Am I wasting time applying to grants and residencies that aren’t the right fit for me?

Dear CP,

I worry that I’m wasting time applying to grants and residencies that aren’t the right fit for me. I know that every application is accompanied by eligibility requirements, but I wonder if some are more nuanced: Should I be considering the content of my work? My personal identity markers? Do you have some general guidelines to share about how to choose the grants and residencies that are the appropriate fit for me?

It's great that you're applying for these opportunities. Grants and residencies can bring more visibility for and resources into your practice, which are always welcome. Applications typically have several eligibility requirements oriented around things like geography, gender, race, artistic medium, etc. Assessing whether to apply for an opportunity and then preparing your application materials does require going beyond the eligibility requirements, but most opportunities are going to be merit-based beyond those basic requirements. The content of your work is a factor, but I recommend referring to the application materials themselves to guide you toward how deeply you go into the themes you address in your work. I don't recommend shaping your work to fit an application; the whole idea here is to receive recognition and support for the work you are already invested in.    

The organizations that offer opportunities like these to artists are not neutral. These are typically nonprofit organizations that are funded by the government; individual donors (such as private and public foundations); boards of trustees or directors; small and large individual donations; corporate donations; or a mix. The founders and primary funders may have set out founding values and purpose documents that guide the people administering these organizations on choosing the types of artists and projects they fund. As nonprofit organizations, they may also have a stated mission, vision, and purpose that shapes the types of artists and projects they fund. All of these factors contribute to the fit that your question is investigating. 

It’s rare that grants and residencies orient their eligibility requirements and selection criteria around the content of the applicants’ work. If anything, there may be orientation around genre or medium; for instance, landscape painting, figurative sculpture, black and white analog photography, social practice, or mosaic muraling are a few examples of specific types of art that a grant or residency might support.  

When you’re researching opportunities to apply for, first read through the eligibility requirements and make sure you meet all of them before moving on to further considerations. Then, learn more about the organization:
+ What are their founding principles? 
+ What are their stated aims? 
+ Who are the artists and/or what types of projects have they funded in the past?
+ Are your values aligned with the values of the organization?

Some other considerations may include: 
+ Does it cost anything to apply? 
+ What do grantees/residents receive, if accepted?
+ What is required of grantees/residents to participate? 
+ If you were to be selected, do you have the capacity to meet those expectations?  
 
My friend and colleague Virginia Broersma of The Artist’s Office has put together a useful list of prompts to help folks decide if an open call opportunity is right for them, and it’s accessible for free here. 

Lastly, I want to offer some context for anyone not familiar with these types of opportunities, as well as a few words of encouragement to apply. 

Though some grants are oriented around financial hardship, support health issues, or respond to emergencies, most are merit-based. As a result, these can be perceived as a means of recognition and validation from the broader art community, signaling to others in the field that your work is worthy of consideration for yet more recognition and validation. However, NOT receiving grants you apply for is NOT a determining factor of the worthiness of your work; there are simply more strong applicants than there are grants to go around, with grant-makers often only offering one or a few each year. Grants can sometimes bring more attention to your work, can sometimes lead to other opportunities, and will offer you some temporary income and/or give you access to tools, materials, skills, or communities you might not otherwise be able to access.  

Residencies can also offer prestige—the same kind of recognition and validation as grants—whether they are paid (meaning that you pay for all or some of the cost) or subsidized (someone else—usually the organization and its donors—is paying for all or some of the cost). Residencies can be highly-regarded as culturally relevant organizations that help artists advance their careers not only by providing time and space to make work but also by inviting art world folks into the studios or doing outreach about the artists they support. Residencies aren’t for everyone; responsibilities at home such as jobs or caring for children, elders, partners, or community members can make residencies out of bounds for some, and for others, their work simply may not be conducive to the residency environment. Like grants, residencies may sometimes offer you some temporary income and/or give you access to tools, materials, skills, or communities you might not otherwise be able to access, and they will always give you a change of scene and some space and time that you might not otherwise have.

As I mentioned at the outset, I encourage most of my artist clients to regularly apply for grants, and if your life can accommodate residencies, those too. These honors are part of being an artist in public, and there is something out there for everyone. The keys are the quality of the work; the quality of the application materials (both written statement and artwork documentation); and persistence. Applying repeatedly for opportunities will push your work; improve the quality of your application materials; and will get your work seen by people who might not otherwise see it. Applicants for these opportunities are often selected by a panel of art world professionals. If you’re working as an artist in public, you’re likely seeking to build more and more visibility and relationships among those very folks who sit on these juries (which, by the way, change every year). 

If you’re committed to applications being a part of your parallel practice, you’ll only receive a fraction of the opportunities you apply for. Your persistence, however, will increase not only your chances of receiving the opportunities but also resilience to remain committed to your life's work.