Just finished writing up another " CIP Travel Grant" submission to the Edmonton Arts Council (EAC). I got one of these grants way back in 2011, and it was very helpful. I was able to use the $750 CAD to pay for part of my air ticket to Thailand.
After that first grant success. I could never get another of any kind no matter how had I tried, or how important the work was (at least I felt it was important). I have been rejected 7 or 8 times now, from different organizations. It all gets rather frustrating, seems so futile and hopeless. Am barely scraping by working as a security guard and trying to finance my art work with my wages alone. The art folks, at the municipal, provincial and national level do not really care to help. It makes you feel bad about your own work and also, more importantly, that you let everyone you photographed down. You feel that you do not have the skills to tell their story effectively. All those people trusted you and you blew it, you failed them.
To try and get past my grant failure log jam I took part in a free grant writing meet up with a nice person from the EAC. We met up for 20 minutes this past Saturday in downtown Edmonton coffee joint. I got some good advice, and got a promise of some help writing my submission. I hope this works because I sure could use the Grant, so many bills as of late.
Here to HOPING, the grant comes through this time. Either way, Thanks to the CR and the EAC for their help.
Every trip to Thai, helps me grow as a photographer and human being, I need to go back, I have to go back, over and over again.
Update* After a critique and suggestions for improvement to the submission, I made some changes to it. Deleted some stuff, added a few things (photos, work timeline) and adjusted some other things. Hope this all works out! I did a ton of work on this submission, my head was spinning with it all during last nights night shift. The grant has been submitted to the Edmonton Arts Council people, "Gods speed John Glenn!". Hope it works out, could sure use the $750 to offset the cost of my air ticket to Thailand. So many, many, many bills right now!
After that first grant success. I could never get another of any kind no matter how had I tried, or how important the work was (at least I felt it was important). I have been rejected 7 or 8 times now, from different organizations. It all gets rather frustrating, seems so futile and hopeless. Am barely scraping by working as a security guard and trying to finance my art work with my wages alone. The art folks, at the municipal, provincial and national level do not really care to help. It makes you feel bad about your own work and also, more importantly, that you let everyone you photographed down. You feel that you do not have the skills to tell their story effectively. All those people trusted you and you blew it, you failed them.
To try and get past my grant failure log jam I took part in a free grant writing meet up with a nice person from the EAC. We met up for 20 minutes this past Saturday in downtown Edmonton coffee joint. I got some good advice, and got a promise of some help writing my submission. I hope this works because I sure could use the Grant, so many bills as of late.
Here to HOPING, the grant comes through this time. Either way, Thanks to the CR and the EAC for their help.
Every trip to Thai, helps me grow as a photographer and human being, I need to go back, I have to go back, over and over again.
Update* After a critique and suggestions for improvement to the submission, I made some changes to it. Deleted some stuff, added a few things (photos, work timeline) and adjusted some other things. Hope this all works out! I did a ton of work on this submission, my head was spinning with it all during last nights night shift. The grant has been submitted to the Edmonton Arts Council people, "Gods speed John Glenn!". Hope it works out, could sure use the $750 to offset the cost of my air ticket to Thailand. So many, many, many bills right now!
