practice that I finally worked out how to successfully secure grant funding on my own.
Here is re-cap of what I learned and shared with the Melbourne Motion community.
Mindest:
Arts funding is a privilege & at times scarce. So if you are successful express gratitude & try not to take it for granted.
Application writing is a skill that gets stronger with every submission you make. Think of it as a part of your creative process rather than a chore.
Don’t take rejection personally. Grants are really competitive. Success is often more about the your application than your artistic prowess.
Preparing Grant applications helps form clarity around your ideas & long term goals. Focusing on this aspect can make it less daunting.
Funding:
The Australia Council For The Arts: is our nationwide Arts Funding Body
Creative Victoria: is our State Arts Funding Body
Regional Arts Victoria: Regional State Arts Funding Body
City Of …. Insert Local Council. There are arts budget for residents, business & activities taking place within municipalities
These slides discuss Victorian Arts Funding, which excludes financing for Film or Television. Try Vic Screen & Screen Australia for that.
Criteria:
Always check the selection criteria thoroughly. To ensure your project is eligible and take a look at what type of projects they’ve funded before.
Applications may not explicitly list your discipline as a category. Instead generalising with: Visual Arts, Multiform Emerging or experimental etc.
Applications that fail to meet selection criteria may be screened by staff & never even make it to the selection panel.
Keep the selection criteria in mind throughout every aspect of your application to ensure your project aligns with the requirements of the Grant..
Project:
Funding bodies want to trust that your project is something you care about enough to complete. It’s your baby, name it. Make it an enticing title.
Have a creative rationale that is captivating but use clear and concise language. The selection panel need to understand the concept & how it relates to the grant you’re applying for.
When outlining your project be careful with jargon. People on selection panels come from all kinds of backgrounds. So make it accessible for them. Don’t be afraid to use don’t points.
If you’ve mostly done commercial work. Address that. Explain if & how the experience will assist you in your project & outline your artistic goals.
Outcomes:
What does the completed version of your project look like? Is it an interactive public installation, a website, a screening? A festival?
Who is it for? Get specific about your intended audience & how you plan to engage the. This is particularly important with Local Council Grants.
Are you collaborating with anyone? Do you need to assemble a team of artists, technical assistance, producers? Explain their roles.
Do you have project partners? For example a venue who has agreed to host an event. Ensure they provide a letter of confirmation detailing the arrangement.
Timelines:
Projects often have multiple phases. Be clear which phase in particular you are requesting funding for.
Demonstrate why the project needs to be funded in this round. Is timing relevant. Does it relate to something within the collective culture? Is it time sensitive. Or could it wait?
Ensure the scale of the project is appropriate for where you’re at within your career. Then detail how it will strengthen your practice in the long term.
Explain whether the project has a life post funding? What type of longevity & lasting effect may it have on the creative sector & community at large.
Budgets:
Double check the requirements to confirm how much funding you’re actually eligible to apply for.
Individuals asking for bigger budgets, are often required to be Auspiced. Which is when you work with an incorporated association to apply, receive & manages the funds on you behalf.
Grants applications often supply templates to practice balancing your budget before entering the offical one. Use them, they help. A budget that is not balanced will not allow you to proceed with the application.
When a grant is successful there is an allocated period to complete your outcomes. After which you will need to report how you ended up spending your funds through an acquittal.
Support Material:
Before finally submitting, you’ll need to upload support material. Such as CVs, letters of support, quotes to justify your budget. Be sure to label materials using the correct naming conventions.
Check for any mandatory requirements & follow their instructions regarding file formats. They have a lot of applications to assess. With private Vimeo links, remember to include the password.
Make sure the support material you’re submitting aligns with this specific project. Trim down your CV or edit your reel if needed.
Invest in developing good quality support materials. For example: pay for a 3D render mock up of your idea, create style frames, a storyboard or project website.
Jules Of Wisdom:
Build some resilience: Be prepared for rejection. Possibly lots, but there’s always another round.
Build a folder with all of your Grant information in it. The project proposal, support materials & artist bio ready to cut & paste, edit & update & upload for the next round of funding. Or another funding body.
Build relationships with funding bodies. Contact their help desks. Be patient, be polite. You don’t know what position people will end up in, in the future rounds.
Build a thriving digital arts scene. If we all start using our commercial expertise to make sick art. Perhaps in the future there will be Australia Grants specifically for what we can do.
Happy Grant Writing!