ArtsEZ SPRING 2013 GRANT GUIDELINES

We are pleased that you are interested in applying to the Northampton Arts Council for funding, these guidelines will help clarify the process.  Contact us at (413) 587-1269 or email us at arts@northamptonma.gov if you need any help in preparing your application.  For your convenience, the application form may be downloaded at: northamptonartscouncil.org

Grant Deadline

Completed applications, with 15 copies and 1 set of supporting materials, must be received by 4:30 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in the office of the Northampton Arts Council on the second floor of Memorial Hall, Room 5, 240 Main Street in Northampton.  No late applications will be accepted.  Please type; handwritten information often cannot be read.  You must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return of materials submitted, or pick them up at the Arts Council office following the review process.

Projects may start no earlier than July 1, 2013, and must be completed by June 30, 2014.

Grant Award Amounts

Grant awards are determined by the merit of the proposal and the funds available.  This spring the Arts Council will be awarding up to $15,000 in the following categories: dance, film/video, literature, mixed media, music, schools, theater, and visual arts.

The Arts Council rarely awards a grant for the full cost of a project.  Organizations and individuals are strongly encouraged to support some expenses through their own budget, to approach other sources for funding, and to seek donations of materials and labor, increasing the feasibility of the grant.

Who Can Apply? What are the Criteria?

The Northampton Arts Council Inc. funds:

• Northampton-based artists

• Artists who reside in another city but whose project will be held in Northampton, Florence or Leeds

• Work demonstrating the highest artistic/cultural merit

• Projects that include a public component, such as an exhibition, literary reading or performance held in Northampton, Florence or Leeds that clearly benefits the residents of Northampton

• Non-profit cultural and educational institutions that offer programs and events that bring arts and culture to a Northampton area audience

• Projects that are financially feasible

• Schools, not artists, should apply for projects that take place in schools

The Council does NOT fund:

• Grant recipients in consecutive rounds

• Projects or events completed prior to applying

• Fundraising or profit-making events that do not benefit the arts

• Continuation funding for projects already awarded a grant from the Arts Council

• More than one application by the same artist or cultural group

• General operating support

• Refreshments or food

• Money to replace municipal funding for the arts, humanities or interpretive sciences

How to Apply

Please note that the strongest applications provide clear, concise project descriptions and accurate budgets. Supporting materials are required, even if you or your group has had a presence in Northampton for some time.  Assume that the Council does not know your work.

• Read guidelines to determine your eligibility and note the deadline for submitting your application

• Complete the application form – it must be typed!

PLEASE DO NOT STAPLE YOUR APPLICATION!

• Deliver ONE signed original application form, along with 14 copies (for a total of 15 copies), and one set of supporting materials (please see below for an explanation of supporting materials) to the Northampton Arts Council offices on the second floor, Room 5, 240 Main Street no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2013.

What are Supporting Materials?

The Council relies heavily on each applicant's supporting materials to assess the artistic merit of the application.  Applications submitted without supporting materials will not be considered.  DO NOT SUBMIT A WEBSITE ADDRESS AS YOUR SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Supporting materials may include CDs, DVDs, scripts, letters of support, resumes, promotional materials, etc. All digital media should be viewable on a Mac computer, and will be reviewed using a digital projector.

All supporting materials should be of the highest professional quality and need to be properly labeled with the artist's name, title, dimensions, medium, and date of work. Please submit no more than ten JPEG images on a CD. Please specify the section of a performance or audio track you want the panel to review. The grant review committee will view a maximum of five minutes. Failure to follow these guidelines will jeopardize your application.

Digital Supporting Materials Submission

You can also submit your supporting materials digitally using google drive and sharing the file(s) with bfoote@northamptonma.gov.  Please name the file with your last name, the name of your project, and a number to determine which order the file should be shown in,  ie smithpleasantstreetmural_01.jpg, smithpleasantstreetmural_02.jpg or joneslandscapephotoexhibit_01.jpg, joneslandscapephotoexhibit_02.jpg.

Image files should be submitted in JPEG format, with a resolution of 72 ppi and a file that is at least 1600 pixels in its longest dimension.  Video files should be submitted in .avi format and be no larger than 20 MB.

How Are Grants Reviewed?

The Council seeks to support work of the highest artistic/cultural merit, and relies heavily upon support materials to make this determination (see What are Support Material?).  A well-written grant that clearly articulates the benefit of the project to the Northampton community is favored by the Council.  A copy of your grant is reviewed by each board member, which is why we request so many copies. Board members discuss each application and make funding determinations based on three main attributes, in order of importance:

• Artistic/Cultural Merit

• Relative Community Impact

• Project Feasibility (realistically achievable regarding cost, budget, and scope of project)

The Northampton Arts Council reserves the right to accept or reject applications within the stated guidelines and is responsible for making its best judgment of an application's intrinsic value.

Grant Notification

Applicants will be officially notified by mail of the Council’s decision no later than

June 30, 2013.

What Happens if You Receive a Grant?

Funds are awarded on a reimbursement basis only.  Request for payment must be made within twelve months of notification of grant award. In addition, all successful applicants must properly credit the Northampton Arts Council, Inc. for providing funds to the project in all press materials, posters, programs, announcements, paid advertising, etc.  Failure to do so will result in loss of funding! An example of proper credit would be: "This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council, Inc" as well as adding our logo to the materials.

Conflict of Interest Policy

To ensure that members of the Northampton Arts Council are free from conflicts of interest, board members are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. “Affiliations” applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. Arts Council board members and staff who apply for a grant recuse themselves entirely from participating in the review process and allocation determinations.

Need Help?

Applicants may call or email questions about the grant process, their project or application any time before the deadline: arts@northamptonma.gov or 413-587-1269

Mail or drop off in person completed applications (15 copies) and supporting materials (only 1 set) to:

Northampton Arts Council

240 Main Street, Room 5 (second floor)

Northampton, MA  01060

About The Arts Council

The Northampton Arts Council is a city board and a non-profit organization whose goal is to support and promote the arts in Northampton.  Originally created as a Local Arts Lottery Council, it began its work by administering a grants program in which proceeds from a state lottery are distributed to local artists, arts groups, and public schools.  Over the years the Council has expanded its role to include arts advocacy, public art projects, biennial juried exhibits, and maintaining the diverse cultural heritage of Northampton.  The Council is the only one in the state that still has two rounds of funding each year, thanks to its annual fundraising events Transperformance and Four Sundays in February.  The Northampton Arts Council is governed by a volunteer board of directors, appointed by the city’s mayor, and is staffed by an Executive Director and an Arts Administrator.