Funding Your Photographic Projects
Class with David H. Wells / ©2009 David H. Wells

Getting a grant or a fellowship for a project is a dream come true for any photographer. In that dream, you get to go wherever you want to create whatever pictures you want for any purpose you want. The reality is often very different and understanding that difference is the key to getting outside funding to support your photographic project. Today, the number of opportunities is actually rising but the number of applicants who really understand the process is actually going down, according to those who
regularly review such applications.

Most funding opportunities can be fit into one of three rough categories:

• Artistic; which are based solely on the artistic merit of the work (depending on how that is defined.) These are the most visible, prestigious and most competitive, making them the hardest to get.
• Photojournalistic; which are wide ranging in geographic area of interest and in political emphasis. Eligibility for these require the skills/experience of a photojournalist which not all photographers have.
• Topic; where the interests in the particular subject matter on the part of both the potential funder and the photographer align. These are the most common and least understood by photographers.

The class will explore all three types of funding, how to apply and what is expected of the photographer. The class will begin by reviewing the students’ existing projects and then go through a series of exercises to further explore the students’ areas of interest. This will include
explorations of different photographic styles, how to decide whether to work in Black and White or color, what are the potential funding sources for their work, etc. The class will then focus on specific strategies in
pursuing grants such as:

• Partnering with a non-profit group to apply for the approximately 85% of funds that are only given to organizations and not to individuals.

• Learning to read the resumes, artist’s statement and acknowledgement sections of books by photographers who get funding, in order to follow the money trail.

• Important resources available in public libraries and on-line, most notably the Foundation Center, which has an incredible web presence.

• Formats for presenting your work to potential funders as a unified multi-image project on a single theme, whether deeply personal or primarily commercial.

Students will learn how to focus ideas into viable projects and how to write out a project proposal. A written proposal is the first step towards funding, exhibiting and publishing a project. Wells will share
examples of proposals that have earned him exhibits, publication and grants/fellowships.

During the lunch break (2 hours) the class will require writing and web research and the students will be expected to do homework, revising the project proposals they will have had reviewed/critiqued each day. The project proposal will have to include information gathered from sources
other than the author. Information may include statistics, quotes, and background information on a topic as well as information on how the author’s chosen topic has been explored in other media.

Students will finish the class with a highly polished project proposal, lists of potential funders, skills needed to edit their existing work down for grant application and an in depth understanding of the grant seeking process from start to successful finish.

The class is a serious class, for intermediate, advanced/aspiring professionals.

ONE DAY 9AM -5PM ONLY $99.00 Limited to 25 seats.