Knowledge bank

This guide by Judith Winter offers ideas and practical advice on how to develop proposals and present ideas to organisations and individuals.

Introduction

All artists have to find their own way of presenting ideas to organisations and individuals offering opportunities.

This guide offers ideas and practical advice on how to develop proposals for a number of common situations.

Contexts

As a professional artist you are likely at some stage to make proposals for:

• client-led commissions
• curated projects
• open exhibitions and competitions
• artist-initiated and speculative projects
• fellowships and residencies funding.

Matching agendas

A good proposal is like a conversation between two parties. Who you are making a proposal to will clearly influence your style of conversation.

To begin a really good relationship, you have to find out as much as you can about the organisation or person to whom you are talking, not only to discover their agenda, but also to find out whether you really want to get involved.

Before applying always:

• read the submission information carefully
• consider all submission criteria
• do your research
• be as objective and self-critical as possible.

It's important to decide on your own position as an artist. If you are strongly opposed to the way that an opportunity has been set up, you need to decide whether it's still worth making the proposal. You may need to think about alternative strategies for creating opportunities for your work.

Research

Do as much background research as you can – get information from the organisation and ask other artists if they have experience of working with or applying to the organisation you're approaching.

Take time to research:

• the history of an exhibition or commission through reviews and articles
• the ethos and vision of an organisation and who it's worked with in the past
• the background to residencies and fellowships – when they were set up, by whom and for what reason
• the aims and objectives of the funding organisation.

Contact the organisation and ask for further details, but don't take up too much time or be over persistent. Most information will already be available in leaflets, advertising and websites. There is nothing more irritating to small organisations where time and resources are limited, than having to repeat information that has already been supplied.

Competition

The 'call to artists' is about asking for others to propose solutions or come up with new ideas. It's a competitive process.

If you have 'proposal fatigue' – tired of long-winded selection procedures, or think there's no point in making another application for an opportunity that's already sewn up – think again! The arts world isn't always fair-minded, but no proposal or application is a complete waste of time.

If you consider the process as building a dialogue then you have brought your work to the attention of everyone involved in the shortlisting. The opportunity may not have been appropriate for you on this occasion, but something else may come from the rejection.

Each proposal you make becomes a little easier, and you learn something from that process. It's important not to regard rejection as failure.

Making a proposal

A proposal will differ according to each situation, but generally should include:

• covering letter
• project title
• detailed summary of your idea – referring back to the original submission information
• time schedule
• practical requirements – with as much technical information as necessary. Be careful to judge the detail needed at this stage
• budget – including income and expenditure. Break down your budget into production, installation, equipment and transport costs, artist's fee, insurance, publicity, etc. Find out if there is any in-kind funding or additional expenses/finances to consider
• documentation and visuals
• CV – tailored for the opportunity
• Artist's statement and concise background information.

Documentation
It's important to have as much pre-prepared documentation available as possible. This could include:

• standard CV
• visuals/examples of key works – slides, photographs, video, CD-Rom, etc
• statements about previous works/projects
• published material: articles, reviews, critical texts, catalogues, etc.

Having material at hand will make the experience of proposal writing easier and less time consuming. However, it's important to consider suitability for each proposal and modify all information for each context.

Presentation
The proposal should be clear and concise. Remember it's not a portfolio. Make it easy for the organisation or person who's reading it and supply all material in the format requested.

Make sure the presentation is appropriate for each situation and that any documentation is relevant to the proposal. Be self-critical about the documentation – does it give a clear sense of your practice?

Opportunities

Making a speculative proposal to a gallery, or responding to a curator's invitation is completely different from developing a proposal for a commission brief. These are distinct conversations, involving different people, agendas and approaches.

Client-led commissions
These are advertised in the Jobs & Opportunities section of this site, in arts magazines, through local arts development agencies, and public arts agencies.

You need to think carefully about whether you are able to work in this field. Client-led commissions often require a great deal of compromise. Most involve working with individuals and organisations outside the arts sector.

You will have to be prepared to engage with other professionals in the realisation of the work. You'll need to be aware of funders' responsibilities and be clear about who is commissioning the project. You will have to deal with the practical issues and procedures of working in the public realm and be able to communicate your intentions to a broad and often unsympathetic audience.

Good research is essential.

Curated projects
Outside of the gallery context, projects are usually curated by freelance curators or consultants or independent arts agencies. Opportunities are rarely advertised and artists are often invited to make proposals on the strength of previous work and occasionally through speculative proposals.

Open exhibitions
Open submission exhibitions are advertised in the Jobs & Opportunities section of this site, arts magazines, gallery literature, websites, and e-groups. It is essential to read submission criteria and note that this is highly competitive. It's helpful if you understand something of the selection process. Make sure proposals are concise and visually interesting. You are more likely to be noticed if the panel has come across your work previously.

Self-initiated projects
These are often the most difficult proposals to make as you are responsible for your own guidelines and parameters. As the proposal is based upon your own preoccupations it may feel like the most uncompromised way of working.

Research is essential. You'll need to locate individuals and organisations that may be interested in championing your proposal. Does it have specific benefits for a particular constituency or audience? Are there any arts professionals, writers or academics who could act as advocates?

In this situation you are seeking out partners and locating potential relationships. You need to be highly motivated and committed to your own practice and be willing to take on many administrative tasks, often without immediate financial support or gain.

Speculative exhibitions
You'll need to be clever about this kind of proposal. Approaching a gallery is really about courtship. You have to find a way to attract the gallerist/curator so that they will want to know more about you. A 'cold' proposal is like a mail-shot – and we all know that they usually end up in a bin.

Attracting attention takes time and needs patience. But it also means seizing the right moment when it comes. Exhibition offers usually come out of conversation – direct and indirect – with other arts professionals, through reading about your work in magazines and articles or through recommendation from other artists.

The writer

Judith Winter is curator of Reg Vardy Gallery, University of Sunderland and was previously Programme Manager of Commissions at Cleveland Arts.

Links

www.artscouncil.org.uk
Arts Council England and regional offices.

www.publicartonline.org.uk
Online resource for public art practice from Public Art South West, with advice on the commissioning process and case studies.

Judith Winter

Judith Winter is curator of Reg Vardy Gallery, University of Sunderland and was previously Programme Manager of Commissions at Cleveland Arts.

First published: a-n.co.uk April 2003