- Organization and planning: setting and attaining goals and time management skills
- Selling skills: ability to sell ideas and being able to handle potential rejection
- People skills: good communication skills, interpersonal skills
- Ability to take calculated risks: ability to evaluate options, take chances, make good decisions
- Management: experience in managing all or part of a business or division of an organization
- Leadership: being a visionary, having the ability to get people to follow, and being self-disciplined
- Knowledge of the industry: knowledge of the product and/or having the artistic skills as well as knowledge of how the industry operates
- Understanding of basic finance and accounting
Note: You do not need to have all these business skills, as it is possible to hire staff or consultants to compensate in areas where you need help. Associates, partners, and advisors can also fulfill some of these functions, but be cautious.
Make a list of work experiences, hobbies, and volunteer work. Be honest and objective. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. This inventory will help you to assess your present situation.
If you were able to answer yes to all these questions then you might be ready to make the leap to being a self-employed artist but this quiz can't predict your success. The best thing to do is to speak about your idea with someone who has a lot of experience with business and arts. Artist coaches are excellent resources to draw from. YES offers one-on-one business coaching and workshops for artists. If you are outside of the Montreal area you can purchase a copy of the Montreal Artist’s Handbook: Business Skills for Creative Souls produced by YES Montreal, or receive a free YES Making Your Way handbook, which provides “indirect” access to some of the advice given by our artist coach.
o Do give yourself plenty of time for rewrites and revisions - Do several drafts!
o Do give yourself more time if you are planning on applying on-line.
o Do your homework for each grant you apply for & tailor your application to each one.
o Do call granting agencies and speak to their counsellors if you're unsure about how to interpret a question on the form. They will be glad to explain to you what they are looking for.
o Do take photocopies of the application form to use as working copies. Use the actual application provided. Cut and paste if you have to.
o Do run your application by your friends and family for feedback. Take other people's suggestions to heart, but don't compromise your ideas.
o Do use the exact words in the grant when responding to a question. Repeating the question will bring clarity to your proposal.
o Do consider how important the title is in creating your presence on a page.
o Do emphasize what makes you and your project unique.
o Do emphasize why your project is important, and how others or your community will benefit.
o Do talk in general terms about the context, outcome, and theme of your work.
o Do use handy reference guides for writing tips such as E.B. White's Elements of Style or Webster's Handbook for Writers.
o Do make sure you check for grammatical and spelling errors.
o Do have simultaneous grants on the go. Funders assume that you are looking for more than one funding source.
o Do know that after you complete your first application, subsequent applications will be much easier to complete.
Don'ts
o Don't sound tentative or unsure (but also be wary of sounding arrogant or aggressive). You need to find a balance between these two extremes.
o Don't be vague! Present your ideas clearly and concisely. Most committees are interested in specific, well thought-out projects.
o Don't ask those writing letters of support for advice on the application or give them rough drafts of your proposal.
