The Seattle Metals Guild offers grant opportunities to both emerging and established artists. The categories will alternate every year. The Emerging Artist Grant will be awarded during even numbered years whereas the Established Artist Grant will be awarded in odd numbered years. The goal of each grant is to provide financial assistance to SMG members in support of personal artistic development. One recipient each year will be awarded $2,500 to use at their discretion, as long as it directly fosters their own artistic development. Examples include but are not limited to; the creation of new work, installation of new work, documentation, research, travel, studio equipment, public performances or curating of an exhibition. The selection of the recipient in each category will be based on the feasibility of the project proposal, the impact the funding will have on artistic development, financial need and merit. Please see below for eligibility and application requirements.

This year, the call goes out to artists in the Established Artist Category. 

Timeline:

Applications open – August 1st, 2023

Application Deadline – August 31st, 2023

Panel Review – September, 2023

Notifications mailed – October 1st, 2023

The applications will be reviewed by a jury of three professionals related to the field of Jewelry and Metalsmithing. The individual jury members will rotate each year.

Established Artist Eligibility:

An established artist as defined by the Seattle Metals Guild is as follows:

• A jewelry/metals artist with a business or body of work spanning over 10 years

• A jewelry/metals artist with a body of work more than five years and at least five recorded exhibitions and/or published articles or features in industry publications.

Applicants must meet one or more of the eligibility requirements to qualify.

Other Qualifications:

• Applicants must be an SMG member for no less than 6 months at time of application. (Will be waived for the 2023 cycle)

• Applicants pay close attention to “must include” criteria during the drafting of your application. Any omissions will result in disqualification.

• Current SMG Board Members are ineligible to apply.

• Past grant winners are ineligible for new grants 4 years after their award. (Equal to 2 grant cycles)

 Award:

• $2500

• Presentation at the next General Meeting

• Solo Case in the Biennial Exhibition

Application Requirements:

• Essay

• Essay must include a description of the artists qualifications and established background. The artist should describe their body of work to include:

• Why you started

• Inspirations

• Cohesiveness

• Short term goals

• Long term goals

• Any hardships along the way

• Any notable successes

• No less than 1 page and no more than 5 pages

• Project Proposal

• A proposal of how the grant funds will be used in relation to the applicant’s business or body of work.

• A plan for how the funds will impact the applicants personal and professional artistic development.

• An outline for how the funds will be spent. The outline should include a projected costs analysis based on research done by the applicant for the outlined proposal.

• Short term and long term goals.

• No less than 1 page and no more than 5 pages

• Professional resume

• Education

• Professional experience

• Exhibitions and/or publications

• Professional references

• No more than 2 pages

• List of photographs

• Must include a list of the images included in the digital exhibition.

• Must include the file name, materials used, and date made. Can also include other relevant information

• No more than 2 pages

• Digital Exhibition

• 10-20 photographs of at least 10 different pieces from the applicant’s body of work.

• The images should constitute a cohesive body of work.

• Submit one image per file (do not collage several angles or pieces within one image).

• Backdrops should be neutral (white, black, or gray), with each piece of art properly lit and focused. Jewelry submissions may also be photographed on a model.

• Use the title of the work as the file name. If there are more than one image of the same piece, please include whether this is a detail or different angle in the file name.

• Examples: Necklace1.jpeg, Necklace1detail.jpeg, Necklace1back.jpeg

• Photography file types accepted: jpeg, jpg, or png

How To Submit:

• Document file types accepted:

• Word Doc

• PDF

• Apple Pages

• Google Doc

• Please email all materials to grants@seattlemetalsguild.org. Your final submission should include 10-20 images and 4 documents. You will be juried by a panel of SMG representatives based on your eligibility, the completeness of your application, and your project proposal. You should expect a reply email confirming your submission was received.