Grant Submission Almost Done

Worked my tail off over the last 4 nights on my "Individual Visual Artist And New Media Project Grant". I went through draft after draft of the 5 page project description. I think I finally got something half decent completed and printed at 4am last night. As part of the submission I had to make up a signed original along with 5 copies (one for myself) and a dvd with 10 samples of my work. I also had to fill out a PDF signed application form, a project budget and an inventory of the images sheet. When the jury members go through the application they need 4 copies, one for each jury member. I need to make up the image sample DVD (more scanning this week) but the very painful paper work part is done!! I should be mailing this out mid week, in time to meet the February 1 deadline.

I made a grant request for $15000 (the maximum amount) for a  5 month photography journey through the Issan region of Thailand called "Issan Portraits" The entire project including 4000 sheets of film and 20 boxes of photo paper along with food, transportation and accommodation costs would be more than $15000 (I would have to cover the extra costs over and above the $15000).  In the project I would travel using local transport for 5 months through the Issan region of Thailand (northeast Thailand, the poorest part of the country) and make hundreds of large format portraits using the 4x5 Linhof.

Doubt I will get $15000 as they had over 2200 submissions for grants last year. I think it was important to try thou. I at a point in my photography where I am creating good work, work that I am in control of and am confident of. I need money to produce the work, need to get some dollars together to purchase film and allow me the time to make the pictures. I am done buying equipment now, its all about creating the photographs, all my money now goes to creating new negs. If I got this whole grant or a partial grant it would allow me the freedom to make the portraits I know I can make.

Imagine that!!! 5 months in Issan making portraits, getting my food and accommodation as well as film paid for, the freedom! That would be freaking awesome! 5 months of shooting!, 4000 exposures!!, imagine the stories I could tell with those photographs.

 Its fun to dream sometimes. : )