The definitive guide to a killer arts proposal

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Tried and tested advice when it comes to creating a good proposal is to ensure you familiarise yourself with the expression of interest guidelines and proofread your proposal. But with what could be dozens of acceptable proposals for limited grant or programming opportunities, what gets one proposal over the line opposed to the other? Running spell checker over your application is a given, but there are tips and tricks that can help finesse your proposal.

We speak to the best in the business when it comes to understanding grant applications and curatorial expressions of interest. Industry leaders from Australia Council, Next Wave Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival and Dancehouse share what creating a killer proposal really requires.

First impressions count

Many proposals require an introduction which includes a brief description of your background as an artist, your abilities, the proposed concept and a well-developed vision.

Eliza Roberts, Arts Residencies Manager, Asialink told ArtsHub that the crux of any residency proposal is the 500-word description. To make a lasting first impression, Roberts recommends staying true to the selection criteria and being succinct.

Try not to lose your spark. If you introduced yourself in person in grant-application-speak you would bore just about anyone listening. The same goes when making first impressions on the page – try not to lose your individual voice.

Veronica Bolzon, Program Producer, Dancehouse told ArtsHub that one of the biggest mistakes artists make when preparing a proposal is going into ‘I’m writing an application’ mode, which leaves the application coming across as dry and uninteresting.