GVIAS provides grants for interactive art projects which will be displayed outside of GVIAS events.  Our goal is to encourage Interactive Art that fosters the ideals of the Burning Man community. Artists working in experimental, emerging, cross-disciplinary, and traditional categories are encouraged to apply, to display their Interactive Art and add to the collective, participatory spirit in the community and at Burning Man & GVIAS events.

Grant applications close 11:59pm Sunday March 2nd, 2014.

GVIAS is offering a grant round for Greater Vancouver artists or groups looking for assistance with interactive art pieces that are not specifically for GVIAS events.

 

 

WHAT WILL A GVIAS GRANT COVER?

Art grants ONLY cover materials (consumables and fixed assets which are necessary to the art piece), and operational costs. These grants will not cover labor expenses including the artist’s time.

Fixed Assets (eg. tools, structures, electronics) may be submitted, but should be specialized, essential to the functionality of the project, and should be a relatively small portion of the expense. (ie. a $50 Arduino in an $800 project is reasonable. A $50 wood sculpture requiring an $800 band saw is not. Well, the saw is not, at least.)

Recall that tools and other fixed assets may be available for low-cost rent from a rental agency, or even a free loan from a community member. Don’t know a community member with a band saw? Ask on the various social media pages and email lists…people love to help a good art project

 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

Any individual artist, team of artists or established group (for teams of artists, please have one person submit an application for the group) may apply.

 

WHAT IS INTERACTIVE ART?

It could be an object or performance which:

1. requires external human interaction to be complete, or
2. prompts people to interact with one another, or
3. responds to participants and to its environment, or
4. provokes actions, or
5. transforms participants into active contributors to your creative process.

Interactive artists inspire the participation of others in the art piece or performance itself.

 

WHAT KINDS OF INTERACTIVE ART DO THESE GRANTS COVER

MEDIA ARTS
Includes but is not limited to:
Film, Video, Animation, Teleplays, Sound Art, Immersive Audio & Video Works

VISUAL ARTS
Includes but is not limited to:
Crafts, Design, Drawing, Illustration, Installation, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Dance, Theater, Interactive Installation & Sculpture

Or any mix of the above.
If you can convince us it’s awesome, that you can build it, and that it’s interactive, we will consider it!!

 

GRANT QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Projects will be considered according to the following criteria:

Project Interactivity – How interactive is your project?

Artistic Excellence – How “wow” is the idea?

Overall Community Benefit – How many community members will get to enjoy the project, and for how long?

Viability of Implementation Plan – Is your budget, schedule, build plan, crew size, and assembly/teardown plan sensible? Can you deliver the project you’re proposing in the timeframe stated?

Value for Money – Is your project a “How did you get that all done for that little??” or a “We’re paying how much for this???”

Emerging Artists – To diversify the grants, Artists who are first-time applicants are given a slight preference.

Budget Clarity – Your budget is clear and well thought out, contains sufficient detail to evaluate the project, and does not attempt to inflate the costs of the project in order to increase the % grant coverage.

How will grants be paid?

75% of the grant amount will be paid in advance, with the final 25% paid upon completion of the project, receipt of a final cost reports and copies of all receipts. A failure to execute your proposed art project may result in ineligibility for future grants.

 

HOW DO I APPLY?

Fill out the Grant Application Form at the bottom of this page. Please include any attachments in WORD or PDF documents only. For larger files (over 1MB) please put your proposal on a URL and send one URL for all of your files. Do not send a separate attachment for each component. A website with all info on ONE page is also acceptable.  If you need any assistance with sending information, please submit the application form with the comments “need assistance” beside your art piece name and we will contact you.

 

Proposal (2 pages max.) should include:

Description

1. Physical Description: including the final vision, placement, materials, and the intended interactive component.
2. Philosophical Statement: What the art means to you and what you are trying to communicate to participants.
3. Interactivity: Please describe how people will be able to interact with your proposed project.
4. Proposed team: Do you have an adequate crew to build, install and clean up your project? Please describe your support team as it relates to the creation of the art, site support and dismantling/cleanup. Describe the roles and skills needed even if you do not have a complete crew at this time.
5. Timeline: construction schedule which reflects your budget e.g., when materials will be purchased, when stages of construction will be completed.
6. Leave No Trace: A well thought out breakdown and clean-up plan and schedule. You may not leave anything behind.

Itemized budget

List in detail all expenses for material, rental, or asset costs. Research your costs carefully and be specific. Do not list “contingency costs” or “artist’s fee” as we do not cover those expenses. You must total your costs and give us a final number. Include all taxes – these may be claimed, and will be included towards your maximum award. IMPORTANT: SPECIFY TO THE COMMITTEE HOW MUCH FUNDING $ YOU ARE SEEKING.

Bio

Provide a short, informal bio that describes involvement in prior projects/work of this nature – intended to assure the Grants Committee that you have the skills and wherewithal to complete the project.

Visual materials (if applicable)

Detailed drawings, sketches, and plans, hand-drawn or computer generated. You may also send photographs with your proposal. Materials must directly support your proposal and are limited to maximum of twelve (12) images and/or video. Video submissions should not exceed a total of three (3) minutes in length. Note: Visual aids inspire the reviewers and are definitely an advantage. One picture/sketch/video is required at minimum.

Safety Requirements, if required (1 page max.)

1. Burning Artwork: If your artwork utilizes open fire such as candles, torches, fire barrels, or raised containers, please describe in detail. If artwork is to be engulfed in flames, please describe your ground protection. Include a detailed drawing showing how the art will be situated on it.
2. If your artwork utilizes flame effects, flames that are automated, switched, pressurized or having any other action than simply being lit on fire, including propane or liquid fuels, describe in detail. Include a detailed drawing of fuel lines and tanks.
3. Details of any safety measures required and in operation – fire extinguish placement, shut off value labeling, signage, and fencing.
4. If your artwork is being placed in a public space and using fire, please contact the local fire department for permit information and indicate the outcome of this in your application.

 

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY PROPOSAL?

Send your completed proposal only once – wait until it is final to send. Do not send multiple iterations with revisions, additions, etc.

Only one proposal per person and/or group will be accepted. If you cannot submit your proposal as specified above, any non-digital drawings/material can be hand delivered to a member of the Grants Committee by appointment only.

You will receive a confirmation from the grants committee that your proposal was received – if you do not receive a confirmation of receipt of your proposal within 48 hours, please email the grants committee at [email protected]

 

CONTRACT

If your project is awarded a grant, you will be asked to sign a contract with GVIAS as a condition of receiving the grant funds.

 

COST REPORTING AND RECEIPT OF FINAL GRANT AMOUNT

You must provide copies of all receipts in order to receive full grant amount. If your final cost report or receipts provided do not add up to the full grant amount, the amount of the grant awarded will be reduced to reflect actual costs. Note that if your costs are less than the initial 75% grant award, you will be required to refund the balance to the Society. You must satisfy all clauses of your contract to receive final funds. A blank cost report will be provided to all grant recipients.