No Money, More Money
Last week, 635 Washington State artists learned they didn't receive $1,400 through Artist Trust's Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) program. A frustrated friend (and deserving artist) who was rejected e-mailed me, wondering what--or whom--he had to do to get a grant. Having served as a panelist before (for the Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship award in 2002), I can tell you the process is subjective as hell and wholly dependent on the particular combination of people in the room. For the visual arts, panelists view the same thousand-odd slides several times over a couple of days and are quick to dismiss poorly presented work. (Tip: Take the time to have your work professionally shot and not by a neighbor on your lawn using a ratty blanket as a backdrop.) Near the end, wild bargaining sets in and one panelist's resolve about selecting a particular artist weakens them to begrudgingly accept another panelist's choice.
Local funding sources for individual artists is limited, hence the huge number of disappointed artists. Ever since the government sought to distance itself from risky, potentially pornographic work during the NEA culture wars of the '80s, direct support to artists has become scarce. In the case of government funding, money is funneled through so many layers of bureaucracy that, by the time it reaches the artist, it's but a fraction of the original amount. The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and 4Culture offer support to individual artists, but since they're government agencies, some public benefit (saving salmon is always a favorite) is required. Foundations could fill some of the gaps but Seattle's foundation culture is tiny compared to most other major metropolitan cities, and Seattle foundations are prone to making safe bets by either giving to organizations and institutions (as the Allen Foundation and Seattle Foundation do) or by not giving to the arts at all (which is what the Gates Foundation does, save for the $50,000 it throws at SAM every year). Artist Trust is an anomaly and the good news is 40 artists did receive funding and they can spend that $1,400 however they want.
There's a new kid on the Microsoft millionaire foundation block, though, and maybe some new hope for much-needed leadership in local grant-making to individual artists. Started in January and inexplicably headed up by former KIRO news anchor Susan Hutchison, the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences plans to give out $50 million over the next 10 years. So far, funding has gone to the major institutions ($3 million for the new library and $10 million to the Seattle Symphony) but that leaves a big chunk of change for Susan to figure out how to spend. I know there are at least 635 artists in Washington who would be happy to tell her where it should go.
