20 Feb Q & A | Kevin Spacey Foundation (KSF) Artists of Choice Awards
We asked for your questions about the KSF Artists of Choice awards on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s our responses.
I was wondering, I am not a spring chicken, yet I am an emerging film-maker/artist who has very recently finally getting around to practicing my art - do you have age limits?
There is no age restriction. However we consider an emerging artist as someone not yet earning a living soley as an artist.
I work with a new play development organization wishing to submit an application. Must we identify the supported project/artist in advance? Or can we define our selection process (we receive hundreds of applicants) and provide examples of past work to demonstrate the quality of the work to be selected after the grant deadline? Selections are confirmed in the Spring for the summertime development program.
We would need to know the artist or project when applying but you should give us as much context about your organisation as possible as it will only strengthen your application.
I work with an established theatre company that does a lot of development in Canada. We put out a call for proposals from emerging artists born in 1995, and are in the process of choosing a project to commission. The successful applicant will be announced at the end of February. Is this project eligible for the grant?
Yes that’s fine.
Does the award fund to screenwriters who need money to finish their screenplays? To help cover related costs of hosting the screenplay?
Yes.
I wondered if the play developed must be a newly written play or can it be a unique production of a previously scripted play?
It can be either.
I wondered if there was preference for a new play to be fully produced onstage or whether the proposed end date can be a reading of the script?
It can be a reading but you should consider how you will get the maximum impact. So your application should detail who you will invite to the reading, where it will be staged and how you will follow up any interest or generate any interest.
We don’t currently have videos as it’s too early in the development of the musical and oftentimes we can’t record readings because of Equity rules. We have the script, score, and some audio demos. Is there a way to submit those instead of a video? What is the best way here to represent a show that is very early in its writing development? What is the committee looking for?
With musical theatre applications we would expect to hear some form of demo or recorded performance that can be in place of a video. In short the more collateral you have to support your project the better in whatever capacity.
What would be an appropriate percentage of the total budget that this grant should cover?
There is no stipulation about what percentage you should just show a full working budget clearly indicating where the grant would go.
Can I submit multiple applications for different projects?
Yes you may submit more than one application.
What is the full timeline from application submission to recipient announcement?
Applications open: Throughout February 2016, Applications close: Friday 4 March 2016, Interviews: Friday 29 April – Monday 9 May 2016, Awards Made: Early June 2016.