FAQ

BURN - BURNING MAN CHICAGO URBAN RENAISSANCE NETWORK

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the purpose of this grant program?
A: These art grants are intended to help defray the costs of materials related to creating and presenting works of art at Burning Man-related events over and above any normal costs of attending an event. They are not intended to cover labor costs, buy tools, or pay for personal transportation costs.

Q: What events?
A: One or more of the Burning Man Chicago Events (Resonate, Lakes of Fire, Decomp, Freezer Burn, or Burning Man in Nevada.) Other events may be acceptable, if you can demonstrate a relationship to the Chicago Burning Man community.

Q: Who is eligible?
A: Priority will be given to artists from the local Chicago community, creating art intended for display at Chicago Burning Man events, followed by other Midwestern events.

Q: Do I get to keep the money??
A: As long as your approved project follows the goals and time lines outlined in your application and the Terms and Conditions document. However, if for any reason, you cannot complete the project, BURN requires the return of the funds granted. If there are funds remaining after the project is completed those must be returned to BURN so that they may be ‘recycled’ and used to support other artists in our community.

Q: Can I get more than one grant?
A: You can only get 1 grant per grant cycle. Artists (individuals and groups) are limited to receiving no more than ~25% of the yearly budget per year in total.

Q: Can I re-apply for a grant?
A: Why, yes you can!! If you’d like to ask for another round of funding in a second grant cycle, that’s fine. Or maybe you want to apply for funding for some other aspect of your project that you didn’t seek funding for the last go-around.

When you submit your grant in the first place, there is a check box on the app to be considered for the next grant cycle. Hey burners – check that box!

Or, you can email us to let us know that you already have an application in queue, and ask us to re-evaluate it for this next cycle. (But keep in mind: If there were problems with your proposal last time, they’re probably still there.) BUT!! You can update your application! Make changes to respond to previous feedback, and make it even slicker and better and even more irresistible.

Q: Once I win a grant, I’m In like Flynn, right?
A: Not exactly…. Since the grant process is competitive, award of a grant in one cycle does not guarantee funding in subsequent cycles. It all depends on how well you explain that magnificent creation you’re building. Also, the panel will consider compliance with previous grant contracts and reporting requirements.

The committee might fund the entire amount requested, or a portion , or even none. We have approved some elements, and rejected others of some of the projects we’ve funded. For example, the grants are never intended to pay for a performer’s gas to get to an event, so a line item in that amount would be removed from the requested grant.

Q: How are grant applications evaluated?
A: We carefully review all the grant applications received. We consider the vision that you’ve described, what it is for, how well it is described, how reasonable the cost estimates are (budgeting is important. Very important!), and how feasible the project is. No chicken entrails are used in this process. We swear on a stack of tea leaves. We’re not saying anything about beer.

Here’s the stuff we look at:

When considering funding a project we look at the following aspects of your proposed project ......creativity, interactivity, thoughtfulness, originality, excitement, inspiration, social value, feasibility, planning, budget, timeliness, and safety. The committee may also consider other areas but this gives you an idea of what we are looking for in your application.

QUALITY:
· Creativity
· Interactivity
· Thoughtfulness
· Originality
· Excitement
· Inspiration
· Social value

EXECUTION
· Feasibility: Planning, Budget, Time line
· Safety procedures
· Clean-up plan
· Past work

Q: Budget? Do I have to have a budget? What ever happened to “We don’t need no stinkin’ budgets!”
A: Sorry. Yes. You HAVE to have a budget. For several reasons: Part of being a successful artist is the ability to track and manage your funds. You have to figure out if what you want to do is even remotely realistic, financially.

Your budget is your BEST tool in explaining what you’re doing, how much its going to cost, where you think that money might be coming from, and why you want and need us to share these valuable, community raised resources.

Q: What are the sizes of the grants?
A: The grants range from just a few dollars up to $500 or so – but that all depends on the amount of funding and the number of applications received. Just remember – no one person (or group) will get more than 25% of the total grant amount per year.

Q: Who ‘owns’ the work?
A: The artist or foundation that produces the work retains both ownership and copyright. BURN is simply helping artists, and asks for no ownership of the produced work. We do ask for publicity, though.

Q: You ask for publicity?
A: BURN asks that all grant recipients place the phrase “Funded in part by BURN - Burning Man Chicago's Bold Urban Renaissance Network” in any printed documents (and web pages) about the work. We also will request a license to display images and descriptions of the work for publicity (such as on our web page) and for not-for-profit purposes.

Q: What’s the application cycle?
A: Grant application deadlines are published on the BURN website. There are two major grant cycles: Winter (focusing on artwork for Resonate), and Summer (focusing on artwork targeted for Lakes of Fire, Burning Man and Decomp.)

