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Artist Grants

 

Past Emerging Artist Grant Recipients

 

Emerging Artist Grants Overview
Windsor Endowment for the Arts offers four Emerging Artist Grants to support the professional and creative development of emerging artists. These grants may be used to:

  • Sustain the artist;
  • Develop a project;
  • Support audience development
  • Access new markets;
  • Aid research and study;
  • Foster new works or works in progress;
  • Promote new forms of art to the general public;
  • Encourage creativity and innovation, and/or;
  • Nurture art project initiatives.
Grants are awarded every second year to successful applicants. Artists who meet the eligibility requirements are invited to apply.
 
Eligibility Criteria
The successful applicant will be an artist with two to seven years of professional experience and who:
  • Currently lives, or has lived, in Windsor and Essex County for a significant period of time;
  • Is able to demonstrate a body of work, public recognition, public performance, exhibition, published work, or payment for artistic work;
  • Has completed basic training, formal or self-taught, and is able to demonstrate commitment to his/her development as an artist through education, training, seminars or involvement in the arts community;
  • Has completed at least one independent film or video work that has been presented in a professional context (film/video applicants only).
 
WEA does not discriminate in terms of age of applicants. Artists of all age groups who comply with the eligibility criteria and the definition of an emerging artist are invited to apply.
 
Community Arts Emerging Artist Grant
This $2000 grant is given to emerging artists making contributions in any of the following activities:
  • Broadening access to or increase community participation in the arts;
  • Using the arts as a means of promoting social awareness or change;
  • Working on public art projects or programs that enhance the general quality of life in the community and/or within specific underserviced, disadvantaged, at-risk or specialized groups.
Examples may include an arts education project, local urban improvement project, public art project, public landmark and privately funded work of art.
 
Literary Arts Emerging Artist Grant
This $2000 grant is given to emerging artists making contributions in any of the following categories:
  • Fiction;
  • Non-fiction;
  • Poetry;
  • Screenwriting;
  • Playwriting;
  • Journalism;
  • Documentary;
  • Book publishing.
Examples may include undertakings to raise publishing standards or improve the dissemination of literary arts.
 
Performing Arts Emerging Artist Grant
This $2000 grant is given to emerging artists making contributions in any of the following categories:
  • Music: vocal, choral, orchestra, opera, new music projects, composition, conducting, arrangement, musical production, recording, education; 
  • Dance: dancer, company, school, director, producer, choreographer; 
  • Theatre: actor, comedian, mime, puppetry, director, company, playwright project, school.
Examples may include undertakings to raise performing standards or present innovative forms of expression.
 
Visual Arts Emerging Artist Grant
This $2000 grant is given to emerging artists who are making contributions in any of the following categories:
  • Fine Art: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, installation,performance, bookmaking;
  • Fine Craft: clay, ceramic, fiber, glass, leather, metal, wood, mixed media;
  • Design Art: architectural design, interior design, architectural landscape design,urban design, product design, visual communication design, costume design, set design, fashion design, editorial design and illustration;
  • Media Art: film, photography, holography, electronic media, digital art, video.
Examples may include local urban improvement projects, public art projects, and/ or public landmarks.
 
Evaluation Criteria
The jury will evaluate the nominee based on:
  • A body of work based on artist statement, statement of intent and documentation of work. Weighting: 60%;
  • Public recognition, performance, exhibition, and/or published work based on documentation of work and letters of reference. Weighting: 15%;
  • Commitment to development as an artist through education, training, seminars based on CV or resume and letters of reference. Weighting: 15%;
  • Involvement in the arts community based on artist statement, CV or resume, documentation of work and letters of reference. Weighting: 10%.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted between February 1, 2012 and March 14, 2012.
 
The Application Package
The application package consists of the following components:
  • Application Checklist (pdf form);
  • Application Form (pdf form);
  • Current CV or Resume;
  • Artist Statement;
  • Statement of Intent;
  • Images, Samples or Documentation of Recent Work: A digital portfolio of work is required and may include images of performance, visual arts works, public projects, events, and/or scanned copies of published works, reviews, newspaper clippings, etc.
 
Note: Do not send original work. WEA cannot guarantee the proper care and storage of original work. Any original work will not be submitted to the Jury, nor
returned.
 
Requirements for Image, Samples or Documentation of Recent Work:
As appropriate to the discipline, the artist may choose to submit materials from among the following examples:
Still Images: Between 5 and 10 images, JPEG format, on a CD-ROM. Note: extra images will not be presented to the jury:
  • Number, title and date all digital files, e.g. 01.title. 2011.jpg. The number, title and date should correspond to the Image or Works List (see #6, below) and be presented in chronological order with the latest work appearing first;
  • Submitted files must be a maximum of 1024 x 768 pixels, no larger than 5 MB;
  • Write name, number of images and phone number on the CD-ROM.
 
Time Based Material: Video/audio works or documentation of works will be no longer than 3 minutes:
  • Submit a DVD or CD as QuickTime (.MOV) files;
  • DVD’s will be encoded Region 1 (Canada/USA);
  • Number, date and title all digital files;
  • Each submitted work must be a separate file;
  • Provide clear directions on “start” and “stop” times for viewing on the image or works list;
  • All audio/video will be created by the applicant;
  • Do not send promotional or gallery-produced video, with the exception of performing artists who may submit materials documented by others.
 
Notes:
  • All CD/CD-ROM/DVD’s must be Mac and PC compatible;
  • No PowerPoint files will be accepted;
  • Do not submit compressed files.
 
Image or Works List
The numbering of this list should correspond to the CD/DVD of images, samples or documentation of recent work and should include titles of works, performance or events, types of work, medium, size and date of completion, etc.as appropriate.
 
Reference Letters
Two letters of reference are required.
 
Note: Application packages and supporting documents will not be returned.
 
Application Procedures and Requirements
  • All documents in the application package must be submitted to WEA on paper;
  • PDF-fillable forms may be filled out electronically and printed, or printed and filled out in legible handwriting in black ink;
  • All other written material (arts infrastructure statement, statement of intent, and image or works list) must be computer-generated or typewritten and submitted on 8 1/2” x 11” standard, white paper in 12 point sans serif type (i.e.: Arial);
  • Please provide the required number of copies of the application material, as outlined on the checklist;
  • WEA will not accept applications that are faxed, emailed or sent on disc. This does not apply to supporting materials (images, samples or documentation of work) See #5 above;
  • All forms and other written material must be arranged in the same order in which they appear on the checklist, with the correct number of copies;
  • Only application packages that are postmarked by Canada Post on or before the deadline date will be accepted;
  • Late or incomplete application packages will be disqualified.
 
Jury Process
All decisions of the jury are final.  Only the application  information of the winning recipient will be retained.  All other application  information and supporting documents will be destroyed following the final jury decision.
 
Jury Members: These are individuals with a recognized combination of knowledge, skill and expertise in their fields.
  • Jurors are selected by the Board of Directors of Windsor Endowment for the Arts;
  • Juror names will be made public at the Awards and Grants Ceremony.
 
Conflict-of-interest: Members of the Jury are expected to be objective and impartial. This includes avoiding the following conflict-of-interest situations:
  • The juror has a financial interest in the success or failure of the organization or project;
  • The juror has an interest based on the fact that an applicant is a spouse, partner or a member of his/her immediate family;
  • The juror has a personal interest in specific nominations other than those normally expected of an interested member of the arts community;
  • Impediments exist that impede the juror’s ability to evaluate the nomination objectively.

Confidentiality

All nomination information and discussions pertaining to the nomination are
confidential.
 
 
 
©2012 Windsor Endowment For the Arts. All Rights Reserved.