How to Write an Artist Proposal
- 1). Identify your audience. You must decide who you're writing for and what they value. If you're submitting an artist proposal for an exhibition, research the exhibit venue and the owner to find out what type of art they're looking for. Once you establish your audience, you'll be able to tailor your proposal to fit its specific needs.
- 2). Acquire the guidelines from the organization that will be reviewing the proposal. This will let you know what and how much information to include, as well as how long the proposal should be. Many companies won't accept proposals that don't meet their guidelines.
- 3). Write the introduction. This section may include a brief description of yourself as an artist, including your skills and interests in specific areas. According to Cleveland Public Art, this section is intended to identify yourself and your abilities, artistic process and concept development. The introduction may also include a need or problem statement, which specifies why your proposal is important.
- 4). Write the objectives of the project you're proposing. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish and why you need the help of this organization. If your goal is to submit artwork into a competition, think about what's special about your art and why this organization should include it in its exhibit.
- 5). Include professional images of your work with the proposal. If you're submitting specific works to be considered for a show, make sure their images are clear and well lit. For more general proposals, such as for grants, make sure the images you select accurately represent your work.
- 6). Complete the proposal by including all the required elements. You may need a methodology and budget section if you're writing an artistic grant proposal.
- 7). Revise your proposal as many times as possible before submitting the final product. It's usually a good idea to have at least one person review it, so you can get feedback on the content and also ensure there aren't any typos or other mistakes in the copy.
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