Q. What are the artist’s responsibilities?
A: Here’s a summary, there is a more complete description in the grant contract:
Complete your work. Keep BURN updated via progress reports. Abide by the contract.
Talk to us, baby. Let us know how things are going.
Let us know where you are displaying your work. (Arrange tickets if necessary so a BURN representative can see the work.)
Provide credit for the support given in printed and web materials
Give a final report for the project and your experience with BURN

Q. I hate to write, do I have to write a huge book to get a grant?
A. Nope…. we encourage short and sweet descriptions. Your statement of purpose is used to describe what you are trying to communicate with your project. What is your mission/philosophy/goal/inspiration... if any? Please keep this short and to the point at 400 WORDS or less. Simple answers are not judged harshly. (Hey, we have to read all these things.)

Q: How is this related to Burning Man?
A: The Arts Grant committee is chartered by the Chicago Regional Burning Man Steering committee. And we’re all, like, you know, Burners.

Q: Does our art have to be interactive / participatory.
A: One of the principles of Burning Man and its art is that everyone should participate. In keeping with this ethos, participatory art is encouraged.

Q: What about Transportation Costs?
A: The Arts Grants may include an allotment for transportation to help transport larger art pieces over and above the cost an artist might incur for their own personal transport.
For example: If an art piece needs a trailer, because it won’t fit into the back of your ’62 VW Beetle, then a grant might include a transportation component.
Grant funds are not intended to cover your own personal transportation to/from an event, or the transport of any materials, costumes, effects, supplies, etc. that you would normally carry yourself.

The very essence of Burning Man is participatory. We all spend our time, our money, and our efforts to give back to our community. So the art grants won’t cover costs to transport something that we already are bringing - our costumes, our djimbes, our whiskey, our instruments, our beautiful selves. The spirit of the grant process is to help support art that can't be created, or created as 'big', or can't get to ‘the show’ without those grants.

Q: What about Performance Art?
A: Damn it, we love you all, we really do. Let us kiss you, because these grants are probably not the way we will get to show you love. Really with this money, we’re supposed to be looking to the creation of “stuff.” Unfortunately, for those that come and 'do' something, that is a harder up-hill battle. There's so many of you.

As we said earlier, everyone's got expenses, so we aren’t paying anyone for the usual costs for performers: their time, tickets, personal travel, or most tools of the trade. If you have something else in mind that’s new and doesn’t land in those no-no categories, send us an application. Show how the grant will help you bring your art to a Chicago BM-related event in a way that is over and above your own attendance, and the transport of your own usual gear. Blow our minds.

That said, the conception of the program at this time is oriented toward "pieces" of art rather than "performances" of art. The program focuses on materials. No grantee is paid for their time, tickets, or routine transport - since that's part of each person's participation.

Write a really excellent application that explains what materials need to be purchased for your performance art (art being a widely defined concept), how they are not part of the 'usual' activities, and show that there is a realistic budget and time-line.

For example, say there was a performance group that needed supplies for a skit/performance. If they wrote a good proposal explaining how those supplies were needed and how this grant would help meet the goals of the arts grant (participatory, well conceived, a reasonable budget, stars, stripes, apple pie, etc....) there's a good reason to seriously consider that application.

Q: My project doesn’t seem to fit into your guidelines. Should I still apply?
A: Yes! ‘Art’ is a pretty broadly defined area. We’ve already talked about what we want to fund, and can’t fund…. But hey, we’re open to being convinced. Tell us a compelling, original story. Describe your vision. Give us a legitimate, well thought out budget and application. Convince us. Come on, we wanna do it… talk us into it.

Q: So if I apply for a grant I’ll probably get one?
A: Umm. Not necessarily. See everything above. We do say “no” if an application is poorly written, doesn’t describe what the art project is, has a craaaaazy budget, is clearly not feasible, or is just not in keeping with the goals of the grant process.

Q: I’ve never filled one of these out before!! What do I do!!
A: Get a friend to help you. Ask us… we might be able to provide some guidance. Take a swing at it – you might find that you like writing after all. We can offer our advice on why a particular grant wasn’t approved after the grant cycle is concluded – to help you better prepare for the next grant cycle, if you want it. Its not like we’ll chase you down and take money AWAY from you just for applying.

Q: Will you be placing my art at events?
A: No, you’ll need to contact the event placement coordinator. Sure, we’ll work with the event planners to let ‘em know what we’re funding so that they have an idea of what to expect – but we aren’t the placement folks.

Q: What’s the website?
A: Its http://www.burningart.org/

But how’d you find this FAQ, anyway??