Art Consultants Advise Persistence For Grant-Seeking Artists

(MENAFN- USA Art News) In a recent column for Art in America, art-world consultants Chen & Lampert offered guidance to artists struggling with grant applications. Their advice focused on tenacity and strategic presentation for those navigating the challenges of funding in a volatile art market.

Addressing a mid-career artist with 25 years of exhibition experience who had recently begun applying for grants without success, Chen & Lampert acknowledged the“depressing” nature of the extensive paperwork. The artist expressed feeling discouraged but also a desire to persevere despite low chances.

Chen & Lampert advised against focusing on specific dates or names from a CV, instead recommending artists“gush to them about compelling new ideas” and demonstrate enthusiasm for building on past achievements. They suggested emphasizing decades of experience and showing how grant support would“substantially bolster your vision at this crucial juncture.” The consultants noted that while nepotism and cronyism are factors, a concise application highlighting the“timeliness and urgency” of a project remains crucial.

They also shared an unconventional strategy: continuously submitting the same, slightly updated application each grant cycle.“Chances are they'll eventually be forced to acknowledge you,” they stated, citing instances of artists who“doggedly hounded the same foundations for years and years until finally nabbing their award.” They concluded that major funding organizations might eventually approve a grant simply“to make you go far, far away.”

Separately, the consultants addressed a question from a gallery storage employee who accidentally damaged a painting while reshelving it. The employee asked whether to report the incident, especially since they anticipated leaving the job. Chen & Lampert suggested the damage might go unnoticed for“weeks, months or even years,” and that any eventual discovery would likely not lead to an investigation into the cause. They speculated that the repair cost would probably be deducted from the artist's future cut of the sale, or the piece might remain unsold indefinitely.

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ARTPOWER has launched tortoise, a new financial platform developed over three years with input from over 1,000 artists, designed to enhance financial

Source: ARTnews

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