Table of Contents
It can be creative exhibitions, galleries, or festivals. Artists write a proposal according to the art proposal template in which they demonstrate their ideas and intentions. Write it competently and with a clearly expressed opinion is crucial. The artist needs to make a good impression on himself and be sure that his works will interest others. That is why there is a rivalry, and artists are chosen based on art proposals.
So, before submitting your proposal, find out about the organization and its requirements. And also, follow what to include in a proposal to have a clear structure of the document. It will be easier for you to orientate yourself in writing a proposal, and there may be fewer competitors.
Step 1: Understand your goals
Before writing your art proposal, you have to decide why you are doing it. What is it for you, and what will it give you? Usually, people who cannot answer such questions are not ready for this. So they probably do not need it because they do not know the purpose of this process. To avoid it, ask yourself questions such as:
- What is this for me?
- Am I able to do it?
- Will it help me in the future?
- Will people be interested in my works?
- Is it promising for me?
- What do I need to write in the proposal?
- Do I really want this?
- Where can I start?
- Is competition important to me?
When you define yourself with these questions and a goal, you will know what you want and what you need to do. It sets you up for confidence in your work, and you will not care about your rivals. Having a goal gives a person a subconscious signal to work more efficiently. As soon as we know what we want, we immediately get on the path of doing our work. For this reason you should answer the above questions before you start to write an art proposal. After that, you will understand your desire even more, and it will push you to work on your art project proposal.
Step 2: Organization
Being organized makes us feel positive. The work is easier for you when you know what and why you will do it. Planning helps you allocate your work efficiently and does not cause you stress. So, when you start writing an artist's proposal, make a gradual plan for doing the work.
When you submit your proposals to exhibitions, festivals, etc., they are reviewed by the event managers. And most of them represent the format of a project proposal. Usually, the format is the same everywhere, but sometimes there are nuances in writing an art proposal. Therefore, they provide you with a format so that you have no doubt that you are doing something wrong. It also shows that their work is organized, and they do it in such a way that you don't get confused in the process of creating this document. But planning should be not only from the side of the people who will be checking your work but also from your side.
To help you organize the process of creating an artistic proposal, we have a plan for you that will make an art proposal more efficient:
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What should you do? |
What will it give you? |
| Determine how much time you need | Always do it in advance and do it at a slow pace because the quality of your work depends on time. First of all, familiarize yourself with the date of submission of art proposals and how much time you have until that moment. Learn about such things in advance so that you don't rush later. It is better to start doing it as early as possible so that you have a reserve of time in case something does not work out. Do not do everything a week or a day before the art project proposal. It will only confuse you, and you are unlikely to have time. It is why it’s better to set a deadline for yourself and decide how much time you need to complete everything. |
| Follow the structure | You should know what structure your art proposal should have. As we mentioned above, you are provided with a format for a project proposal in which everything is indicated. But it is not always the case. Sometimes, you have to think about the structure yourself. Therefore, do not hope that someone will help you with this. If they give you the order, that's fine, but if not, it's better to do it yourself. The structure primarily gives clarity and literacy to your work. Step-by-step work is always perfect because everything is clearly done in it. When you submit your art proposal, managers will first pay attention to your structure and design. Your efforts will not even be considered if everything is scattered there. So, remember that the more neatly you do everything, the more it will attract. And also, pay attention to the art proposal template. |
Always pay attention to these two points before starting an art proposal. Set your art project proposal schedule. Write down everything that needs to be done on a piece of paper and cross it out step by step. And on top, write the deadline date, which will remind you how much time you have left. Such work will not cause stress from not understanding what to do, but will actually push you to do it.
Step 3: Define your audience and set your budget
You should know approximately which audience you want to target. Determine what people like and what they would like to see from you. Maybe they want to clarify some social problem with the help of your exhibition or just look at your works. Solve these questions and do your work based on them. Artists' proposals should make others interested and think about it.
Next, write a budget to make it easier for you to manage your expenses. A budget is not always necessary, but if it is, then you need to keep a list of material expenses. Write down everything you need: equipment, studio space, extras, and wages. The budget list should contain only the necessary and no extraneous things. Then you need to calculate everything and analyze this amount. If it turned out to be too large, then indicate additional funding. Sometimes there are certain restrictions in financing and you need to familiarize yourself with them in advance so that there are no problems later. It is indicated in the art proposal template in separate categories.
Step 4: Grammar
If your art proposal contains grammatical mistakes and does not have a clear thought, no one will even consider your document. It is not pleasant to see mistakes in writing your idea from a person who wants to present himself to others. You must know the grammar rules and follow them. Also, remember about punctuation.
The structure must meet the requirements, and its ideas must be organized and understandable. If you want your art project proposal to look harmonious and quality, then it is better not to use too arrogant terms. It will not make you seem smarter.
It is better to write everything as you think. Create a draft and write down all the ideas that come to your mind. Then analyze and consistently correct these sentences. Do not think about synonyms or clever words to choose, but write as you speak in everyday life. So the written work will be easier to understand.
