Artistic Assistance

Artistic Assistance applications are now closed.  We will have another round in the Fall 2010.

The staff liaison to the Artistic Assistance Program is Shannon Turner.  If you have any questions about Artistic Assistance, please feel free to contact her at shannon@alternateroots.org.



Artistic Assistance enables individuals to enhance the artistic aspects of their work within their discipline. All artistic disciplines are eligible. These funds are designed to provide ROOTS members with a source of critical funding to attend a workshop, study with a mentor, develop new work, invest in equipment that is vital to their craft, or simply explore their creativity.

ARTISTIC ASSISTANCE IS NOT A PROJECT GRANT!
Examples of proposals that would be successfully funded may include, but are not limited to:

• Engaging a collaborative partner or consultant, including other artists, in enhancing artistic work that strengthens the artist within his or her artistic discipline
• Registration for a workshop that directly relates to and benefits a particular artistic work or will enhance the artist's craft
• Technology assistance or equipment that is specific and crucial to your career advancement (e.g., web site design, sound mixing, video editing, video editing software, etc.)
• Artistic Assistance funds may not be used to pay yourself, or for organizational, managerial or audience development. All funds must advance your professional development in your respective discipline.
  
• Funds may not be used for travel to an Alternate ROOTS event (e.g., the ROOTS Annual Meeting or regional event.)
  

DETAILS
Applicants must be VOTING MEMBERS in good standing (dues current) and should be actively involved in Alternate ROOTS activities (i.e., attendance at Annual Meetings, involvement with rhizome activities through regions, etc.).  Note:  Artistic Assistance is not available to Introductory Members or Satellite Members.

• Artists should demonstrate how their work is consistent with the ROOTS mission.
• Artists may receive only one Artistic Assistance award per year. 
• Funds are expected to be resources beyond the artist’s usual association (i.e., funds should be ones that you are unable to raise otherwise for your professional development).
• Award amounts range from $250.00 - $1,000.00. Awards are limited to $1,000.
• Artists must match the award on a 1-to-1 basis (i.e., for every $1.00 received from ROOTS, the artist must match $1.00).
• You may also use an in-kind match, up to 50% of your total match (e.g. $500 grant = $1000 in total expenses; $250 cash match, $250 in-kind contribution). In-kind matches must be documented and documentation must be submitted as part of your application. 
• Expenses already incurred within the last 90-days toward this specific request for the artists’ professional development may be used as matching funds (EVIDENCE MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION).  
• Cycle XIV Artistic Assistance grant application, budget, and work samples are due in the ROOTS office no later than Friday, March 12 at 6:00 PM EST.  This is a RECEIPT DEADLINE!
• Artists will be notified of awards on Friday, March 26, 2010.
• A conflict-of-interest free panel of arts professionals, to include one or several members of Alternate ROOTS, will review applications.
• Artists receiving funding during this cycle should prepare to participate in the Artistic Assistance Exhibition at the 34th Annual Meeting of Alternate ROOTS, August 10-15, 2010. Alternate ROOTS staff will contact grant recipients with the specific details of participation requirements no later than May 15, 2010.
• Work samples must be digital and must be attached to the application itself.  We will not accept work samples in the office.  Here are some helpful hints for attaching digital work samples to the application:
• URLs:  You can point panelists to your website, YouTube, Mp3Tunes or other websites that contain examples of your work.
• The ROOTS website:  If you don't have your own website, might we recommend that your artist profile on the ROOTS website is a good place to start?  Feel free to point panelists there as it has the capacity to hosts lots of information and upload up to five images.
• So how do I get these URLs into my application?  Easy!  Just copy and paste them into a Word document, describe what the panelists you want the panelists to pay attention to, and then save that document into the Work Samples section of the application.
• You can also type this part into the introductory box of the application where you describe the project and just say, for more information about me / my project and to view work samples, please visit www.describingmyproject.org.
  
• Cycle XIV:  All projects funded in this round must be completed no later than Friday, June 30, 2010. A written final report, including all budget information, must be submitted within 30-days of the completion of your proposed activities. 
  

IMPORTANT: In order to maintain membership equity throughout Alternate ROOTS' Artistic Assistance Program, members who have not previously received funding and first time applicants to the Artistic Assistance program will be given priority throughout the selection process. Additionally, Alternate ROOTS is committed to the elimination of oppression in all its forms. Recognizing that there are still artists struggling to rebuild their lives in the Gulf Region, a region served by Alternate ROOTS, special funding considerations will be given to artists from the Gulf Coast Region.

To apply for an artistic assistance grant:

1. Check to see if you are logged in.  If you are logged in to this
   website on this computer currently, you will see a menu heading with
   your username as the title if you scroll down and look on the left hand
   column of this page.
2. Make sure you are a voting member.  If your membership dues are current,
   then you will see a menu item on the left-hand side with the title
   "Member."
3. If both of the above are true, when you click here to view the application form, you will be able to do so. 
   

If you encounter difficulties, please write to Shannon Turner at shannon@alternateroots.org.