How do I put together a good application for a writing residency?
Marsha asked this question last week including how do you choose what writing samples to submit for a residency and how do you structure the resume? I’ve started a resource list here and will continue to add to it as I discover new resources.
Get Thee to a Writing Residency by Maria Robinson for Catapult
Your writing sample really is the most important part of your application. Where I worked, portfolio review was the very first step in the process after disqualifying any applications that failed to follow directions. To mitigate the effects of unconscious bias on the portfolio-review process, every sample was reviewed blind by at least two different readers using a common rubric, and reviewers changed at every deadline to limit the possibility of falling into entrenched aesthetic biases over time. Equity was a constant conversation, and we reviewed our application requirements and administrative procedures on an ongoing basis. Not every program does it this way, of course, but every program is keenly aware of how slippery and subjective the whole enterprise is. As an applicant, there is no way to crack the code because there is no code to crack: The admissions process is dynamic and ever evolving. You can’t guess who might be reading your work, or what other work is swimming alongside yours in the applicant pool, so don’t waste your energy trying to cater to an unknowable audience. “Your strongest work” is the work that most compels you (and maybe a trusted reader or two). If—and only if—your writing sample is reviewed favorably, the rest of your application comes into play. read more
creating your artist resume by creative capital
Creative Capital hosts professional development workshops to help artists learn skills such as proposal writing, marketing, and tax skills to help artists complete successful projects from inception to completion. They have many detailed resources and guides for creating an artist resume, applying for grants and more. This helpful resource includes best practices and what to include in your artist resume.
INSIDE GRANT OR RESIDENCY PANEL PROCESS
This mock panel-room conversation by Creative Capital provides an inside look at the selection process for artist grants and residencies and provides tips to bolster your next application.