Here are a couple of tips to make it easier for you to cope with the written task of an art proposal:
- Start with the most important
You need to start with a clear statement where you immediately show what your goal is and what ideas you have. Expressing your own idea of an artistic proposal is the most important thing. It will create for others an image of you as a self-confident person and that you have an artistic goal - an artist's proposal. - Ask the editor for help
Of course, you can write the document yourself and submit an application. But it is better to ask the editor to check your written part to be sure that you wrote everything competently. Let him read a couple of your drafts and tell you how to formulate everything correctly. - Write everything in the same style
You don't need to write everything in a heap. You can't write first in an everyday conversational style and then switch to an official business style. Choose one and stick to it. And watch what you include in the proposal. There should not be incorrect vocabulary and a lot of extra information. Write concretely, and use the present tense with strong verbs to make the text vivid.
As you can see, the effort should not be directed to the fact that the text has official terms and a large number of words. The text should be written from your flow of thoughts and be focused on the topic you are writing about. Your own ideas create a unique text, so keep that in mind.
Step 5: Filling out the application
After your writing is edited and ready, you should prepare to submit your application. Generally, this procedure is fast because you will be provided with an art proposal template where everything will be specified. But you need to add something else to the statement:
| Portfolio | When you apply, you will be asked for a portfolio of your work. To do this, you can order a photographer who will help you take a photo from the right angle and with natural editing. You can also do it yourself, but remember about the quality and appearance of the photo. Everything must be done according to the requirements, and the number of photos should be from ten to twenty. Another good tip for you is to upload all photos in the same style and the same design. Everything should look harmonious. If your application is accepted online, you will need to upload a photo in a certain format. The kind of pictures will be specified in the format for a project proposal or in the application. |
| Biography | You are asked for biography in order to have a better idea of you as a person. You can include your life achievements, education, previous experience in art, publications of your work, and basic information about yourself. You don't need to write a lot. Write about 100-200 words, and do not violate this norm. If you were given a different word norm (which happens very rarely), then follow that norm. |
Now when you have everything ready, you can submit an application. In case something is unclear to you, and you can not understand some questions, do not be afraid to ask others about it. Then everything is according to the instructions, and remember to follow the art proposal template to the end.
What to include in a proposal?
An artistic proposal sounds scary because it immediately gives the impression that everything needs to be done in a formal style. It's actually easier, and you'll understand it after you're given an art proposal template. You will be asked to include in your proposal:
- Cover letter - it is your concise proposal where you tell about your intentions, the type of your art, and why you do it.
- Description - it is a written work where you fully reveal your idea and express your wishes for the exhibition.
- The date of the event
- Contact info
- Biography - 100-200 words
- Portfolio - 10-20 pictures
- A proposal for creating a timeline of the event (If you want)
That's basically all you need. You can understand from the list that it is not a difficult process. You just need to think a little about what you will write and how you will create a portfolio. Here it is better to use the services of an editor and a photographer. You will need to pay for this, but this way, your chances of receiving a positive answer will increase. So, do not spare money to improve your work. Also, create documents in the order in which they are written so then you will not get confused.
What to do when an art proposal is rejected?
Of course, such cases happen. But if your artist's proposal was rejected, here are five top tips for you:
| 1. Analyze the rejection |
After the refusal, sit down and figure out for yourself what is wrong. Just don't judge your work. Any work of art is beautiful in its own way, but if you were rejected, it does not mean that others did not like it. Perhaps there is another reason for this, such as the impossibility of financing. In this case, call the organizers and ask why you were rejected. |
| 2. Ask the opinion of the event organizers |
After you call them, ask why this happened and what the reason is. Perhaps your work was rejected because it did not meet the format for a project proposal. But in any case, ask to evaluate your work and in which direction you should move. Maybe it will give you even more impetus and motivation. |
| 3. Stay positive |
Remember that any rejections do not happen just like that. They make us stronger. Therefore, do not despair, but rather try again. Find out your weaknesses and strengths and make a conclusion based on them. It gives you an understanding of what you need to change in your next art proposal. |
| 4. Take notes |
Write down all feedback about your work in a notebook. You can review them at any time and orient yourself in your work. Or on the contrary, reviews can be very pleasant, and after reading them, you will have a new charge of positivity and motivation. |
| 5. Don't focus on rejection |
Don't judge yourself and your art because you were rejected. There is no need to be disappointed and think that something is wrong. You can ask your friends to review your work and let them rate you. But it is better to forget about this rejection and move on. Apply for other exhibitions. Maybe you will be evaluated better there. Artist's proposal does not have to be perfect and be accepted everywhere. Everyone has preferences, so look for those who will like your work. |
If you are disappointed due to the rejection of your art proposal, read these five points. We are sure that they will help you and dispel your worries.
FAQ
How many pages is a project proposal?
In general, it's about 3 pages. But you need to follow the format for a project proposal that is provided to you. Because when submitting an application for art events, you may be required to have a different number of pages.
What is the main purpose of an art proposal?
Someone has a goal to realize their artistic ideas and show them to a large audience. Someone's goal is to advance their work to have more experience in their career.
What does a good art proposal look like?
The best proposal will be the one that has a clear text structure, and that meets all the requirements specified in the template. A portfolio, which should be of high quality with interesting works, also plays a significant role.
How do you write an art title?
The title of the work must fully correspond to the text of the work. So that after the title, it is clear what will be expressed in the text. Also, the title should be highlighted in bold.
