September 1, 2023 deadline
General Expert Panel comments
Comments made by the panel during the assessment of applications are outlined below. Please note that these comments provide a summary of the panel's assessment and do not necessarily relate to every application submitted to this deadline. The panel does not provide individual comments.
Project description:
- Please be sure that your description clearly outlines how you plan to do your project because vague descriptions make it difficult for the panel to understand what your goals and intentions are.
- Applicants need to demonstrate clear anticipated outcomes, or end goals, as this addresses potential impacts the project may have on you, your artistic practice and/or broader career goals. For example, if creating a new body of work, what are your plans for the work afterwards?
- If you are undertaking an activity that is a clear departure from your usual practice, be sure to address what supports you will have in place to help you with material experimentation, learning and development. Examples: proof of concept, mentors, courses, workshops, collaborations, etc.
- The panel was impressed with the diversity of projects and the quality of activities in the province.
- An unsuccessful grant request did not necessarily mean your project was without artistic merit. Not all strong projects could be supported. The panel encourages applicants to reapply in the future, and to reach out to AFA consultants for feedback prior to next submission.
- When exploring trauma or mental illness topics through social arts-based practice, panelists encourage applicants to consider including a trauma-informed professional or practitioner for support.
- Works featuring multiple and/or complex elements need to clearly define and outline proposed outcomes. If relationships between elements and outcomes are not clear it is difficult for the panel to assess merit and impact.
- When coming from an identity-based practice, be sure to include specifics about how you are exploring these through your personal lens. Don’t assume the panel knows who you are, your background or the intention of your work.
- It is helpful to include a timeline or schedule to demonstrate that project length is planned out appropriately.
- When a project is over 12 months, it may be beneficial to apply for a first phase of a project for a shorter duration. Future phases can then also be submitted to the AFA for future grant deadlines.
Budget:
- Budgets should be sufficiently detailed to give the panel the information they need to evaluate the potential of a project. High level (generalized) numbers should have budget notes, and/or quotes to contextualize and validate the amount(s).
- Budgets demonstrating that expenses were researched did better than those without support materials. Example: include quotes or invoices (where relevant), and/or budget notes stating which websites and other sources were used.
- When working with individual participants, models, or consultants, project budgets should include honoraria, fees, or gifts for those contributing to the project.
- When you have pending revenue in your budget (in addition to the AFA grant you are asking for), the application is strengthened if a contingency plan is provided. For example: If the only revenue received is the AFA grant, can you still do the project as proposed, or can you modify it to fit a smaller budget?
Support material:
- Please provide support files as per the guidelines on the website. Example: do not provide streaming or website links. The panel does not have time to do additional research due to volume of applications.
- Please provide enough images or work samples to provide a clear sense of your work.
- If images do not reflect the proposed project, provide a context.
- For images, ideally have one image per page, where possible. By adding multiple images or design elements, your artwork may be more difficult to see clearly.
- Please reach out to the AFA staff in advance of a deadline if you need help with preparing or providing support material items (images, video, etc.).
- Resumes and CVs should avoid design elements that make it difficult to read content.
